Epilogue
Las Vegas is like nowhere else on earth, or at least anywhere I’ve ever been. The room we’re staying in is so over the top. It’s hard to believe I’m standing here. It has its own bedroom and two bathrooms, both of which are bigger than my apartment.
I’m glad I’m here alone right now because I do need a moment to take all of this in.
It’s been nearly a year since Joey and I got together. It has been the most amazing time of my life.
He treats me like a queen. Something I struggled with for a long time in the beginning.
I still have flashbacks to life before, but he is always there to help me through it. He soothes me when I wake up from nightmares. His silent support after a difficult therapy session helps ease my racing mind.
He’s taken me to places I never dreamt I’d go. He’s integrated into my life with my friends.
Sometimes I can’t believe just how perfect he is .
He has his moments like everyone does, but he never takes it out on me. Joey never raises his voice when I’m around and when I am, he’s fully conscious of my every move.
Some people might find it overbearing, but Joey does it in such a way that I only feel safe and loved.
This is only the third fight I’ve been to since the first one. He’s had a few more, but sometimes I need to back off from watching him get hurt.
Not this time. This is a World Championship fight in Las Vegas. If he wins, it’s the highest he can go in his sport. There will be no one better than him. He’s trained none stop for this one. He stuck to the no sex rule. I've spent more time in my apartment these last couple of weeks to let him focus.
I’m so proud of him. There is no way I can pass up being here for him.
Jenna wanted to be here, but she is on tour with BreakNeck and they’re performing one of the last US shows tonight.
As I unpack, I can’t help but smile, thinking about Jenna. I can’t imagine my life without her in it, or the other women of BreakNeck, as they’ve become known. In a few short weeks, I’ll be flying out to a paradise island to see her marry the love of her life, and I can’t wait.
I take advantage of the enormous bathtub and the expensive complimentary toiletries while I wait for Joey to get back from his meetings prior to the fight tomorrow. When he arrives, I’m dressed and ready to go. He’s booked us a table at an exclusive restaurant in the Palms Casino.
“You look good enough to eat,” he says, tossing his stuff on the table in the entryway to the suite, then walking over to me.
Joey takes my hand and pulls me out of the seat, wrapping one arm around me so he can squeeze my ass, the other sweeps down my cheek, his thumb brushing over my lower lip, before he leans in for a kiss. Electric tingles run through me and I lean into him, ready to tell him to cancel the reservations, but he pulls back and taps my nose.
“Hold that thought, Kitten. Let me grab a quick shower, then we can go.”
I pout, and he laughs as he walks away.
When we leave, I’m speechless to see a limousine waiting for us. Joey doesn’t throw his money around, he never even buys himself extravagant things, choosing to invest or save the money he makes from his fights. But this week is special. If he wins the fight tomorrow night, I’m pretty sure his world is going to change.
It’s daunting but also amazing.
The restaurant is fancy, and the food is incredible. Joey sits beside me and tells me all about the meeting, the press and interviews and photo ops he has to do before the fight. Then he’ll have a couple of hours with Sam and Malice to prepare.
We’re planning on staying a few days after the fight to sightsee and we’re even going to drive up to the Grand Canyon.
Life with Joey is definitely exciting.
He’s never tried to change me or stop me from doing the job I’ve grown to love. Even if I am a server and people look down on it, Joey never has.
After the meal, Joey holds my hand as we leave the hotel and walk out into the insanity that is the Las Vegas strip.
“Do you want to go back to the hotel or take a walk? We could go in and try our luck at the casinos.”
“Is it okay to just walk? These hotels are crazy. I just want to get a closer look.”
“No problem,” he kisses my temple, and we walk hand in hand.
I point out a poster advertising his fight with a picture of him looking all angry and gorgeous. I insist he take my picture with it, making him laugh.
“Are you nervous?” I ask him, as we stand by the Bellagio Hotel, watching the water fountains as they dance to the music.
“Why would I be nervous?” he asks with a cocky grin .
“Because this is a big deal, Joey. It’s not like your other fights.”
“It’s still just a fight,” he shrugs. “I’m confident in my ability to take it on.”
He moves behind me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me back against his chest.
“I love you are so confident.”
“There is no point going into a fight not believing in yourself,” he says. “Plus, I have you by my side. My good luck charm.”
I smile and tip my head back as the fountains shoot hundreds of feet into the sky.
“Plus, I just have a feeling that the next couple of days are going to be amazing, something we’ll never forget.”
I turn in his arms, and he rests his hands on the curve of my ass as I wrap my arms around his neck. I love how huge he is, how he envelopes me in his body.
“You know I love you no matter what. Though Champion of the World has a nice ring to it.”
He chuckles. “That it does. Want to go on the rollercoaster?”
“Urgh, no,” I squeak.
“Come on, it’s safe and fun.”
“No chance, buddy. I’ll keep my feet on the ground. Thank you very much.”
“Okay.”
I rest my cheek against his chest and breathe in the scent of him.
“Are you tired?”
“A little. It’s been a long day.”
“Let’s head back to the hotel then, yeah?”
I agree. It’s going to be tough as hell tonight. Joey looks like a tasty snack in his black pants and shirt and I don’t get to take advantage of him. Sex the night before a fight is an even bigger no go than in the month leading up to it. It’s okay though, just lying next to him is all I need .
Back at our hotel, Joey seems a little antsy. He keeps looking at his watch and as we wait for the elevator, his foot is tapping against the ground.
Maybe he is nervous about the fight, and just doesn’t want to admit it. A nice massage might take his mind off it. That might lead to something we can’t do.
I never used to be this insatiable before I met him.
Joey is staring up at the floor numbers as the lift rises. It’s super-fast and quiet. Yet, the closer we get to our floor, the more anxious he seems.
“Are you alright?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he blinks. “I’m good. Just thinking about tomorrow.”
“Everything will be fine, Joey,” I squeeze his hand. “You got this.”
He smiles, but it’s strained. I feel uneasy as we step out of the elevator and head to our room. His whole body is tense, and his eyes keep darting to me. It’s like there is something he wants to say to me but doesn’t know how to broach it.
Joey has no problem talking to me about anything. So what is wrong with him?
When we get to the door, he takes a few tries to get the keycard into the reader. Is he ill? Oh God, what if something is wrong?
“Joey? Are you sure you’re okay?”
The door swings open behind me. When he doesn’t answer, I decide it will be best to get him into the room where we can talk. I take two steps inside and freeze.
The lights never came on when the door opened like they have been, but there is a soft glow coming from inside. It takes a moment for me to understand what I’m seeing. There are candles lighting the room.
As I take another couple of steps, my feet brush against something on the floor and I look down, trying to figure out what is going on.
Joey comes inside and closes the door. I feel him behind me as I look down and realize what I’m standing on .
Flower petals. My eyes widen as Joey places his hand on the small of my back and guides me further into the suite.
“What is this?” I ask, looking around. There are more flowers, more candles, and a bucket with champagne. “Joey?”
When I turn around, Joey steps right into me, sweeping my hair back with one hand, the other is behind his back.
“What are you?... What is?”
He grins at me. “Why don’t you let me do the talking for a minute, Kitten?”
I swallow, my throat feels tight. He can’t be doing what I think he’s doing, right?
“Megan,” he taps the end of my nose playfully. “Just be here with me.”
Okay, I can do that. I gulp, but nod.
“Meg,” his voice wavers, his smile is nervous. “From the first moment I saw you, I said to myself, I need to know this girl. Standing there in my gym, looking beautiful, vulnerable and a little scared, but I could see beyond that. You were so strong. So fucking brave, Meg. You didn’t realize it, not then.
"I’ve seen you blossom, grow and change. I watched you from afar because I never thought a woman like you could fall for a guy like me. For a man who fights for a living.”
My eyes sting and my vision blurs. Joey brushes a stray tear away with his thumb and presses his forehead into mine.
“When you made that first move, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was that it was me you chose. And the longer I’ve known you, the luckier I know I am.
"I fell in love with you, not knowing what love was. All I know is, I’ve never wanted anyone, or anything more than I want you. Being with you has brought out a happiness in me I never knew existed. And every moment we’ve shared since that first date has only proven that we’re made for each other.
“I can’t imagine even a second of my life without you being by my side. You’ve made me feel alive. Cared for me and stood by me. Faced your demons to be with me, and I’ll forever be grateful that I’m the man you chose.
"Let me be that man for the rest of our lives, Meg. Let me stand beside you, lifting you, supporting you, loving you. I swear I will fight for forever with you. Always.”
Now, the tears are flowing down my cheeks. He brings his other hand around and my brows furrow when I see a beautiful red rose, the perfect rose.
He holds it out to me. I look at him, then take the flower. He wraps his hand around mine, so it’s clasped between us. I dip my head to inhale the scent of it but suck in a breath when I see the ring nestled inside the petals.
“Kitten,” he takes the ring from between the petals and holds it between us. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I blurt out.
“Yeah?” he asks, ducking his head a little.
“Yes. It’s so beautiful,” I whisper as he takes my hand and slots the ring onto my finger.
“Like you.”
“Joey,” I sniffle. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you. I never thought I would ever find someone who made me feel the way you do, someone who has shown only love and kindness and support. Every day, I’m grateful that you chose me.”
He smiles, rubbing his fingers over the ring he has placed on me. “I guess we’re made for each other then, huh?”
I laugh and launch myself at him. He catches me with ease, barely even rocking backwards, just sweeping me into his arms, and then he is kissing me. I cling to him and he lifts me so my legs are wrapped around his hips. I never want to let him go.
“Fuck,” he groans and looks over my shoulder towards the bedroom. “Why did I do this the night before a fight?”
“You could call it off,” I joke.
“Don’t tempt me. ”
“Look at it this way, over the next few days, we’ll have two things to celebrate.”
“Yeah,” he kisses me again. “There is one more thing I wanted to talk to you about, now that you’ve said yes and all.”
Pulling back so I can see him more clearly I wait for him to go on, having no clue what he could be about to ask me, yet trusting him. Knowing that whatever it is, I’ll do it because I would do anything for this man.
“Marry me.”
“You already asked me that,” I laugh.
“No, I mean marry me, here, in Vegas, after the fight.”
My eyes widen. Is he serious? “Joey, how can we just get married after the fight?”
“We are in Vegas.”
I may have believed I would never get married, but if I did, I never thought it would be in Vegas.
I thought my path was written. I would always be afraid, a scared girl trapped inside my personal hell until my life was ended. A cruel joke life played on me, my heart permanently cracked wide.
Joey put me back together. He made me see how strong I am, what I am capable of and, most important of all, he showed me I was something worth loving.
Does it matter if I get married in a Las Vegas chapel?
“I promise it will be beautiful,” he whispers. “No Elvis impersonators, no drive throughs. Do you trust me, Kitten?”
There isn’t even a moment’s hesitation.
“Yes.”
His face splits into the most beautiful smile.
“In two days’ time, you’ll be mine forever.”
Forever will never be enough with Joey, but I will spend forever loving him because I finally see I deserve to be happy, to be loved.
I couldn’t have chosen a better man to do all of that with .
Joey wins the fight with a third-round knockout and becomes World Champion. I’m ringside throughout the whole match, supporting him with everything I have.
He forgoes all the after-party celebrations with his team, even the press conference, citing a family emergency.
That emergency? Me, and the love of my life celebrating our engagement, and his win privately.
All night long.