Only seven more minutes, I thought as my gaze went to the dashboard clock.

Was I more excited or nervous? There was no way of telling.

All I knew was that I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly, my fingers were going white.

Sure, the past few days Owen had been texting and trying to set up a date that I couldn’t go on, thanks to Viola’s vengeful shitty shift schedule she gave me, but Jake had been almost completely silent. Did he change his mind on what he’d said?

Another glance at the clock – five more minutes.

Once I pulled up, I’d decided that my feeling was definitely nervous, not that that made it any better. No, coming to one of Jake’s fights like this only made the contrast between them all the more striking. The last time I’d come here, I’d hardly known the twins, hadn’t even kissed them, and now… now I definitely knew them – in more ways than one.

I’d barely stepped in the place, when Owen was wrapping a protective arm around my waist and leaning in to brush his lips against my ear. “You came.”

“Hello to you too,” I said, a bit flustered.

Jake was supposed to be the more devil-may-care one. But Owen was clearly in high spirits.

“Let’s get pizza,” he suggested, already conveying me that way.

I didn’t miss the envious looks I was getting from both men and women as the handsome twin swept me through the crowd.

It struck me just how much more the twins had to be sacrificing to be with me than I was to be with them. I mean, being in the big boxing leagues, in the public eye at all, meant they probably had girls flinging themselves at them on a semi-regular basis. And yet, they’d picked me, and had all appearances of being ecstatic about the choice.

The pizza Owen chose was pepperoni, two slices each, despite my laughing protest. He was even the one who held mine as I munched away, actually eating both they were so good.

Although soon my attention was drawn elsewhere, namely by the hot-as-hell man making his way to the ring. Jake.

At first, I only expected him to pass by with a friendly wave. But when he stopped in front of me, I practically dropped my pizza. Hundreds of eyes burned into me, as he smiled, leaned in… and kissed me.

The room erupted into a roar, as I did actually drop my pizza. Luckily, Owen was there to catch it as Jake peeled away from me.

“There, I can’t lose now,” he said with a cheeky smile.

“You better not,” I said, my voice sounding more worried than I’d intended it.

Jake’s smile wilted, then he strode off.

“You two are cute,” Owen said out of a pizza mouthful.

“And you have insane reflexes,” I said, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for catching my pizza.”

“Of course.”

He tightened his hold on my waist as he leaned in to whisper, “Don’t look now, but pretty much every guy in this place wants to be me and get the chance to be beside you.”

Despite his words, I couldn’t help myself. One quick glance thrown around found that a good portion of the spectators weren’t even looking at the stage where Jake and his opponent were squaring off, preparing to start. No, they were looking at Owen with… was that actually longing?

I’d never considered myself that much of a catch. Just your average girl who apparently had good boobs and a killer smile, but the twins… they made me feel like a Maxim and Victoria’s Secret model and Angelina Jolie all in one.

In my surroundings scan, I noticed something else, too.

“Don’t look now,” I whispered back into Owen’s ear. “But pretty much every girl in this place wants to be me and get the chance to be beside you.”

His cheeks pinked as he drew away. “We should pay attention to the fight,” he said, sounding sorry to.

And just in time, too. The referee made the signal and the fight began. The other guy, a tan guy with muscles scaling up his arms, whose name I didn’t catch, came on strong. His punches were whip-fast and brick-hard. Only one – the last one – caught Jake in the chest. I winced.

Although it was unrealistic, not wanting Jake to even be hit once, if I was completely honest with myself, that’s what I wanted. The first fight hadn’t been like this one, I realized as more blows landed. This time, when Jake took a punch, I felt it too.

I could barely watch as the fight progressed and Jake, clearly, began to lose. Round after round, blow after blow, I finally kept my gaze stuck on my sneakers.

Beside me, Owen was livid. “I don’t get it. Jake’s better than this guy, I know he’s better. He’s hardly making any hits, hardly even trying.”

As little as I knew about boxing, I had to say the same thing. Sure, Jake was getting beaten up badly, but he seemed nothing like the superstar I’d seen the last time. What was going on?

Angry muttering had overtaken the crowd, and that was when I noticed some pudgy balding guy staring at me and Owen. After another minute or so, Owen caught my gaze.

“That’s Kade’s, the other guy’s, manager,” he explained with a scowl, his glare extending long. There was something more he wasn’t saying, but I didn’t want to push it. We were both suffering enough with how Jake was faring.

By now, it was clear: it was only a matter of time before he fell down for the last time.

That time seemed to be coming sooner rather than later. After a horrifying series of blows, his eye blacked, his chest mottled black and blue, Jake fell to one knee.

I looked away yet couldn’t stand not seeing it either. I had to watch – for him.

When I looked back – that was when I caught his eye.