Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)

I slipped into bed last night behind Grace. She wasn’t asleep like I thought.

When my arm wrapped around her, she quietly asked, “Did you find him?”

“No.”

“When you do… don’t kill him. Hope and I wouldn’t make it well without you in our lives.”

I laid there a very long time thinking on what she said, then said, “I won’t.”

“I love you Maximilian Harper.”

“I love you Grace Harper.”

She rolled over to me. “What’s that supposed to mean? You haven’t proposed yet.”

“I will though. You’re mine and so is Hope. I won’t do anything that will put you two in jeopardy.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

We slept last night like that, face to face, our hearts beating for each other.

Yeah, even to me I think that sounds corny as fuck, but it is what it is.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Max

The announcers have done their job.

Marcellus and I are standing across from each other.

“Use your anger tonight, Max!” Dale shouts, “But be smart about it.”

My hands are clenched so damn tight in fists I can feel the pulse of blood in my fingers. My body is as tense as a coiled spring.

I don’t know if I have ever been this so wound up. I want to be loose before a fight, not so full of rage my mind keeps trying to cloud over.

“Are you ready?” the referee asks.

I nod my head. It’s a chore to even do that, even my neck muscles are tight.

“Are you ready?” he asks Marcellus.

After receiving a nod, he looks to us both.

Time slows for me as the ref raises his hand.

This is the time and the moment. I must allow myself to live right now in this moment. No past or future. Right here, right now.

The ref’s hand chops down as he says, “Let’s fight.”

I stand there a long moment, staring at Marcellus.

He doesn’t move either, this isn’t usual for me. He must have thought I would come charging across the ring. I don’t, not this time.

I take two steps and then begin to circle around.