“I love you, baby,” he said, turning as Kayla took the plate.
“I love you, too,” I said as I kissed his cheek.
I didn’t know how it all happened, but I really did end up with the perfect life. I met the man of my dreams, and now, he was not only my husband, but my best friend as well. He gave me two of the most precious things in life, as well, two people that I couldn’t wait to introduce to each other. Kayla had stolen my heart a long time before, and this new baby was going to knock me off my feet.
As I stared out at Kayla, standing up on the mound holding the softball in her hand, I couldn’t help but feel almost overcome with emotion. She looked over and smiled at me before getting into position and tossing the ball out. She threw a second strike in a row, and all she needed was one more.
My life was finally exactly what I wanted, and I would never turn back for anything. The future was full of love, warmth, and family, and just like the stolen bases on the baseball field, my heart was taken, and by two of the most amazing people I had ever known. Everything was perfect.
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EXTREME
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Claire Adams
Chapter One
Justin
It was my fight night. I sat at the back of the arena under the overhang. From my seat, I could see how rowdy and pumped the crowd was. It was smaller than what I was used to, but it was okay. I was the main event. I was the reason everyone was there that night. It felt amazing.
The noise from the crowd was deafening. It was great because I could feel the energy in the crowd. The louder they became, the more it pumped me up for the fight. Most of the people there were eagerly waiting for me to take down my latest opponent.
I liked to stand near the back and watch the crowd get ready for me to appear. It helped me use that as motivation for my fights. I always stood where they couldn’t see me so I wouldn’t distract from the fight.
“You’re gonna do great tonight, kid,” Artie said from beside me.
“I know,” I said confidently.
This circuit was small, but I was ready for a few knockouts. I was ready to climb those ranks and show them who I really was. I didn’t feel nervous. In fact, I was so pumped that I began to bounce around a little bit. It kept my blood flowing.
I heard the announcer’s voice echo through the arena as he announced my opponent. I didn’t really pay attention to his name because I knew I would knock him out so quickly that it wouldn’t matter. Then, I heard my own name.
“And he’s here to climb the ranks, hoping to go further than anyone before him, JUUUUSTIIIIIIN SIIIIIMOOOOON!” he drug my name out for effect. My heart raced with anticipation. I loved hearing my name announced.
The crowd went wild, screaming, cheering, clapping, and chanting. There were a few boos, but from the sound of it, there weren’t very many. It was easy to block those out.
I followed Artie, my coach, down the aisle to the cage. People screamed at me as I walked by. I fist bumped a few of my fans and elicited even more cheers.
I could make out what some of them were saying, “Yeah!! Justin!” and “Kick his ass!” “Knock him down!” “You got this bro!” I appreciated my fans because I worked so hard to get to where I was. Four years ago, I wasn’t much of anything. I was nothing more than a walking mess, and now there I was, making a name for myse
lf in the world of MMA.
It always made me laugh when people I barely knew would call me “bro.” It always seemed to be my die-hard fans that used that term of brotherhood. Even though they probably didn’t know a single thing about me, it never bothered me. They were the reason I kept going. They were the reason I continued to step into that cage fight after fight.
I entered the cage and looked around. A few of the newer fighters were right in front. They were hoping to pick up a few tips from me that night. They wanted to be up close and personal with me. They wanted to learn from me. Knowing there were fighters who wanted to be like me was more flattering than anything I’d ever felt before.
I looked around the crowd a little more. I took in so many faces, but none were memorable. Then, I spotted her. Anna. I was so glad to see her. I’d asked her to come, but I half-expected she wouldn’t show. That might have made for an awkward appointment the next time I met with her, but she was there, and she looked so hot sitting there watching me. She was close enough to see all the action, but far enough away to avoid the bodily fluids that might fly off during the fights. Smart girl. It was something I liked about her. She was sitting next to a girl who looked a little like her. They were whispering and, for a moment, I wished I could hear what they were saying.
I put my mouth piece in and smiled at her. She smiled back, and it was enough to drive me crazy. She had the best smile I had ever seen in my life.