Page 33 of Love Punch

Bradley only noticed me as I boldly climbed through the ropes, halting Diego’s punches with a single hand. They were both sweating, wearing boxing gloves and sparring helmets. He pulled off the helmet and looked at me quizzically.

“Have you been lying to me?” I asked him. His brows furrowed. And then he saw the phone in my hand, and the design on the screen. “This isnota boxing term. I know what it says. And I’ve no idea why you would tell me it was something else. Unless there’s something you’ve been hiding? Someone?”

Bradley groaned and dropped his head into his gloved hands. I wanted to walk toward him, to comfort him. But something felt off. Diego retreated slowly into the corner, and I could see Jason on the floor at the other side of the ring.

“What does it say?” Bradley whispered.

“You know damn well what it says, and it is nothing to do with your career,” I said, my blood beginning to boil.

“Then tell me. What does it say?” he pressed. “Finish with me afterward if you think it’s strange, or way too fucking creepy.”

I looked down at the design again.Caru ti. “It’s Welsh for ‘I love you,’ Bradley. And I know we’re early on in our…whatever this is, but I think I should know if you’re getting tattoos that declare your love for someone.”

Bradley choked out a hollow laugh, and took a step closer, then another, shedding his gloves as he approached. “I’m sorry, Arthur. I really am. I should have told you.”

“Yes, you fucking should have.” I wiped at an errant tear, and then Bradley’s fingers were touching me, lifting my chin to make me look him in the eye.

“Arthur. There is no one else. Just me being a pathetic, creepy sap.” Bradley pointed at the top tattoo, the one he had gotten after the first fight we’d seen together. “Dublin, three years ago:Is breá liom tú. I love you. Istanbul, two and a half years ago:Seni seviyorum. I love you.”

He pointed at the Japanese text he’d had inked on his arm a year ago. “I can’t even pronounce this. And yet all of these words mean the same. Nothing to do with boxing. They all meanI love you. I’m glad you’re scared it was about someone else. Because there’s never been anyone else. I’ve been tattooing my love for you on my skin since the day we met.”

“What?” I stroked down his arm, my finger following every line and curve of script. All those languages. All those expressions of love. “All for me?”

“All for you,” he echoed. “Has it…fuck, has it scared you off?”

“You’re joking, right?” I asked. “All this for me…it’s overwhelming, yeah. But it reaffirms how I feel about you.”

“God, I could have done without you finding out so early,” Bradley sighed. I love you, but I don’t want to pressure you into—”

“I love you too,” I confessed. “You know I have. For years.”

Bradley leaned down and kissed me, shamelessly, right there in the middle of the ring, his lips tasting of salt from the workout he’d been doing. And I kissed him back. I completely forgot we were in public, standing exactly where we’d first met. Until he pulled back and shouted out, “Get back to work, all of you! This place doesn’t smell enough of sweat since I took a week off!”

Shuffling filled the space as people scurried away, and watched as Jason ducked under the ropes. “Glad to see you two figured it out,” he said.

“Just about,” laughed Bradley. He didn’t let go. “Diego, C’mere. Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to get in on the action.”

“Wouldn’t be offended if you did,” Diego quipped as he approached. I gave him an appreciative once over, and Bradley’s hand came up to cover my eyes.

“Jason, I think we can get Diego up a weight class and get him on the undercard of a couple of fights using my connections. He’ll be wasted in super-lightweight, so if we can get him heavy enough for lightweight, his speed might surprise his opponents there. Add a food allowance to his stipend.”

“I take it you’re planning on getting more involved in training, then?” asked Jason with a smile.

“I’ve got to do something. And I should be giving back.” Bradley turned to look around, dropping his grip but staying within centimetres of me. “I bought this gym six years ago to focus on my training, but to train the next generation of young athletes too. I’ve focused too much on me since. I reckon we could make this the next great boxing gym.”

“I’ll put you on the rota for Monday then,” I muttered. “You can work your way up. Start by cleaning toilets.”

“Piss off,” he snickered. “Tomorrow, I’m getting my commitment to you permanently inked on my skin. The day after, you better have booked us a villa in Mexico, the Maldives, anywhere beginning with M. And then in two weeks’ time, I’ll be back to start making a difference. Does that sound like a plan?”

“Sounds like a plan, boss,” I grinned.

“You’re the boss around here,” Jason pointed at me.

“Oh, I know.”

Chapter 15

Bradley

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