TKO: Total Knock Out (TKO 1)

this one.”

The entire crowd begins cheering and it’s so loud I can hardly hear myself think. Did he really just say I was up against Stacy tonight? No. I can’t fight Stacy. Who makes these lists? This has got to be a joke. She is the most badass female fighter there is, and I didn’t think we’re even in the same weight class. There’s no way we are, she’s huge.

My face pales as I turn to meet Garrett’s gaze. He looks worried, like he wants to drag me out of there, away from the ring.

Oh God, I can’t do this. I need a way out. The walls are closing in as I hear our names being chanted throughout the building. I could handle fighting any other woman in here, just not Stacy. All eyes are on me and I suddenly feel as if I can’t move. Thank God we aren’t the first fight of the evening, or I’m not sure I’d be able to escape. After Blaize calls our names, he continues to call out every other pairing of the night and we were set to go last.

Jack Miller and Lance Jones step into the ring and their fight begins. I could easily take one of them on with nothing to hold me back, if fighting the men were possible. Jack used to train with us, but he moved, and seeing these two in the ring together brings me back to the first week I was at Lou’s. Both of them are good and it’s hard to predict who will come out on top.

I snap out of my thoughts as Garrett inches closer to me. Shit. What does he want? Does he just want to gloat about how she’s about to throw my little body across the cage? I’ll fucking drag him to the ground now; I’m not in the mood.

He reaches out to touch my arm and I jerk it away trying my hardest to get away from him. My breathing becomes ragged as I try to figure out what I am going to do. Can I even beat her, or will I become the latest joke?

“Raegan, I told you this wasn’t a good idea. How can you go against her?” His eyes are brimming with concern. “You aren’t in her class. Somebody fucked up big-time.”

“I know, we have to talk to Howard. I’m not getting in that cage tonight. No way in hell.” I wring my hands, watching Lance get a hit against Jack in the ring.

“Let’s find him and figure this shit out, now. You know how I feel about you fighting.” Then, as if he’d been wanting to ask me since the first day I walked in the gym, he adds, “Why do you do this?”

“I’m sorry, who are you? Don’t act like you give a shit, like you can give me advice or tell me what to do. It’s none of your business,” I snap.

The hurt, the emotional turmoil, is clear in his eyes. Guilt sinks in the pit of my stomach.

“I care about you.” He leans in close. “You know that. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Tears sting my eyes as I walk toward the door to get some fresh air. Lance just won his match and the next pair is getting ready. Garrett follows me and I wish like hell he wouldn’t. I’m not ready to face him; I just want to get away.

I lean against the brick wall, breathing in the cool November air. A lone tear slides down my cheek and I quickly brush it away as Garrett stands in front of me with his arms crossed over his bare chest.

“I’m a big girl, Garrett. I don’t need you to protect me. I’m good out there and you know it, so quit giving me a hard time.”

“Raegan, most twenty-one-year-old women are in the bars drinking and having the time of their lives, not fighting. I just want to know you, figure you out. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He pauses, then adds, “Come on, we need to get back in there. Howard and Blaize are going to be looking for you.”

I swallow the rest of the tears that threaten to come up. I can’t break down in front of Garrett, I refuse to. “I’m not like most women, Garrett.” I try to keep the emotion out of my voice, but I can’t. “There’s nothing to get to know, what you see is what you get.”

“I won’t let you get hurt in there, I swear I won’t. Let’s go sort this shit out.” His sincerity sends a chill down my spine because I know he’s being honest. For once I wish he would lie.

I tug off my gloves and drop them on the ground. Garrett looks at me, perplexed. “You’re right. She won’t be able to hurt me in there because she won’t have the chance. I’m not going back in. I’m leaving.”

I bend down to grab my gloves and he still stands there not knowing what to say. I start to walk away and he grabs my arm. I try hard to ignore the electricity his touch sends through me. This time when he grabs my arm, I don’t pull away.

“Raegan, don’t go. We’ll tell them to pair you with someone else.”

“Yeah, so I can look like I can’t handle Stacy Harper?” I push his chest so hard, he actually moves back. Howard is going to be pissed at me, no doubt about that. I’m leaving, and not even Garrett with his baby blue eyes can stop me. I was a fool for being interested in him; I wasn’t thinking. He doesn’t know how I feel and it needs to stay this way. Forever.

“Whatever, Raegan, have it your way. Run away from it all. You could just talk to me you know. Tell me why you’re so uptight. Tell me what’s going on with you. Tell me how to fix it. I can do that, you know. I can be there for you in whatever way you need me.”

His gaze is pleading, but I can’t listen to him. So I counter it with the worst thing I can think of.

“Stop trying to get in my pants, Garrett, it’s not going to happen. You can’t fix me either, so quit trying. Give it up, this is all you get.” I shove past him and begin walking. Home is a few blocks or so away, but I don’t care. The sooner I get home, the sooner I get away from Garrett. The sooner I get away from Garrett, the sooner I can forget. Then I remember my truck is here, so why the hell am I walking?

“Dammit, Raegan,” Garrett yells after me. “You know it’s not like that. Come back and talk to me.”

But I didn’t go back and talk. I kept walking away from him and the cage. Walking away meant I made no money for the night, but at least I saved myself from embarrassment. Fuck it. I’ve had enough of this bullshit. I don’t need any of this anymore. I can get by. No—I will get by without Howard and most importantly without Garrett.

Chapter 16

Raegan