Pain & Gain

Chapter 19

"I came to ask if you could put in a good word for me with Rule." He says. "I need a new sponsor and I was hoping he would sign me."

I release my lip and have to prevent my jaw from dropping. I look at Marshall who is in complete and utter shock. Taylor can't be serious. Rule can't afford another fighter. Not right now, the gym is trashed. Yes his parents have enough money to go swimming in, but he's made it very clear he doesn't want them to know about this.

"Are you serious?" Marshall asks, almost like he's giving Taylor a chance to say he was only joking.

When Taylor doesn't respond I can feel Marshall's muscles tighten, hell is about to break loose.

"Tell me why you think I would do that for you. Give me one good reason." Taylor opens his mouth to speak but Marshall cuts him off. "You're the only person who's ever beat me. That should be enough for you to find a sponsor somewhere else."

"What, you scared of a little competition?" Taylor mocks, the atmosphere of the whole conversation shifting. "Afraid that if I get signed you won't be the best fighter here anymore?"

"I am the best fighter here." Marshall releases me and takes a step towards Taylor, the two of them now face to face with each other. "If Rule even thinks about signing you, I'll put you on your ass for a month."

"You're scared that's all." Taylor smiles. "Scared of being beaten, scared of being replaced, and scared of me."

"You don't scare me." Marshall hisses, the muscles in his shoulders rippling with his rising anger.

"Prove it." Taylor says in a low voice, narrowing his eyes on Marshall. "Fight me in a rematch."

My stomach drops. Please no. Say no Marshall. I mentally beg him to decline, praying to every God I've ever heard of that he will say no.

"If I win, you put in the good word. And if you win, I'll walk away." Taylor offers.

Marshall raises an eyebrow at him and the words I've been dreading are finally spoken.

"You're on."

***

"Didn't you just tell me not to pick fights with strangers?" I yell at him, walking to my side of the bed. "You picked a fight with the worst stranger of them all."

"I didn't have a choice." He tells me, stripping down to his boxers.

"You did Marshall. You had a choice but you let your ego get in the way." I snap, crossing my arms over my chest and staring him down.

"My ego had nothing to do with it." He says, clearly getting mad at me. "I did it because Rule can't afford another fighter. And I will win this time."

"He is bigger than you Marshall." I remind him. "He's beaten you before."

"And he won't beat me again." He bites. "I was distracted that time. It was the first fight you were there for, I wanted to impress you, I didn't focus."

"So it's my fault then?" I ask. "I'm the reason for your one and only loss? The loss that almost killed you?"

"Rachel you know that is not what I meant." He says in all seriousness.

He looks at me, standing opposite on his side of the bed. Neither of us have gotten in and I don't think either of us will. Not until this argument is over anyway.

"You won't win."

"I will."

"You won't!" I yell, feeling my eyes pool with tears. "You will not win and he will kill you this time!"

I close my eyes and two tears escape. I cry to myself for a second and then I feel Marshall's arms wrap around me. I shove him off instantly, he is the last thing I want to comfort me. I won't allow it, it feels like it's the last time he'll ever hug me and I just can't deal with that pain.

"Don't do that." He tries, stepping closer to me.

"No Marshall." I shake my head and step around him, heading for the door.

"Hey." He says with concern, pulling me back by the arm. "Don't shut me out."

I can't look at him, I just stand there letting the tears flow out of me. I want him to let go of me but I know he won't. And part of me doesn't want him to let go, preventing me from telling him to.

"Don't cry. I won't lose." He tells me.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." I whisper under my breath.

"You have to trust me. You have to." He stresses, releasing my arm and taking me in at the hips, placing one hand over my protruding stomach. "There's only two more fights Rachel. I can win two."

"You don't know what you can do Marshall." I step back, making him let go. "Taylor Decko broke your winning streak, he hospitalized you, he-" I catch myself, taking a moment to calm my tears. "He almost killed you."

"Taylor Decko was sponsored by Jon." He says through gritted teeth. "He can't get signed. I can't go to the gym every day and look at him because all I see is Jon's face."

I don't say anything. It's clear now that it is no longer about the fighting or the losses. He wants to get his anger out. He wants to take some form of revenge on his father in any way he can. Even if it is through Taylor Decko. I look down at the floor and keep crying. The worry that something will happen to him is eating me alive, I can't handle this stress for much longer.
Marshall slowly walks over to me. I don't make any moves to reject him this time. I allow him to take me in his arms and lightly kiss my hair and forehead. He shushes me and holds me against his warm body and I'm calmer in minutes.
He lifts me up and places me down on the bed, crawling next to me. He rolls me over, pulling me to his chest again. I cuddle against him, relishing in the warmth he gives off and I feel my breathing steady.

"I love you." He says. "Do you hear me?"

I nod into his chest, looking up to meet his eyes. The blue diamonds dazzle at me, glimmering brighter every time he blinks. I stretch my neck up and plant a soft kiss on his lips. Marshall kisses my cheek quickly and then wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace. The world around me starts to darken and I feel my body relax completely. I realize that with a literal hug and a kiss, he's made my worry disappear. At least for tonight.