Page 76 of Undefeated

“Shit, that’s in the bag,” Ripp responded.

“He’s right,” Kelsey said as he nodded his head toward Ripp, “If you win this fight, you’ll be a shoe-in for the Heavyweight Championship fight. All we’ll have to do is ask. For him not to fight you would be suicide for his career. This is it, kid. This is the fight,” Kelsey said.

“What did I tell you about that kid shit,” I laughed.

Kelsey had been calling me kid since the day we met. At first, it bothered me, and now it was just part of Kelsey being Kelsey. He did it to try to drive me, to build my spirit, and to give me the inner anger I needed to fight. He didn’t realize it, but there was no need to call me names. It did not give me reason to fight. My reason was inside of my soul, my inner demons. This was who I was, not something that was developed from taunting or teasing.

“I want that title. I want to get that title, and then…” I thought about trying to fight for the title, and what I would do if I won.

Retire undefeated, holding the Heavyweight Championship belt?

Defend the title?

Take the pay-off and spend a lifetime of being happy with Kace?

Have kids?

“And then?” Ripp asked as he finished drinking his beer, “then what?”

I turned and looked at Kace, as if she held the answer. I looked at Kelsey as he raised one eyebrow.

“We’re going to defend that motherfucker, aren’t we kid?” he said.

I shrugged my shoulders, not really knowing the answer. I had to win the fight that was on the table now, it was first. Other than fighting Ripp, I hadn’t had a fight since I fought Wilson. Not that Ripp was less of a fighter than anyone I else could find, but fighting Ripp was different.

It was easy for me to fight Ripp. Getting in the ring with him was like going to work. it was easy. I knew what to expect before, during, and after the fight. As great as the sparring had been between us, and as much as I appreciated the fact that he had helped train me for the last few months, I wondered.

“We’ve got to win this fight first, boss. Let’s focus on this one right now,” I responded.

“Done,” Kace said as she proudly shoved her empty plate to the center of the table.

“You eat like a girl,” Kelsey laughed.

“I am a girl,” Kace responded as she reached for her glass of water.

“I normally don’t like women around my fighters before a fight. They need to go into these things cock strong. You seem to give Shane strength. I like that,” Kelsey said.

“What’s cock strong?” Kace asked.

Ripp and I chuckled, neither really wanting to answer.

“It’s when…well, what he means is this. It’s when a fighter or a player goes the entire length of time before a fight or a big game without getting any relief. Without getting any…,” Ripp paused.

“Pussy,” he whispered.

Kace turned to look at me, and then slowly turned her head to face Kelsey. She locked her eyes on his. She leaned forward on the table, rested on her elbows on the edge, and placed her chin in her hands.

“Too late,” she said very matter-of-factly.

“Are you fucking serious?” Kelsey cried, turning from facing Kace to facing me.

Without an immediate response, he turned to look at Ripp. Ripp shrugged his shoulders and stood up.

“Ready?” Ripp asked.

“Yep,” I responded as I stood up, “Let’s get.”

Still seated, Kelsey turned back to face Kace, who was still in her seat, sitting just as she was when she spoke to Kelsey a moment before. Kelsey leaned his elbows on the table to mimic Kace, placing his chin in his hands.