Campus

Chapter 26 - Begging

James POV:

He laced his gloves?

No fucking wonder his hits feel so fucking heavy. The ref is standing between the both of us but I'm still close enough to spit blood at the cheating fuck.

"Dirty fucking prick." My spit lands on his chest. I don't give a fuck. Just as dishonest as his fucking coach, why am I surprised. He goes to come at me but then coach appears, stepping in front of me.

"Back down now boy before I teach you a real lesson." His thundering voice sending vibrations through the floor. Bennett's coach then steps up.

"Stirly, sure you don't want to pick up where we left off?"

"Fuck you Brown, you've always been dirty scum."

Bennett's coach Brown draws his hands up and then I step in front of coach this time but soon all the security men are piled into the ring trying to break up all the shit talking.

The three judges pull Bennett over to his corner and instruct him to remove his gloves.

"What just because some crazy bitch said that, you're all going to believe her?"

"Mr. Michaelson remove your gloves, this is your final warning."

Bennett throws his gloves on the floor of the ring and makes a run for the lockers.

Guilty people don't run.

One of the judges picks up his gloves and gives them a shake and then sticks his hand inside and pulls out a bunch of stuffing and then a steel plate of some sort.

That motherfucker.

The announcer brings the microphone over to the judge, "Bennett Michaelson has been disqualified due to tampering with equipment."

The crowd goes wild, the stadium practically shaking. I turn around to face coach, "So what does this mean?"

"It means you're the new national champion!" He slaps me on the back. But I'm not happy, I'm disappointed, I didn't come all this way to become a champion by default, I wanted to work for it. As if he senses my thoughts, "James you earnt this, you deserve this, take the win." And for the first time in four years I see my coach, Harold Stirly of sixty-three years, smile, teeth and all.

We give each other one of those hugs where we slap each other on the back. I break away and scan the edges of the ring searching the crowd for her. My eyes flick back and I see her, standing in the aisle, loose brown curls hugging her face and her big green eyes gazing back at me, a small smile forming on her face, her nose scrunched up adorably. I hear the reporter from the conference ask me a question but right now I want nothing more than to swallow this girl in my arms. I jump down from the ring and push past all the congratulatory pats on the back, I climb over the first row and take her by her hips lifting her up and spinning her around, I feel her little hands wrap tightly around my body and I have never in my life felt more content than in her arms.

I bury my head in her neck and take a deep inhale, the scent of her strawberry shampoo fills my lungs.

"You came." I pull my head back but keep her tight against me, her legs wrapped firmly around my waist.

She blushes slightly, "So, am I your girlfriend?" She drops her gaze from mine, and I am reminded yet again at how much I adore this woman.

I release one hand from her ass and tilt her chin up so she is looking at me, "Do you want to be?"

"Mmmm hmm." she begins nodding but I cut her off by crashing my lips against hers, I forget I am covered in sweat and blood but she doesn't seem to mind as she returns the kiss. I hear a few wolf whistles coming from the crowd and cheering. I break the kiss knowing I have to go to the post fight conference.