Southern Heartthrob

Epilogue

Josh

One year later...

Packed in giant room with thousands of screaming fans proved to be not my typical idea for a relaxing evening at home. Under bright fluorescent lights and a stuffy atmosphere of smoke, the stage had been set for the fight to begin. A member of the on-site security team asked me to follow them as I was lead through a long cement tunnel with various doors on either side. But it was to be a door at the far end that was to be my stop as I knocked on it twice and waited with baited breath as the voice behind it told me to come in.

The smell of dried sweat and blood caused me to wrinkle my nose as I entered and shut the door with a gentle click. Sitting on a table dressed in red MMA shorts, Slade was in the midst of wrapping his fingers and hands with cloth made from gauze and tape. His already bronzed skin gleamed in the pale light of the room that took his bad boy exterior and cranked it up to one hundred percent. I stepped forward slightly as he caught sight of me and smirked that devilish grin he was famous for.

"How is it out there?" he asked.

"The crowd is really worked up over you. They can't wait to see you in action."

"Then I guess I better not disappoint them."

"Slade?"

"Yes?"

"Promise me you'll be careful tonight."

He reached out to pull me in close as I stood in-between his legs with his arms wrapped around the small of my back. His mismatched eyes of blue and green darkened around the edges as he licked his lips and leaned in close, our noses barely touching.

"I promise to keep myself safe if you will promise me something in return."

"What is it?"

"Marry me."

"What?" I swallow hard.

"I'm asking you to marry me."

"But Slade, it's only been a year since we first met. I—I don't know what to say."

"I'm hoping you'll say yes."

But the answer wouldn't be able to come out in time as Slade's manager came rushing into the room with a big smile plastered on his face. Money bags I called him. I left the room as I waited out in the hall next to the cutman who would treat Slade's wounds later on during the match. When the two men reappeared outside, Slade kept me close by his side wearing a satin red robe with a hood. I could literally feel the sheer power of his muscles as he walked with each step that would bring him close to the octagon cage.

The roar of the crowd was enormous as they chanted Slade's name over and over again. The door to the cage opened as Slade took off the robe and turned to face me. His game face was definitely on for tonight and that had me worried.

"Think about what I said!" He yelled. "Tonight, I'm gonna win this match for you baby."

"Slade, wait! I have a bad feeling about this."

"There's nothing you need to worry about. I got this. Now let me kiss you for good luck."

His lips met mine in a long searing kiss that should've burned the clothes right off my body. My heart was pounding in my ears until it was all I could hear. Slade gave me one last smoldering look before entering the cage and throwing his arms up in the air just to get the crowd excited again. Over in the next corner, a man of equal built and height stepped inside without hesitation. I could see the words kill, kill, kill in his black eyes as he pounded his gloves together and moved into the center of the ring.

A bald headed referee dressed in black approached the two men as a microphone dropped from the ceiling.

"Ladies and gentleman. Welcome to the MGM Grand Arena! Tonight, our two competitors battle it out for a chance to become the newest MMA World Champion."

An uneasy feeling chewed at the pit in my stomach as I watched the two men face off against each other like two warriors ready to battle it out to the death. A bell sounded nearby and the crowd cheered again, calling out Slade's name as he miraculously threw the first punch. The air left my lungs as I heard his glove connecting with the opponents face in a way that would've knocked the man's head off his shoulders.

And for a while though, the match was running smoothly. But there was still a sixth sense that I could not shake as the men continued to exchange blows and extreme high kicks. The crowd gasped as Slade took a hard uppercut to the underside of his jaw and landed straight on his back. I reached the edge of the cage as I called out his name but he couldn't hear me. I was just about to try again when I noticed across the way Slade's manager had slipped a wad of money to the opposing rival's manager. Was the match a fix?

The bell sounded as the two men each went to their respective corners and were treated for cuts and bruises. I hated seeing him looking this. Yet barely a minute had passed as another bell rang throughout the arena. Slade shot up in an instant as he let loose a wild swing as did the other fighter. Both gloves plunging through the air at high speeds, it was difficult to watch which of the two would make the first connection.

Author's Note: Good morning my angels. Hehe. Here is the epilogue for Southern Heartthrob. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making the cover for the next book in my "romance series" Let me know in the comment section below what you think of it. And keep those votes coming. Anyways, I'm off to bed...NIGHT!