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I head after him, shoot out an arm to grab his shoulder, but he turns, knocks it aside, and throws up a fist. I feel the breeze whistle past me, not because I ducked, but because he stops mere millimeters from connecting with my face. He clenches his jaw, muscles pinging at his cheekbones. His eyes dart anger at me. And it’s justified. What happened isn't exactly my fault, but he holds me responsible.
"I understand now,” I offer.
He frowns.
"I understand how it is to lose the woman you think is your soulmate."
His gaze widens. The anger fades, and in its place is regret and sadness, and a tortured wistfulness that tells me how much he misses her. How much he yearns for her. How much his life is not worth living anymore, now that she’s no longer in it.
Twenty-four hours ago, I wouldn’t have understood the full extent of his agony. But having met my ‘one’, having felt that instinctive connection with her I know won’t come with anyone else, I have a better understanding of why Ryot is so livid. If I were in his shoes… I’d be… Heartbroken and want revenge. I’d want to find a way to take out my anger on the person I thought was responsible for her death. I’d be maddened with grief and pain. I’d need an outlet. One I could provide. I allow my lips to twist.
"A fight," I offer.
The fold between his eyebrows deepens.
"You and me, in the ring?” I incline my head.
Ryot glares at me, then turns to Knox. Something unsaid passes between the brothers.
Knox stiffens. He seems like he's about to say something, then nods in his brother’s direction. “Can you give us a second?” Without waiting for his reply, he pulls me out of earshot. “Have you lost your fucking mind? Not only are you not going to be able to defeat him, but he’s going to pulverize you.”
“I’m aware"
“Are you?” Knox regards me with skepticism. “He’s fast and he’s built like a tank. He’s got at least twenty pounds on you, most of it muscle. You realize, he won the Royal Marine’s flagship boxing tournament three years running? If he hadn’t joined the Marines, he might well have competed professionally. You, on the other hand?—”
“—fought in the finals and won the title one year, but never made it past the semis again,” I state.
Knox looks at me closely. “You realize, you can’t win? In fact, you’re setting yourself up to be injured.”
“Good,” I say under my breath.
“The fuck?” He scowls. “What are you up to, old man?”
“The fuck does it matter to you?”
“It doesn’t. In fact, it's better for me if you’re out of commission. It sends a message to Arthur that I’m more reliable than you when it comes to taking on a position of responsibility in the company. But it seems, not even I can stand by and allow another man to plan his own funeral. Apparently, I have a sliver of conscience left that insists I point out the inevitable injuries that will follow this offer.”
When I stay silent, his gaze narrows. “Unless…” He snaps his fingers. “That's your plan… To have him beat you up? You want to give him a chance to get some of his antagonism out of his system?”
I bark out a laugh. “You think?”
He nods slowly. “You’ll never be able to make up for your actions that got his wife killed. Apologizing for it can never be enough. But you can offer him the chance to beat you, fair and square. A symbolic defeat in a fight which might go some way toward helping him find some resolution…”
“It’s the least I can do.” I raise a shoulder. “I always thought of what happened to her as collateral damage. I made the choice to prioritize the lives of thousands over that of a few. It’s the way of war. But it doesn’t lessen the personal impact of my actions. She died because of the decision I made. I have to live with that on my conscience. And he must live with a broken heart.” I look past Knox’s shoulder to where Ryot stands. His shoulders are tense, his fingers curled into fists at his side. His gaze is locked on the two of us.
“Does this have something to with the woman you proposed to?”
I jerk my attention back to Knox’s face. “What do you mean?”
“You’re competing for the love of someone decades younger than you. Perhaps you want to prove a point to her, and to yourself, that you still have the mojo?”
“Don’t be stupid. I don’t need to prove a point...” my voice trails off. Or maybe I do?
Knox nods knowingly.
I rub the back of my neck. “Perhaps you’re right. But that’s not the only reason to take on this fight.”
“Pray, explain that to me, Einstein.” Knox smirks.
