afternoon light.
I’ll never let this happen again, I thought to myself.
Chapter Nine
Leo
At six thirty, Nick knocked on our door. It was time. The weigh-in was going to be in our hotel rather than at the stadium, and I was glad. I was spent and wanted the whole ordeal over and done with.
“You ready?” Nick asked as we walked towards the lift.
“Ready.” I silently prayed the torturous week had been worth it and I could put on a good show. I had my suspicions that this fight was never meant to be fair. Pete knew I'd have to starve to make weight and would be weak because of it. I was a scalp, and I was okay with that because I had an ace up my sleeve. I could channel rage through my body, and that's what made me unbeatable. I might look and feel like shit, but I was not going to go down easily. This Perth prick better be ready for me.
Juliette squeezed my hand as we travelled down to the conference rooms on the ground floor. When the doors opened, I was surprised to see TV cameras and journalists setting up. Clearly, this was a bigger deal than I had anticipated.
I whispered to Nick from the corner of my mouth. “Did you know about this?
He shook his head. “Nope. Pete’s a snake in the grass. I don’t trust him.”
Jules gripped my arm. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Her voice was laced with panic.
“I’ll be fine.” I kissed her on the cheek then jogged forward into the throng of people waiting to see me fail.
A few flashes went off as I stopped in the middle of the room.
“Over here, Leo.” I glanced over and saw Pete standing at the officials table with a fancy-looking weigh-in scale.
Unwilling to show my weakness, I walked confidently towards them. Nick appeared at my side and I didn’t try to see where Juliette was. I needed to focus on the task at hand.
“You made it.” Pete held out his hand and shook mine firmly. “Leo. This is Lucas Albright.”
Lucas and I nodded at each other before he went back to jogging on the spot and shadow boxing. He was a showman, and that filled me with hope. Show ponies were my easiest competition.
“Okay, Lucas. You’re up first.”
Lucas easily made weight, and fist punched the air like a tosser. “Are you sure you're up for this, Ashlar?” he asked, making a beeline for me. “You don't look so flash.”
I was going to enjoy putting the cocky little fucker in his place tomorrow night.
“You just worry about yourself, mate.”
“I was told you were the ultimate fighter, but you look like you’d be better off in the women’s comp.”
“My girlfriend could send you to the canvas in seconds flat, so be careful what you say about women in front of her.”
Lucas glanced at Juliette, and I immediately regretted drawing attention to her. “The gorgeous blonde is a fighter?”
“Yeah, so keep your dirty mitts to yourself.” I’d all but forgotten my starvation when I saw him watching her with hungry eyes.
“Can I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen?” Pete's booming voice cut through the crowd. “Next up we have the official weigh-in for Melbourne fighter, Leo Ashlar.”
More flashes went off and a few people clapped. I tried to block everything out as I stared at the scales. Suddenly it felt like a test of my will to survive. I was outside my comfort zone and I’d need to fight like hell.
Nick patted me on the back. “Good luck.”
The numbers on the scale seemed to flash forever. Underweight, overweight, underweight, overweight. When the final numbers locked in, my nerves were shot.
Underweight by the skin of my teeth.
I did it. I fucking did it.
Juliette's voice erupted before anyone else's. “Yes!” she cheered.
I turned and smiled, immediately catching her eye. She blew me a kiss, and for that moment, I was on top of the world.
“Well done, mate.” Nick’s relief mirrored my own as he ushered me away from the scales and into a chair, handing me a bottle of Gatorade. I casually sank down into the
I’ll never let this happen again, I thought to myself.
Chapter Nine
Leo
At six thirty, Nick knocked on our door. It was time. The weigh-in was going to be in our hotel rather than at the stadium, and I was glad. I was spent and wanted the whole ordeal over and done with.
“You ready?” Nick asked as we walked towards the lift.
“Ready.” I silently prayed the torturous week had been worth it and I could put on a good show. I had my suspicions that this fight was never meant to be fair. Pete knew I'd have to starve to make weight and would be weak because of it. I was a scalp, and I was okay with that because I had an ace up my sleeve. I could channel rage through my body, and that's what made me unbeatable. I might look and feel like shit, but I was not going to go down easily. This Perth prick better be ready for me.
Juliette squeezed my hand as we travelled down to the conference rooms on the ground floor. When the doors opened, I was surprised to see TV cameras and journalists setting up. Clearly, this was a bigger deal than I had anticipated.
I whispered to Nick from the corner of my mouth. “Did you know about this?
He shook his head. “Nope. Pete’s a snake in the grass. I don’t trust him.”
Jules gripped my arm. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Her voice was laced with panic.
“I’ll be fine.” I kissed her on the cheek then jogged forward into the throng of people waiting to see me fail.
A few flashes went off as I stopped in the middle of the room.
“Over here, Leo.” I glanced over and saw Pete standing at the officials table with a fancy-looking weigh-in scale.
Unwilling to show my weakness, I walked confidently towards them. Nick appeared at my side and I didn’t try to see where Juliette was. I needed to focus on the task at hand.
“You made it.” Pete held out his hand and shook mine firmly. “Leo. This is Lucas Albright.”
Lucas and I nodded at each other before he went back to jogging on the spot and shadow boxing. He was a showman, and that filled me with hope. Show ponies were my easiest competition.
“Okay, Lucas. You’re up first.”
Lucas easily made weight, and fist punched the air like a tosser. “Are you sure you're up for this, Ashlar?” he asked, making a beeline for me. “You don't look so flash.”
I was going to enjoy putting the cocky little fucker in his place tomorrow night.
“You just worry about yourself, mate.”
“I was told you were the ultimate fighter, but you look like you’d be better off in the women’s comp.”
“My girlfriend could send you to the canvas in seconds flat, so be careful what you say about women in front of her.”
Lucas glanced at Juliette, and I immediately regretted drawing attention to her. “The gorgeous blonde is a fighter?”
“Yeah, so keep your dirty mitts to yourself.” I’d all but forgotten my starvation when I saw him watching her with hungry eyes.
“Can I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen?” Pete's booming voice cut through the crowd. “Next up we have the official weigh-in for Melbourne fighter, Leo Ashlar.”
More flashes went off and a few people clapped. I tried to block everything out as I stared at the scales. Suddenly it felt like a test of my will to survive. I was outside my comfort zone and I’d need to fight like hell.
Nick patted me on the back. “Good luck.”
The numbers on the scale seemed to flash forever. Underweight, overweight, underweight, overweight. When the final numbers locked in, my nerves were shot.
Underweight by the skin of my teeth.
I did it. I fucking did it.
Juliette's voice erupted before anyone else's. “Yes!” she cheered.
I turned and smiled, immediately catching her eye. She blew me a kiss, and for that moment, I was on top of the world.
“Well done, mate.” Nick’s relief mirrored my own as he ushered me away from the scales and into a chair, handing me a bottle of Gatorade. I casually sank down into the
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