Page 30 of The Fighter who Needed Me
They walked by before Brooks could hear more.
Carter held the door to his office open and Brooks walked inside and saw the small changes Carter had made but had left most of it like Charles had.
Carter sat behind his large desk and gestured for Brooks to take a seat after he had locked the door.
“Tell me what is going on? I want nothing more than to have you start fighting here again, but I know you have your life. Your salon. Teaching the dandies there and the orphanage. Not to mention that you and Burk both wanted to be done with this life a long time ago. Tell me what is going on. I want to know what is happening with your woman.”
Brooks ran a hand over his hair and then down his face and looked at his friend.
Then he told him everything that had happened since October.
The ship, meeting Persephone, marrying her. Losing her to her parents and trying to protect her even when it was hard.
Carter listened to him with all of his attention and when he finished his tale of how she was taken from him and he had no way of finding her, even though it was all he wanted to do, and how he couldn’t cope just sitting around and trying to fight the dandies at the salon wasn’t going to cut it, and that he needed to fight someone. Hit something.
Carter sat back in his chair and shook his head. “I never thought I would see the day that you would marry. I know how you are averse to all women.”
“Persephone isn’t just some woman. She is MY woman. She is different and has been from the start. I knew she was the one for me. It was different and I have never felt for someone else the way I have for her. Which makes it that much harder that she is gone. I do not know what to do and the fact that I may not ever see her again makes me want to hurt someone. So here is the deal, I can either fight for you, or I can find someone to fight on the streets. I do not care either way at this point. I will go to the docks if necessary. I know there is endless crime and people need to get taken care of, but I thought I would ask you first.”
Carter’s eyes grew wide, “Brooks, you and I both know you don’t want to go out in those streets. You may be a seasoned fighter in here, but out there is not the same. You don’t need to die because of a broken heart.”
Brooks shook his head, “Then let me fight here. I will even try to take it easy on my opponent.”
Carter tapped his chin, “Are you really certain you want to fight again? I know it’s been a while since you have truly had to fight.”
Brooks scoffed, “You think I would let myself go soft? I fight every single day with the dandies that come to my salon. Plus, I spar with Burk regularly and had a man come that gave me a run for my money. I can handle anything or anyone you throw at me.”
Carter nodded and held his hand out, “Then there is no better start than tonight. I have a fighter that has so far been undefeated. For the past few weeks at least. I have a feeling that will change tonight.”
Brooks stood and cracked his neck and rolled it back and forth.
“I am ready.”
Carter led him from the room and down to where the fighters stood waiting for their chance in the ring.
A man stood there, just a few inches smaller than himself, but he had dead eyes and a twitchy countenance that made Brooks watch him closely.
This man would not give an inch in the ring and Brooks was ready to give him the fight of his life.
It had been too long since he had a true fight and it was past time.
Taking his boots off and stripping free from his shirt, Brooks loosened his muscles and readied himself for the fight he needed.
When the latest fight ended and Carter stood in the ring and announced the man’s name as the Cocky Bastard, the twitchy man walked into the ring with cheers and boos.
Then Carter whistled to quiet the crowd, “I have a surprise for you all. Tonight, back for the first time in years, The ANGEL’S KING!”
The crowd went berserk, and Brooks stepped out into the view of the crowd, making the noise level of the room even louder with cheers and screams from men and women.
He did not acknowledge them but stepped into the ring and stood opposite of the Cocky Bastard.
The crowd went silent again and Carter said, “The fight you didn’t know you needed tonight. Who is ready?”
The crowd went crazy again and Brooks started bouncing on his toes, knowing he needed to be ready for anything the Cocky Bastard would throw at him.
The man may have been undefeated thus far, but he had not fought against Brooks.
When Carter climbed to the side of the ring and yelled, “Fighters! Fight!”
