Chapter 30 #2
“We have no time to stop. We can shop in Vegas,” Brinkley said, as she merged onto the freeway.
We spent the next few hours talking about all that had happened over the last few days. I checked the odds on the fight, and Romeo was a huge underdog, but he’d known that going into this.
My stomach twisted in knots as we got closer, and I kept checking the time.
We stopped once to use the bathroom, and Tia had bought enough junk food for a week’s-long vacation.
“Okay, so what’s the plan?” I asked as we turned down Las Vegas Boulevard, and I slipped my tennis shoes back on.
“We’ve got my press pass, and I’ll text Lincoln to come get us when we get there.”
“Okay, that works.”
“I hope my brother doesn’t lose his shit when he finds out you’re here for the fight,” Tia said as she bit off another piece of her red licorice.
“I need to let him know in person that I’m okay.
That Leo didn’t do this. That he should just focus on all the work he’s done to prepare for this fight.
I was always supposed to be here,” I said, feeling butterflies swarm my belly because this was really happening.
Everything he’d worked for was happening today.
“He can’t get too mad. You’ve got the sympathy sling on your arm and the whole concussed thing going for you,” Tia said.
I chuckled as we turned into the hotel, and Brinkley groaned at all the traffic. “Okay, we need to get up front somehow,” she said before she shocked the shit out of me and pulled into a lane that was coned off and drove down with people shouting at her.
“I guess we’re doing this,” I said when she put the car into park.
“Hey, this lane is closed. You need to get in line!” a guy who was in his early twenties shouted before he jogged toward us and came to a stop right in front of me.
“This here is the girlfriend of Romeo Knight, the guy fighting tonight. This is his sister, and I’m his sister-in-law. And I’ve got a press pass that says I need to be in there before this starts. How about you be a good guy and help us out?”
He looked between us and held his gaze on me and then nodded slowly. “Yeah, I recognize her from Leo’s social media. And wait a minute, aren’t you married to that NFL quarterback?”
“Damn straight.”
“If I let you go, will you get me both of their signatures?” he asked, as he raised a brow.
“Yes. Done.” Brinkley tossed him her keys.
“What’s your name?” I asked, already on the move.
“Johnny Cane!” he shouted after us.
“We will be back with autographs, Johnny Cane!” I yelled. We were moving as fast as we could without jostling my arm, as we made our way across several lanes in the valet area now.
“Come on, we’ve got to get inside first, and then we’ll figure out where to go.” Brinkley was just ahead of us and she kept turning around and telling me not to run. She led us to the events area and headed straight for the VIP line, which was thankfully much shorter than the other lines.
“Thank goodness your magazine splurges for the good seats,” Tia said. Brinkley pulled her phone out for them to scan the tickets.
We hustled once again, walking briskly, which was not easy without the use of one arm.
We stopped at the escalator, and there was security there.
Brinkley stepped to the side and pulled out her phone and dialed Lincoln. “Hey. I’m here. I need you to do something for me without asking any questions.”
She paused and listened. “Very cooperative today, Captain. I need three badges to get down there.”
“No. It’s not press.” She paused again. “What did I say about all the questions? Can you just trust me on this?” More silence. “Love you, too.”
I kept looking at the time and glanced over my shoulder to see the crowds of people piling into the auditorium. It finally hit me that we were actually here.
This fight was happening.
“Oh my God. I’m going to throw up,” Tia said as she looked around, and her face went completely pale.
“You keep it together, T. They won’t let you back there if you start freaking out. And if Romeo sees you upset, he’ll worry about you. We’re here for him. Got it?” Brinkley’s voice was eerily calm, and even I pulled my shit together.
Tia nodded. “Okay.”
Lincoln came up the escalator, and his shoulders slumped when he saw the three of us standing there. He nodded at the security guard and flashed the passes. “These three are with me.”
The guy scanned the badges and moved aside to let us through.
“What the fuck is this?” Lincoln whisper-hissed under his breath.
“She got released, and there was no stopping her. She needs to see him before he fights.” Brinkley reached for his hand, and he shook his head.
“He doesn’t want you near Leo,” Lincoln said. His eyes met mine now.
“Leo wasn’t involved in what happened,” I said. “Please, Linc. I need to talk to him.”
“All right. I hope we’re not making a huge mistake. And, Tia, I thought you didn’t want to see the fight live. You look like you’re going to be sick.”
“How about you take me to a different room? I don’t think I should see him right now. I’ll wait down here during the fight.”
“Good idea.” He paused and pushed open a door to a room that had TVs and a couch. He told Tia to wait there. She hugged me and Brinkley goodbye and asked us to text her with updates.
Lincoln shook his head as he led us further down the hallway. A few guys in security shirts moved past us, but it was otherwise quiet down here.
He pushed open the last door and held his hand out for me to go inside. Romeo was getting his hands taped, and he looked up to find me standing there.
He didn’t look angry. His gaze softened, and he motioned for Butch to stop taping.
“Can we give them a minute?” Lincoln asked, and all the guys walked past me, each giving me a hug one at a time before they were all out in the hallway. I couldn’t wait another second. I ran toward Romeo and threw myself against him on a whoosh, careful of my arm.
His arms gently came around me. “What are you doing here, baby?”
“I needed to be here. With you.” Tears were streaming down my face because I was just so happy to be near him.
“You’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” I used the hand of my uninjured arm to stroke his face. “It wasn’t Leo who did this. It had nothing to do with you. The cameras caught a photo of the guy you knocked down. He was a fraternity brother of Ronny’s.”
His brows pinched together, and he nodded as he listened.
“But none of that matters. Not tonight. You go out there and show how hard you’ve worked. You have nothing to prove to anyone anymore. You fight this fight for yourself, okay?”
“I can’t believe you’re here.” He pulled me against him again. “I love you so fucking much.”
“I know you do.” I pulled back and smirked. “I never doubted that. I love you, Golden Boy. And I will be cheering you on tonight.”
“If it’s too much, you take a pass and come back here and wait for me, okay?”
“It’s not too much. Anything you can take, I can take with you. You just go out there and do your thing.” I took his hands in mine and kissed his knuckles on each hand. “I believe in you, Romeo Knight.”
He nodded, a look of contentment settling on his face. “I’m ready.”
“I know you are.”
“You’re awfully cocky tonight.” He leaned down and kissed me. “Now, get out there with Brinkley and take your seats. Let me get gloved up. I’ll see you in twelve rounds, baby.”
I kissed him one last time. “You will.”
Joey came through the door, and everything moved quickly after that.
Nash and Hayes escorted Brinkley and me to our seats.
We were in the press area off to the side, but we had a good view of the ring.
They both hustled back to meet Romeo as they were going to be right there beside the ring as part of the crew.
I said a silent prayer.
But I already knew he was going to be okay.
He had to be.