Outside The Ropes: OtherSide Of Fear Part 1

OtherSide Of Fear.

Outside The Ropes.

ASHLEY CLAUDY.

Regan and Gage have fought their entire lives.

For themselves.

For each other.

Now together, side by side.

As new fears arise, mixing with the old ones of their past, will they be strong enough to make it through?

Can they make it to the OtherSide of Fear?.

Fun Stuff.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

~ Dylan Thomas.

1: Almost.

MY STOMACH ROLLED AND SKIN WAS CLAMMY. Hot and cold warred inside me, erupting in beads of sweat on my skin. Bright orbs danced in my vision, blocking the small audience from view.

Closing my eyes, I swallowed hard, forcing saliva down my dry throat and replayed my conversation with Gage in my head.

"You dont have to do this if youre not ready, but I know you can."

"I feel like Im going to throw up. What if I throw up?" Panic had already taken up residence in me, a strong vine twisting and choking out everything else.

"Then you throw up." He lifted his shoulders easily, a beautiful smile on those full lips. His hands circled around me, pulling me into his body and I was able to relax slightly.

I opened my eyes, the spots gone, the ring clear. Coach was behind me, removing my silk robe. Sylvie was next to him, encouraging me.

"Youve got this Regan. Youre ready, more than ready. That girl doesnt stand a chance." She squeezed my shoulders with firm hands. "Loosen up some."

"Babe, look at me." Even in the dim lighting of the changing room, his blue eyes were bright. But all amus.e.m.e.nt was gone, his tone serious. "Youve been training. Youre prepared. You know physically youre the better boxer. The only thing that can get in the way is your fear." His hands slid over my shoulders, down my arms. "If youre not ready for this, we can leave right now." His grip tightened, keeping me from pulling away. "You can do whatever you want and Ill be right there. Go out there and try, but if its too much, walk out."

I shook my head, dropping my eyes from his. I couldnt allow myself to think of an escape. "I cant do that. Theyre counting on me. If I dont do this, theyll probably kick me off the team."

He lifted my chin with his fingers, making me meet his eyes, a c.o.c.ky glint sparking in them. "Do you know who your husband is? You dont need this d.a.m.n college team. You could throw up all over that ring and Id still have you boxing next week if thats what you wanted to do."

Rolling my shoulders and shaking my arms, I turned around, facing the audience. I found Gage in the front row and my nerves slowed their rapid-fire a.s.sault. He inclined his head towards me and I could see the question in his eyes. Was I all right, could I go through with this?

I nodded and gave a tight smile in rea.s.surance. Just knowing he was there was enough. Turning back towards the ring, I stretched my neck as I faced my opponent and waited for the announcer to finish.

The bell cut through my anxiety, my body propelling me forward, towards the girl, without thought. She was tall and thin, and held her body awkwardly, like she didnt fit her long limbs.

I leaned, dodging her glove as she jabbed towards me with her right and blocked a left jab with my arm. Then she pulled her arms back to cover her face. Her reach was long, but punches sloppy. I almost felt bad for what I was about to do. Almost.

Her attack, no matter how weak, was enough to spark my adrenaline. Excitement replaced the fear and anxiety pumping through me, energizing me.

I jabbed her stomach and followed with a wide hook to the side of her head. She crumpled forward, but stayed on her feet, her eyes wide. I swung again and connected with the opposite side of her head. She dropped to the canvas with a thud.

Stepping back, I didnt take my eyes off her. She wasnt knocked out, but she was curled up on the mat. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, no air reaching her lungs. I waited for her to push herself up and return to the fight, but she didnt. The ref reached ten and declared me the winner. I was almost disappointed that it all ended so quickly, just as I was getting into it.

For a second, I wished Dexter had been there to shake me out of my thoughts and pump me up about my win, but the rush soon came on its own, flooding me with excitement. I did it. And it had been easy. I could keep doing this.

Sylvie was in my corner, rubbing her hands together. "Ragin Regan, this might be our year. With you, we might have a chance of making it regionally."

Coach slid between the ropes, smile bright as he smoothed his grey hair back on the sides. "h.e.l.l, even maybe nationally." His face lit up with his dream, but Id be lying if I said the idea wasnt enticing. I wanted it too.

But I looked past them as Gage pulled himself up onto the canvas. Everything else faded away, and only then did I feel breathless. The match hadnt touched me, not like his presence did. His lips curled and he extended one arm to me.

My body was already there, gravitating towards him.

"I told you-" He started, but I gripped his collar, pulling him towards me, silencing him with my lips.

For once, I was able to kiss him after my fight, and I wasnt going to waste the moment. I could feel his laughter bubbling out of him, his breath bouncing over my lips. So I slid my hands around his neck, pulling him in closer, sliding my tongue in his mouth.

That stopped his laughter, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me to him, off of my feet. The ropes wedged between us pressed into my stomach, but I didnt care about that, only that it was a barrier from his body. He lowered me down until my feet were firmly back on the mat, reluctantly returning me to the ground and letting the outside world back into our bubble.

"Lawson, hold up." A voice cut through the buzz of the gym, just as I exited the locker room.

Gage pushed off the wall he had been waiting on, saying a quick goodbye to the group of people hed been talking to. He grabbed my hand as he turned to the caller. "Yeah?"

At the same time, I turned towards the voice with a raised eyebrow.

Coach pushed through the concession line and stopped in front of Gage and I.

"Lawson." He paused between us with a small laugh and shrugged. "Both of you. You leaving already? Not going to stick around for the next fight?"

"Not tonight."

"Hey, Lightning. Good fight last week," someone yelled as they pa.s.sed by.

Gage nodded to the person and then continued, "Weve got plans."

I didnt know about that and hoped it was a lie. I wanted nothing more than to get him alone and work out this adrenaline and energy coursing through me. Gripping Gages hand tighter and stepping closer to his body, I smiled politely at Coach Finnegan.

"Well, Ill see you at practice on Sunday then?" At my nod he continued, "h.e.l.l of a job tonight girly. h.e.l.l of a job."

Gage dropped my hand and slid his arm around me, turning me away from the older man and towards the door.

"Thanks, see you Sunday," I called over my shoulder with a giggle as Gage whispered in my ear.

"I need you alone. Now." His voice was low and heated, and his breath sent chills down my skin.

Escaping out of the side door, we made our way to the deserted parking garage. Even with the crazy city traffic, Gage had insisted on driving. The garage was filled with cars, but empty of people. Our whispered teasing echoed in the concrete s.p.a.ce, and our steps were even louder, bouncing off the walls around us.

He laughed into my neck, swinging me in front of him so I was forced to walk backwards as he dragged his nose over my skin.

"Babe, I knew you could do it." He growled as his lips reached my ear. "You were hot as h.e.l.l in that ring. That girl didnt stand a chance." His lips claimed mine, and his hands slid to my a.s.s, easily lifting me onto him in an instant.

I gripped him tighter, wrapping my legs around his waist with a small moan. The slow burn that had been simmering low in my stomach erupted.

"My s.e.xy fighter," he mumbled, sliding his lips over my chin to my neck.

My head fell back with a laugh, giving him better access. I loved the shocks of sensation he sent through me, all the way to my toes.

He pushed me against the SUV, reminding me of where we were. h.e.l.l if I could stop this though. I didnt want to stop him.

"My champ." I blew into his ear before sucking the lobe into my mouth, and my fingers curled into his hair.

He walked us around the car and then opened the pa.s.senger side door, setting me on the seat. With his hands free now, he slid them under my s.h.i.+rt. His head dipped down to my neckline, nipping and licking the skin at my collar and completely stealing my air in a rush of fire.

He froze, and I popped my eyes open.

Before I even registered what stopped him, he was up and whipped around. He had one gun pressed to the mans chest in front of him, and another aimed at a second mans head.

"Drop it," Gage demanded of the second man who had a gun vaguely pointed in my direction.

I sat up, drained of all heat as I processed the scene. The taller man in front of Gage with spikey black hair and black eyes didnt have a gun. Gage must have taken it because I didnt recognize the gun he had aimed at the man. The second man, a shorter man with a bald head, lowered his gun. He was looking directly into the barrel of Gages gun, a gun I recognized, the one he carried on him at all times.

"Good." Gages voice was calm, and his face blank. "Now Regan, go back inside. Wait by the locker room. Ill find you soon." He didnt take his eyes off the men in front of us.

I was already reaching under the seat. I had hoped Id been paranoid in thinking I would need this again one day, but it proved useful now. Pulling out the gun I had strapped there, I clicked off the safety and stepped out of the car.

Aiming directly at the second man, I removed the gun from his hand and stood beside Gage. "Im not going anywhere."

I felt Gage look at me, and I let my gaze meet his out of the corner of my eye. He was smiling as he shook his head, but he surprised me by placing a brief kiss on my neck.

"Well okay then." Gage slid one gun back into his waist, looking between both men. "Whos going to talk first and tell me what the f.u.c.k you think youre doing?"

2: Smoke And Mirrors.

NEITHER MAN RESPONDED TO GAGES QUESTION. THEY stared at us, lips closed. The silence stretched, filling with tension till it burst with a gunshot.

Gage had moved fast. He shot the man in the foot with one hand and caught his crumpling body with the other, pressing him to the car at his back. All within one explosive heartbeat-my explosive heartbeat.

The shot mans moan echoed in my head like grinding metal, but I strengthened my grip on the gun in my hand and feigned confidence while my heart hid in my stomach.

"Someone probably heard that. So talk now or the next bullet will be in your head." Gage pressed his gun to the tall mans dark hair. "Youve got till three. One...Two-"

"Alessandra," the spikey haired man practically yelled, eyes twisting in an attempt to see the gun pressed to his temple.

Gage released his grip on him, and he sunk to the ground.

"Alessandra?" Gage questioned the bald man at the end of my pistol, but he didnt respond except to glare at his companion who was knelt on the ground, gripping his foot.

The purr of a motor starting from across the garage stilled us, and then headlights brightened the area.

Gage yanked the man on the ground up by the collar of his s.h.i.+rt and pushed him into our SUV.

"Get back here," he ordered me with a nod of his head.

When I took up his spot behind the door, he stepped in front and pressed his gun to the bald mans back, out of view of the pa.s.sing car.

Except it didnt pa.s.s. Headlights spotlighted our group, and then a sleek black limo eased to a stop directly in front of us. One of the tinted windows slid down.

"Get in Lawson," an unseen female called from inside the darkened interior, just as another car pulled up behind it.

The drivers of both cars stepped out. Two gorilla looking men. One opened the back door to the limo; the other approached us. He spoke in a rough language, Russian probably, and the bald man with Gage responded in the same quick tongue.

The man bleeding all over the floor of our car tried to call out to them, but I stepped closer and pressed my gun into his neck to silence him. I kept looking to Gage, but his back was to me.

The driver stopped in front of Gage and jerked his head to the open limo door. "You can go with Mrs. Rusnak. Ill take care of these two."

My blood froze, cracking my veins. Alessandra Rusnak. Anatolis wife.

"Regan, you should go inside now," Gages voice was deceptively calm, but he wasnt fooling me.