Fight For Me (Wilde #1)

Chapter 38

Chapter  38

        Someone cleared their throat and I tried pulling away from Laughlin, but he kept a firm hold on the back of my neck. He was a bit nervous for today's fight, but I knew he was going to do well. He always did.

       "Laughlin, stop eating my best friend's face," Mary said and finally, Laughlin pulled away from me.

       "I'll have you know that it was a good luck kiss," Laughlin said. "Nothing wrong with it. Besides, she got out of the hospital a few days ago and I need to make up for the time we lost."

       Mary sighed and shook her head. "I just want to tell you that the current match is almost finished so you'll be up soon. Now move away from my best friend and get ready."

       "Yeah, whatever," Laughlin said before giving me another kiss. "I'll see you after the fight."

       "Good luck," I said as he walked away.

       "You two are sickening," Mary said with an eye roll. "Just think, when Laughlin and I were dating, we never made out in front of you. I would like the same respect."

       "I am so sorry," I said. "I will not do that in front of you any longer. So you're still cool about me and Laughlin?"

       Mary furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah, uh, why?"

       "Nothing," I said. "I mean, I love it that you're fine with me dating him, but it's just....when the two of you broke up, you were so pissed at me for hanging out with him, even if there was nothing between us at the time."

       Mary snorted a laugh. "Elliot, come on. No matter what you think, there was always something between the two of you. Whenever it was the three of us hanging out at a diner or somewhere, you two were sitting beside each other. And the reason why I'm totally fine with it now is because I've seen the way the two of you are together. You make him a better person and he makes you happy. There's no reason why you two shouldn't be together, not even me."

       "Well, I don't feel like I say this enough, but thanks," I said. "You're seriously the best friend I could ever have for being so cool about it."

       "I know I am," Mary said with a smile. "But seriously, cool it with the making out. I really don't want to see that anymore."

       "Don't tell me that," I said. "Laughlin is the one who starts it every single time. And speaking off Laughlin...." I gesture towards the ring where Jerry, of course, was announced as the winner and that he would be moving on to the semis. I predicted it already and there was basically no point watching the match if I already knew the result.

       For the final match of the night, it was Laughlin verse another well-known boxer. I really wanted Laughlin to make it to the semis, and then the finals, but I had to admit that I was nervous for him. He was still in pain from the time he was in the hospital and if he got hit in the wrong spot, it could stop him from fighting.

        When Laughlin got in the ring, I walked over to the corner. He knelt down giving me a faint smile. "You'll do well," I said. "Just make sure you block your ribs."

       "I know that," he said. "I'll block them like my life depends on it because, you know, it kind of does."

       "It won't kill you if you get punched in the ribs," I objected with an eye roll.

       "I agree to disagree," Laughlin said. "It hurts like hell and if it hits me, I could possibly go unconscious. Maybe even die."

       "Well if you do go unconscious, I'll make sure to give you CPR," I told him.

       "Good," Laughlin said. "Good luck's kiss?"

       Smiling, I shook my head. "I already gave you a good luck make-out session. Nothing more."

       Mary walked over to me right as the matched began. I was paying close attention, and I couldn't help but notice that the boxer he was up against was aiming for Laughlin's ribs. Did everyone know that he was injured there?

       "Why is he only aiming at Laughlin's stomach?" Mary asked.

       "Remember when he was in the hospital?" I asked. "Well, his ribs are currently his weak spot. If he gets hit there, it will hurt a lot. I guess all the boxers know about his injury."

       "They shouldn't use it against him," Mary said.

       "Well, it looks like they are," I said.

       Right as I said that, the boxer succeeded in striking a blow in Laughlin's ribs, knocking him to the ground. And he wasn't getting back up.

       I got as close to Laughlin as I could without getting in the ring. "Laughlin," I said. "Laughlin, you go to get up."

       His face was twisted in pain and I knew it was going to take him a lot of effort to get up. However, I knew it was his last year boxing. He wanted to focus more on his brothers and if this was his last year, they would want him to win.

       "Laughlin, come on," I said. "You have to get up and fight. I want you to fight for me and your brothers."

       Laughlin slowly stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He was still in a lot of pain, but he was pushing through it.

       I walked back to Mary, feeling very nervous for Laughlin. I really hoped he made it through and wouldn't be struck in the ribs anymore.

       Luckily, he didn't. He made sure his ribs were blocked even more since he got hit already. He did not want to be hit again, so he wasn't.

       Laughlin ended up winning, so he was moving on to the semis. He hopped out of the ring and I wrapped my arms around him. "Good job," I said. "Are you okay? Do your ribs hurt?"

       "They hurt a lot," Laughlin said. "I really need to ice them."

       "We'll head straight to your house after they announce who is going against who next," I said.

       So that was what we did. However, everyone was shocked to hear one of the match ups.

       "No way," I said when it was announced. Why on earth would they do that? It was the semis, not the finals.

       Laughlin Wilde and Jerry Winston were going against each other next round.

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Only two chapters left, plus the two epilogues. I can't believe this story is almost done already.

I seriously can't wait to start writing the sequel. I already have some of it planned. The only thing I'll say about it is that it takes place five years after this story.