Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 118459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
“You’re the most natural kid I’ve ever trained. I want to see you go out there tonight and leave it all on the mat. Remember what I used to tell you: you only get one shot. Do not let your chance go by. If you don’t leave it all out there”—he pauses and I know exactly what he means—“you’ll never forgive yourself.”
I take a deep breath and blow it out. Will places my Air Pods in my hand and grabs a white towel off of the bench behind me.
“Will . . .” I say, turning around.
“Ah, Crew. I know you love me. Do you want to have a group hug?”
“Fuck you, Will.”
Will smiles. “Later. Let’s go out there and knock this cocksucker out.”
I nod to Sal who then opens the door. The crowd is going wild, Davidson’s entrance song, Aloe Blacc’s “The Man,” buzzes throughout.
“Get your Air Pods in and block this shit out,” Will says, pulling them up to my ears.
I roll my neck and shake my hands at my sides, trying to stay warm and loose. Victor is waiting for us in the hallway and joins our pack as we walk to the entranceway. The media and NAFL’s cameramen see us coming and scramble into position. I put my head down and Will tosses the towel over my head.
The tunnel is in front of us, the crowd dying down as the lights dim. There’s a black hole waiting for me and I take step after step towards it.
“You guys ready? I’m about to give you a show to remember,” I say, peppering myself in the face a few times.
Will’s hands are on my shoulders, working them back and forth.
I forgot this feeling. The buzz, the electricity that surrounds a fight is unmatchable.
I missed this shit. This is what I was born to do.
The adrenaline kisses my veins, rockets through my body.
I feel invincible.
A smile spreads across my face and I bow my head so the cameras don’t catch it. I turn my head to the side and make eye contact with Sal. He sees the look in my eyes and laughs.
“Killers aren’t made. They’re born,” he says, loud enough for just me to hear. “You were born for this, kid. When you get out there, destroy him, Crew. Where you came from, there is no mercy. Show him none.”
The first notes of “Lose Yourself ” playing as we approach the mouth of the tunnel. I take a step through and the spotlight hits me. I glance up and every jumbotron in the building has my face on it, a barrage of flashes goes off in every direction.
All eyes on me.
JULIA
The station goes to commercial just as Hunter enters the cage. He looks larger, meaner, more evil than I remember. In his red sparkly trunks and his hair maneuvered into a perfect mohawk, he looks like the asshole I know he is.
I start to sit on the sofa when a knock raps on the door. I have no idea who it is, but I don’t want to walk away from the television. Feeling torn, I yell, “Who is it?”
“Julia, it’s me, Macie.”
“Macie?”
“Yes, from the hospital.”
“It’s unlocked; come in.”
I watch the end of a sports drink commercial before Macie comes around the corner. She sets her purse on the counter and smiles at me.
“I hope I’m not bothering you, girlie, but I didn’t think it was a good idea for you to be here alone. And Will thought it would be a good idea for me to come by . . .”
I smile gratefully. “Thank you. Maybe you being here will keep me from losing my mind.”
She returns my smile and sits down beside me. “I would’ve been here earlier but my shift ran over. I got Will’s texts as soon as I clocked out and hurried over here.”
I shush her as the fight comes back on, pointing at the screen.
“I’ve never seen someone with no professional fights garner this much attention, Nate,” the announcer on the television says. “Crew Gentry walks into the place tonight and the crowd is going wild. This is insane!”
I watch as the camera comes into focus. Crew is walking into the stadium, a towel over his head. A man is walking next to him, Will a few steps behind. The lights are shining directly on him, the crowd’s screaming like he’s a rock star.
“I can’t believe this,” I whisper to Macie.
“The crowd is on its feet, acting like this is the main event. Don’t forget, we have Love vs. Brusci following this fight.” The announcer laughs.
“Marv, no one cares.” Nate laughs. “This is the main event, whether it’s billed that way or not.”
“By watching this, you’d think the crowd agreed with you, Nate. The response to Gentry coming in is every bit as strong as what we heard for Davidson.”