CamdenTate sits on a wooden bench, her foot tapping the floor as she wrings her hands anxiously. Pre-fight jitters. They're the worst, and will call your fight before you even step foot in the ring. Reba pulls and tugs on Tate's blonde hair, braiding it into corn rolls along her scalp. It's protocol to have your hair tightly braided to keep from injury inside the ring. Tate winces, and scratches at her head as Reba continues to jostle her head around. I remember how much those damn things itched and hurt when my hair was considered a hazard. I don't miss them. Pulling the door to her locker open I open a gym bag I packed, and pull out an old school Walkman.Kneeling in front of her I place an ear bud in her left ear and she flinches aggressively, like she didn't even notice I was in the room."Easy." I pinch my brows together. "You're too wound up, babe. This will help," I place the other ear bud in her ear."A Walkman? You know they have iPods and stuff now," she eyes

CamdenWalking back inside I find the hall outside Tate's locker room oddly empty, a tension in the air unsettling. Quickly I make my way inside and find Tate getting dressed, and Debs leaning up against a locker casually. A chill races up my spine as Tate hits me with an unreadable look."Everything okay?" I question, looking between Tate and Debs.Tate looks at Debs, then down at her feet before nodding.Striding toward her I pull on her elbow, making her look me in the eye."Are you sure?" Her eyes flutter before a weak attempt of a smile crosses her face. "Nothing, I'm just really tired. The high of the fight is gone and I'm starting to feel everything."Suddenly feeling like an ass for thinking she's not telling me the truth, I let her go and rub at my chin. "Lets get you to the hotel, has the medic looked her over?" I question Debs, ready to take Tate back to our room and pamper her."Yeah, she's fine." Debs waves me off."Tate, that was some fight my girl!

TateThree weeks come and go. It's not been easy keeping this from Camden or my family. It's killing me. I feel like shit, and have almost told Camden on more than one occasion, but then I fear maybe something bad would happen to them if they did know. Thankfully with all the training I've been doing with Camden, and fucking, his mission of trying to figure out what I'm hiding as faded. I love being close to Camden when were naked and in bed, but it's a mere band aid to the guilt eating me from the inside out. Paranoia has me on edge, and constantly angry.I can't keep doing this. I'm going to tell Camden when I get back. I have to. I love him and don't want this to come between us. I don't want to lose him again. Not over this."You ready?" Debs asks grabbing her suitcase from the conveyer belt. The sound of airplanes and idle chit chat from the airport near deafening.I inhale a ragged breath and grab my bags as well."As I'll ever be."Nashville is hot, and ... full o

CamdenMy untapped fists drive into Chase's face one after another. So much anger and rage release through each it, I can't fucking stop.Each hit ricocheting from my knuckles up my wrist and forearm, the sound of skin against skin fueling me toward dominating this mother fucker.Nobody lays a hand on my woman.It's just monster against beast now.He struggles trying to block my hits but his weak attempts are no match for my experience.His legs come up trying to wrap around me and I anchor myself on top of him, he's not going anywhere.My vision turns red as rage takes over my original intent of being in this fucking cage. I came to protect Tate, but being in this ring the beast wants out. A feral roar rips up my throat as I grab hold of Chase's head ready to snap his life into nothing. Chase's mangled faces blurs into Bret's and I clinch my eyes shut. "You know what I think you're problem is? You're stuck in the past and can't move forward Camden. You have to forg

TateThree Days LaterI lay in Camden's bed, my body aching from head to toe. The second day was the worst when it came to pain, and each day gets better but I still hurt. My bruises are black and purple and look horrible. Breathing is still a chore with it comes to my ribs too. It's going to take some time to heal from this one.My hands under my chin, I stare at the half empty duffle bag sitting on the floor across the room. I paid Dad's debt and the house. He doesn't know, and I don't plan on telling him. I'm hoping he just thinks the banks gave up trying to get money. If I told him I took care of everything he'd think of it as a handout when in reality I'm trying to keep us together. My family is too fragile to lose something so sentimental. It would break us all over again if we lost the house.Fingers walk up my spine, as Camden lays next to me on his bed. The hairs on my neck raise from the tickle they leave behind."How do you feel?" he whispers in my ear. His brea