“Ladies and gentlemen this one has been a fight for the ages! Leo Connelly, the Lionheart, has managed to fight his way back from what looked like a certain knock out. Could this be a return to the giant in the ring or have we seen the new and improved Lionheart with speed and heart? Time will only tell! But for tonight, we have a new champion standing in that ring.”
Bailey watched from the first row of seats, her arms raising above her head as she shouted and hollered. Jonathan, too, had stood to his feet, his hands raw from clapping. Lights flashed in their direction as they surrounded her. Reporters shouted at her asking for comments. But all she could do was call out his name. This was his moment and she was not about to miss it.
Leo’s arms were still raised above him, his trainer Timothy standing proudly to his side. He had forgotten how good it felt to win, to rule, to be the champion. It took a year for him to get there – a year filled with the dismissed court case against him and Layana attempting to defame him in the press.
But after the media got word of how he had saved Bailey in that cabin, his star turned. He wasn’t the brutish, distant fighter with the drinking problem. He was the hero, the person anyone could look up to. He had become the person he knew he could be with the help of Bailey and Lily.
He spotted his girlfriend in the crowd. Tears had begun to form around her eyes, staining the spot where the bruises had healed. His victory felt so much hers. She had been with him every step of the way since she had left the hospital, only missing one fight for Lily’s first day of school. Many nights, she had spent down in the basement gym watching him workout as she studied for her own college exams. Just as they had promised each other on that night in the cabin, they would never leave one another again, no matter the obstacle.
As the crowd’s roar began to dim, Leo stepped out of the ring and past the cameras. He extended his hand towards his agent as Jonathan shouted congratulations to him. Leo leaned in to ask him a question as Jonathan riffled through his silk jacket. He placed a velvet box in his client’s hand and stepped back.
Bailey, too, moved backwards, nearly falling into the folding chair. Her hands held her steady as she didn’t dare to move. Leo had knelt to the ground on his left knee while his hand lifted the open box to her face. Inside, a diamond and a key sparkled in the stadium’s bursting lights.
Leo’s voice wavered as he began, “When I first saw you in the hotel, I thought you were an angel. I thought you were there to save me. I was right. You have managed to find the light in me even when my heart was black. You and Lily are the reason why I am here, and I can never, ever thank you enough for giving me my life and heart back. Now I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Lily. Bailey Reed, will you marry me?”
She hesitated as the flashes went off, a million thoughts running through her head. But there was nothing Bailey wanted more than to just pause time. This was the moment she had wanted for forever. She had found love for not only herself, but for her daughter. There was no question what her answer was.
Bailey burst into his arms as her body shook. Their lips met, each kiss saltier with one another’s tears of joy. As he finally set her down gently on the ground, she looked down at the box once more, noticing the key taped to the lid. “What’s that go to?”
Leo took the box from her and removed the tape, “I don’t want to start our lives in the mansion. I want to start it in your home—your grandma’s home. So, I hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and purchased the place the day you got out of the hospital. The whole last year, I’ve been fixing it up. I wanted it to be a surprise for you and Lily.” He looked at her blank face, unsure of if he had made the right decision. “Is that okay?”
She fell into his arms once more. She knew she’d never have to let go again. She had won.
THE END
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