The Greatest Fight of All (The American Soldier Collection 5)

“I don’t know. I don’t like preparing to fight a dirty fighter I guess. This guy is talking so much trash. It’s turning into a three-ring circus. I’ve got all these big shots coming out there to watch, and wannabes, too. Jose’s getting calls by companies wanting to sponsor me or pay me to wear their logos and shit or pose for pictures. It’s fucking annoying.”

“Hey, this comes with the territory. None of that shit ever bothered you before,” Ricky told Waylon.

“It’s different. I’m getting frustrated with these moves.”

“Have you tried not focusing so much on what might happen and just focus on your speed, and compensating for the cheap shots?” Amelia asked.

“What do you mean? You want me to pretend like this guy isn’t a street fighter or something?”

She swallowed hard. Waylon was way pissed off.

“Waylon, what made you start fighting?” she asked him.

He looked at his brothers as Jose, Quincy, and Diver approached.

“To keep my mind off the bad shit in my head. To forget about the war and the pain. It helps me to release all my anger and frustration.”

“Okay. So what makes you think that street fighting is any different? These men have been battling not only their bad upbringings, their pasts, their faults, and their own ghosts, but all those scars of their own and an opportunity to not feel like a loser. Th

e difference is that some legitimately are looking for a way out and to live in freedom, while the others are looking for the easy way out and will cheat, lie, or rip you right off in front of your face. It comes down to the hunger, Waylon. How hungry are you? How badly do you want to beat Jerry O’Connor?”

He just stared at her a moment.

“How much will you dislike it if I want to continue to fight? If I want to beat Jerry O, and go for the title?”

She hadn’t expected that. She looked at the others. Quincy, Jose, and Diver walked toward the other side of the ring to give them some privacy.

She realized that this was what was really bothering Waylon. He had decided to continue a career in fighting and he was basically saying that he would give it up for her.

She stepped closer and placed her hand on his thigh.

“I’m here aren’t I, Waylon? I know it took me a while, but now that I’m here and I see your talent, your abilities, I’m with you. If this makes you happy, if this is a dream to achieve, then I’ll be right beside you in support. I love you, and the past doesn’t matter.”

He wrapped his boxing glove arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his sweaty chest.

“I love you, too. That’s what I needed to hear.”

“Okay, enough mushy stuff,” she stated, pushing away from him. “Get your ass back in that ring and focus. Remember, you’re a soldier. When Jerry O, throws you a cheap shot, use one of your hand-to-hand combat moves. A striker shot to the neck. If the ref doesn’t call his cheap shots, then he won’t call your counter ones.”

“Hot damn, I think I’m in love,” Quincy stated as he stared at Amelia and shook his head. They all laughed.

“Do you want to take back what you just said, before you hop into this ring with me?” Waylon asked.

“Sorry, Amelia. I didn’t mean any disrespect,” Quincy stated, then bowed in front of her.

They all laughed and Waylon gave her a wink before he stepped back under the ropes and into the ring. From there on out, he looked more relaxed and Amelia felt proud to be his.

Chapter 16

Amelia stood in the hotel room at the MGM Grand. She smoothed out the designer dress Regan and Velma helped to pick out in one of the boutiques downstairs. The men had told them to go shopping, then meet them in the lobby to escort them to their seats. The gown was exceptional. An emerald green, knee-length, snug-fitting dress, with a plunging neckline. It matched the plunging back, that fell very low to her ass. She’d never felt so sexy and exotic in her life, and she hoped that the men would love it.

She stepped into the matching high heels then looked at herself one more time in the mirror.

There was a knock at the door. Glancing at the clock, she knew it had to be Velma and Regan.

She cheeked the peephole, before opening the door.

“Oh my God, you two look incredible,” Amelia told them as Velma and Regan sashayed into the room. Velma wore a short, very tight-fitting black-and-purple sequined dress with purple stilettos. Regan wore one in red, her favorite color.