“Is this really about the fight? Because if you need some time after what Frank did, then that’s fine, Sunshine. You just tell me, and we can wait until you’re ready,” I reassured her.
“It’s not, O’Connell, believe me. I want nothing more now than for you to bury your cock deep inside me and let me ride it until Christmas,” she said “But Danny believes that the ban helps you fight better, and I believe in Danny.” I dropped my head back into her neck with a groan.
“What?” she asked.
“Two things. One, don’t say “cock” anymore. My dick twitches every time that word comes out of your pretty pink lips. And two, please don’t mention Danny in the same sentence as my cock. You can’t know how fucking wrong it feels to have that old codger’s face pop into my head when I’m hard as a fucking diamond.”
She collapsed against me in a fit of giggles, and I laid my head on her chest as she played absentmindedly with my hair, letting the sound of her laughter seep into my soul. However much I might regret not taking Frank out, I know I would never have this amount of peace with Em in my arms if I had.
That alone made it the right decision. I was a violent man. Throwing punches and taking hits would always be part of who I was. But for her, I had to choose a different path. Because at the end of the day, I’d be walking toward Sunshine. And that was a journey always worth taking.
*
We slept late into the next morning, and nobody came to wake us. If Frank had given me up, the police would have been beating down the door long ago.
“Shouldn’t you be at the gym?” mumbled Em, her hair sticking up all over the place adorably.
“I think we should call off the Temple fight,” I told her.
“Why?” she asked sitting bolt upright in bed.
“I’m fighting in a matter of weeks, and I’m nowhere near ready. Plus Frank isn’t going anywhere, and I know we agreed to move forward from that,” I said putting my hands up in surrender. “But I still need to keep you safe and I can’t do that from the other side of the world.”
“No,” she said decisively, climbing out of bed.
“What do you mean, no?” I asked, pulling my T-shirt over my head.
“I meant exactly what I said. You are not calling off this fight. This will make your career, and if you drop out at the last minute, you’ll destroy it.”
“That’s exaggerating a bit…” I was six feet five inches but she stopped me in my tracks as she looked at me, stark naked with her hands on her little hips and one eyebrow raised. She didn’t say anything, but knowing she’d made her point, she carried on walking to the bathroom. Jeez, my stubborn woman made me all kinds of fucking hot.
“Fine! So my career would take a hit, but what do you propose we do about Frank? I leave for training camp in the US in a couple of weeks. You’ve got exams in two. How am I supposed to fight when I’m worrying about you here all alone?” She turned on the shower, drowning out my voice.
“Emmm…?” I pleaded, and she kissed me then climbed into the shower.
“Trust me, I’ve got an enormous brain. I’ll think of something. Now get dressed. You’ve got a lot of work to do, and I need to have a word with Danny.”
Rolling my eyes, I did as I was told. Despite all my protests, I knew she was right. Em wanted me to fight, and I wanted to win. Having made my peace with the part of myself that needed revenge, I was ready to show the rest of the world what I was made of.
*
The guys were all congregated in the office eating bacon sandwiches when we arrived.
“Here you go, darlin’. I saved you one,” Danny said, handing Em a wrapped sandwich.
“Where’s mine?” I asked.
“You’re in training,” Earnshaw pointed out, “or are you?”
“I am,” I replied with a smile.
“So what’s the plan?” Kieran asked with a mouth full of food.
Em took charge. “O’Connell’s fighting this guy, and he’s going to win. For the next couple of weeks, he lives here unless he’s sleeping, and the same goes for me. I’ve got exams in two weeks, and I’ve missed a lot of school lately. So if it’s okay with you, Danny, I’m going to use the office to study while O’Connell’s training. Heath, do you think you’ll be able to pick me up in the mornings on the way in? I know O’Connell won’t want me walking in alone, and I don’t fancy coming in at the crack of dawn with him,” she said.
“Happy to,” he answered, licking sauce from his fingers as the soggy meal started disintegrating into his hands.
“What about your shifts at Daisy’s?” I asked her.
“I’m going to ask Mike and Rhona to share my shifts between the other waitresses until the fight is over,” she answered.