TKO: Total Knock Out (TKO 1)

“What are you doing, Raegan?” I grab her arm and pull her to the side. “You can’t go against Marley. You’re not ready, you’ve only been training for a week. Marley’s damn good, she’s as good as I am, as good as Whitney is. You weren’t prepared.”

“Let go of me, Garrett. I’m here and Whitney can’t do it, so why can’t I?” She jerks her arm away.

“Raegan, if you feel ready, we can prep you. I don’t want you in there if you aren’t ready.” Howard frowns, looking Raegan up and down as if checking to see if she’d break.

“I’m ready for this.” Raegan turns her nose up at me as if she’s got something to prove.

Howard shakes his head and gives her the rundown, then tells Blaize about the switch.

Once again, the announcer’s voice booms over the crowd. “Okay, scratch Whitney Johnson, tonight we have Marley Liles against Lou’s newest fighter, Raegan Montgomery, and our main event is Brady Moore against our very own Garrett Johnson, hell yeah!” The crowd goes nuts. I’m still pissed about Raegan fighting tonight, and I’ll be even more pissed if I lose my match because I’m distracted.

“I wish you’d wait, Raegan.”

“Garrett, leave me alone. Quit womanizing me.”

“Womanizing?”

“You’re undressing me with your eyes. Stop it.”

“You must like it if you noticed.”

“Ugh!” She growls as she makes her way to the back to Whitney and Howard. I’m not out of this game yet; maybe I still have a chance with her.

I wonder if she’s nervous. She’s got to be, seeing this is her first time. I should have given her advice but instead I tried to talk her out of it. I turn away, but then I spot her talking to some couple I’ve never seen before. Who the hell were they? Her expression is pained as she speaks, and I wish I could walk over there and check on her, but I know that’d throw her o

ver the edge.

This girl has too much of a hold on me and it’s driving me up the wall. Her fight is coming up next. I’m not sure who’s more anxious—me or her.

Chapter 6

Raegan

Fucking James. The first night I fight, he would have to be here. This is the first time we’ve been face to face since that day in his room when I left it all behind.

We were all a little thrown off when the announcer said Whitney was due to fight tonight. Yea, that wasn’t happening. Garrett looked pissed when I volunteered. I know I haven’t been training that long, but I want to. I can feel the adrenaline pumping through me, I can’t wait to get out there and show him what I’m made of.

But James is here, and that makes me nervous. He’s got Adryian with him, and she has the gall to look all pompous; she stole my man and she knows it. Their hands stay intertwined the entire time. She won’t let him out of her sight, but can you blame her? If he cheated on me, I’m sure he’d do the same to her.

When I return to my new companions, Whitney starts gushing, “Who was that, Raegan? He’s cute!”

“Just my ex,” I grumble, hoping she’ll get the hint this conversation is over.

Howard clears his throat and points to a set of changing rooms on the far side of the arena. Once inside, he grabs my hands and starts wrapping them before tossing some gloves at me. “Put these on.” After throwing a mouthpiece in my direction and one of Whitney’s extra sports bras and shorts from her locker, he steps out the room so I can change.

Noticing the odd look on my face, Whitney points in the direction of the little outfit and says, “They’re just extras I keep here, they’re clean I promise.”

“Is it normal to be this nervous, Whitney? Shit, I don’t know why I stepped up to do this. Garrett looked like he was going to kill me when I said I’d fight for you.”

“He likes you, Raegan, he’s just worried about you. He told me that by the way, but I didn’t tell you.” She winks and turns as I slip into her extra outfit. I take one look in the mirror and can’t help but smile. I look amazing. I look like a fighter should, but am I really ready like a fighter should be? My mind wanders back to Garrett. He did have a sweet side that night at their apartment. I get my mind back to the match; if I win, I’ll have a little money to start saving.

As I follow her and Howard back out to the crowd, I can feel Garrett’s eyes burning deep into my soul and I offer him a grin. Within seconds, he’s beside me.

“Keep your hands up, Raegan, and well, do her like you did me that first day. You’ll be fine.”

“Thanks. I’ll try like hell.” I extend my hand offering him some sort of truce and he pulls me in for a hug and I swear he kisses the top of my head. Whether he did or not, it felt like it, and that’s what I’m sticking with. Forget James.

Blaize calls us to the ring and I can hear my name being chanted along with Marley’s. No one in here knows me but what a thrill this is. My heart is pounding in my chest as we approach the ring. I’m really getting ready to do this. Panic sits in the back of my mind, taunting me. What if I fail? What if I look like a complete idiot out there? My hands begin sweating profusely in these gloves. I have to shake these nerves. I can do this..