When the bell rang, my mindset changed. The only thing I knew was, I made a promise. He touched my girl. I told her she was untouchable, and he proved her wrong by going after her while I wasn't paying attention. Now, I have to set the record straight. When I walk away from this fight, his face will be plastered everywhere. Tommy will be the poster child for the aftermath of touching Bo.

Twenty-four-fucking-seven, seven days a week, the only thing on my mind is the curly-haired girl who has been there for me through everything. All I wanted was to protect her. All I needed was to make sure she was safe. Here I am, making sure I uphold my end of the promise.

When I made that promise, all of those years ago, to make sure no one hurt her, that wasn't a one-time deal. It was an undying loyalty. It was my way of saying, I am not going anywhere. Please, let me have a reason to be by your side. That promise was my way of asking if I could be in her life.

Tommy extended his fist, going for my head the second he could. I deflected him, sending a hook to the side of his face. By the way my glove connected with his ear, I knew it was ringing. The person on the other end of the line was calling to tell him, 'you fucked up. Now you are going to pay for it.'

He stumbled to the side, unable to recover as quickly as he wanted. I didn't wait for him to either. The girl screaming behind me said, 'make every punch count.' With every blow to his body, he struggled to gain composure.

"Did she talk about me last night?" He spat out a wad of blood onto the ring. "Was my touch enough to make her beg for more?"

The ref was pushing in between us, separating us from one another. All I wanted to do was get to him, and he knew that. When the ref blew his whistle, I hurried for him, letting the anger cloud my judgment. While I delivered punches of resentment, he caught onto my punch sequence. He quickly learned how to block them.

His fist collided with my ribs. "Don't think you were getting out of this fight untouched. I can't have Boston thinking you are that good."

"Do you think I'd let you anywhere near her?" I snapped, shoving him backward. "If you come within two feet of her -"

"You'll what?" He grinned. "We are standing in the ring, and the only thing you have done is proven to me you are all talk?"

He dropped his fists a laugh escaped his lips. "Where were you when I got ahold of her last night? I came within two inches. You weren't there. All it takes is a small slip up."

My fist extended, and even through the two-pound gloves, I could feel his nose rearranging under my knuckles. Blood dripped from the gash separating the skin at the bridge of his nose. It wasn't the first time my gloves were covered in someone else's blood. They are stained with the memory of everyone who stood before me with the belief they would end my career. It hasn't happened before, and it won't happen now.

"Dirty move."

"You touched my girl," I snapped. "I don't give a fuck."

"You can't protect her from someone like me," he wiped his nose.

"You talk too fucking much."

He attempted to hit me, but I was done with fucking around. I trapped his wrist under my arm as I drove my fist into his ribs. The cry leaving his lips didn't make the stop. The ref calling my name didn't make me second-guess what I was doing. I didn't stop until I could feel the bone under my gloves giving way.

When his body fell to the ground at the sound of the bell, I walked away as his coach slid into the ring. John sat me down on a chair. He was shooting water into my mouth as he told me what I needed to do differently.

"You can fight in southpaw," he looked at me. "His team hasn't taught him how to protect himself from that."

"How do you know?"

"Trust me," he nodded. "Okay?"

I pushed a large sigh past my lips. "Okay."

My head turned to the side long enough to catch my number one fan. Her eyes were full of fear. The hands she held to her mouth were shaking. The legs holding up her hands were bouncing. I held up my pinky to her, promising it was going to be okay.

This fight wasn't about my future. It was about our future. This time around, I had something to lose. Any other time I stepped into the ring, I didn't have to worry. The only thing on the line was my streak. Even that didn't matter. As I look at the girl waiting for me to walk out in one piece, I realized everything has changed.

She brought up her own pinky before kissing her palm and blowing it in my direction. I caught the imaginary kiss floating in the wind and brought it to my chest. The locket hanging around my neck had her face in it. I brought the silver to my lips before I stood up.

"She makes you weak," Tommy spat.

"Until you fuck with her," I shrugged. "Then I turn into the reason you lock your doors at night and keep a gun under your pillow."

"I don't need a gun to protect myself. I'm not a coward."

"You are going to wish you put a bullet in my head."

When the bell rang, I faked the extension of my right fist. His hand immediately shot up to protect himself, leaving his left side open. I pivoted, sending my non-dominant hand into the side of his head. The second his guard fell, I caught the other side of his face.

He stumbled backward, falling onto the ropes. I watched as his head snapped back as I tagged his nose. The second his elbow crossed my face, I blacked out. My body fell back. Even in a time of darkness, I brought my arms up to block any blows coming my way. When the black started to fade, a pain shooting through my ribs made me choke on the air I was breathing in.

"Kinnick!" Her voice was the only thing I could hear until Tommy was in my face.

My head turned to see John grabbing Bo. Tears were streaming down her face as her eyes caught mine. I wanted to tell her I was okay, but all I could do was watch her walk away. Her curls bounced as she tried to get away from the ring.

"Everyone is going to see you as the weak, pathetic excuse of a fighter," he laughed. "And when I win, your bitch will be on my side walking out with me."

No. No. No. I made a promise. I made a fucking promise. This wasn't going to be the end of me. I can't let this be the end of us. If he wanted to use his elbow, I'll show him how to do it properly. Despite his punches digging into my ribs, I shoved away from the ropes.

The adrenaline was the only medicine I needed for the pain flaring in my side. I can hurt later. Right now, I can't let him walk away from this, tarnishing my name. If I don't finish this, he walks away with the idea touching Bo was okay. If he walks away from this a winner, I can't retire. I will find another way to get into the ring with him. But I made a promise. One last fight.

I repeated his actions, bringing my elbow across his face, making it count. He fell away, leaving his abdomen open. I sent a tag to his face before digging my fist in his sternum, watching as the breath leaves his lungs.

As he relied on me for stability, I moved away, grabbing the back of his head and cracked it over my knee. His body slumped, falling to the ground. "I told you, pray all you want, God can't save you from me. I am the fucking Devil."

He groaned out as I bent down. "And when you burn in hell, me and my girl will be dancing on your ashes like we did with every other bitch who thought they were going to disrespect her in front of me."

I looked at the bruising on his ribs, poking it, loving the way he cries out. "Maybe you should get that gun, coward."

"Kinnick!" John yelled at me as the ref was sliding in to announce my win.

When I looked up, I could see Bo moving for the entrance. I grabbed the top rope, allowing it to launch me toward the corridor she ran to. My feet carried me at an ungodly speed toward her sobbing stature. My teeth ripped at the tape wrapped around my knuckles. I dropped my gloves to the ground.

My hand gripped her wrist, stopping her from moving. I pulled her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her tighter than I have before. She was shoving me away not long after. Her eyes searched mine for answers.

"I thought we were in this together," I teased her.

A wave of emotions crossed her eyes, drowning them with relief. "I couldn't see it happen. I thought - I thought -"

"No," I shake my head. "I made you a promise."

Her fists hit my chest with soft collisions as she tried to make sense of everything. Her face fell onto my bare chest, despite the sweat falling. She sobbed in my arms as the announcer spoke through the speakers surrounding us. "And the new undisputed heavyweight champion due to knock-out in the third round, Kinnick 'the Hawkeye' Carson!"