Page 84 of Undefeated

KACE. I have felt a wide range of emotion in my life, but I have never felt the emotion I felt when Shane’s name was announced as the winner. I realize the potential upcoming Championship was a huge fight, but I really don’t care if Shane ever fights again. This fight, to me, was the big fight.

“Shane, what’s next for you? Where do you go from here?” the television reporter asked.

There were cameras and microphones everywhere. Shane had his arm around me, holding me close to his side. I clutched his dog tags tight in my hand. Ripp and Kelsey were both standing on Shane’s left side. I realized what the announcer asked, and waited to hear what Shane would say in response.

“Well, I’ll have to consult with my manager, my trainer, my sparring partner,” he paused and slapped Ripp with his taped hand.

“But, ultimately, I’ll have to consult with my little woman,” he pulled me close to his side and paused.

The microphone immediately moved in front of my face. The reporter bent down and asked, “So, ma’am, what’s next for Shane Dekkar?”

A million thoughts ran through my head. Shane made it this far, because he was a fighter. He fought not for money, not for fame, but to survive. He had told me that he had demons, and the fighting allowed him to live. Out of the ring, Shane was the nicest man in the world and I couldn’t imagine him being any other way. If what he said was right, the fighting permitted him to be who he was in his life. The fighting allowed him to clear his head of all of the things that potentially made men evil.

Now, the answer, to me, was clear.

“I, uhhm. I’ll say this. If Shane decides to challenge the Heavyweight Champion of the World, he has my blessing. I’ll leave that decision up to him,” I almost whispered into the microphone.

Shane pulled me tighter to his side.

“So, what will it be Shane?” the reporter asked.

“That’s all for tonight,” Shane said.

“No more questions,” Kelsey said as he stepped in front of Shane.

The reporter stepped aside and signed off to the camera with a few last words. Shane, Ripp, Kelsey and I walked to the ropes, and ducked out of the ring onto the floor. As we began to walk toward the aisle, Kelsey eagerly started to talk to Shane.

“So, Shane - that Championship fight. What are you thinking?” Kelsey asked.

Ripp and Kelsey both turned to Shane as we walked up the aisle.

“I’m not even thinking about that right now. I’m thinking about someone else’s ass I got to beat,” Shane said.

“Oh?” Kelsey asked.

“Kace’s,” Shane said.

“For digging through the god damned trash,” and he stopped, bent down, and waited for me to put the dog tags around his neck.

KACE. When I was young, I dreamt of being swept off of my feet. I hoped that one day, there would be a boy that would love me, cherish me, and treat me with respect. As I got older, my visions of how that person would act, what he would look like, and what he would do to and for me changed. In recent years, thoughts of whether or not it would ever happen diminished.

Until now.

“A Kace Meadows? Is there a Kace Meadows that works here?” The delivery man asked as soon as he stepped through the door. His shirt said F. T. C.

I couldn’t even speak. I opened my mouth and…

No words.

I raised my hand.

“Are you Kace Meadows?”

I tapped the desk once.

Shit, he doesn’t know that code – one for yes, two for no.

I nodded eagerly and pointed at my chest.