Jezebel Koko Brown (best books to read non fiction txt) 📖

you can forget it,”he gritted out. “I’ll contest it. Plus, you mightalready be carrying my baby.”

His stubbornness left a sourtaste in her mouth. “This is paradise up here because it’sjust you and me. Are you sure you’re up for what’swaiting for us back home? Are you ready to face a life where you’llrun into the maître d from the Hotel Theresa every single dayof your life?”

In the subsequent silence,Celeste wondered what he was thinking. For sure it was a hardreality. She wanted him to be prepared and if he wasn’t readyfor it, then they should part ways once they reached the city.

The thought did a number toher insides, and yes she would be devastated if he changed his mindabout an annulment. She just wanted to make sure he was walking intothis thinking it was going to be a cakewalk.

“In all honesty, Ididn’t think about the outside world when I asked you to marryme,” he finally said. “I was just thinking about howmuch I love you and want to be with you the rest of my life. I’ma fighter Celeste and I’ll brave whatever comes. I just askthat you do the same. Will you stay by my side and face whateverstorm that comes our way?”

He reached out, took herhand and she responded the only way her heart could, “Yes.”

***

Even several rows backCeleste could hear the clank of the scale’s counterbalance. Sheheld her breath. Shane had increased his conditioning in the pastweek to make his weight. He worked out four hours a day and evenincreased his amount of protein. Still, he woke up this morningnervous, believing he hadn’t done enough to shred the last fivepounds to meet his class.

“ShaneBrennan…” the boxing commissioner looked at the scaleagain, “weighing in at one hundred and ninety pounds.”

Shane’s gaze lifted. His eyes searched the crowd, finding her he raised his arms bent themat the elbow and smiled from ear to ear. Heart pounding, Celestereturned it with one of hers.

Bronzed and rippling withmuscle, in nothing but his underwear, he was a beautiful malespecimen. And he was hers.

Shane stepped down from thescale to allow his opponent to make weight. An inch shorter thanShane, the brute’s muscles looked carved from marble, remindingher of the Roman statue of Hercules at the Metropolitan Museum ofArt.

“Weighingin at one hundred and ninety-five pounds, current light heavyweightchampion Jim Clarke.”

“TomorrowMadison Square Garden will host one of the most anticipated cards ofthe year, Shane Brennan versus Jim Clarke.” The commissionertook hold of both fighters’ wrists and hefted their arms in theair. The audience erupted into cheers.

Not as caught up in theexcitement, Celeste left her seat. She picked her way up the aisleto stage left. A couple of reporters and even his coach, Ollie,milled around him as he dressed.

Notwanting to draw unnecessary attention before his big fight, she hungout near the stairs. Right now, he didn’t need the unnecessaryattention her presence would cause.

“Why do we have towait around, Johnny?”

Normally, Celeste would’veignored the platinum blonde standing next to her, but her nasallywhine was hard to ignore like the sound of screeching tires.

“Igot an appointment,” her companion replied.

“Everything revolvesaround you.” The blonde pouted and it wasn’t pretty. “If I miss my hair appoint—”

Before she could finish, hercompanion grabbed her by the jaw. He pressed his fingers togetheruntil the woman moaned. Celeste thought the woman was annoying asall get out, but she didn’t deserve to be manhandled.

“Business comes first.Say it.”

Forseveral drawn out moments the woman didn’t make a peep.Instead, the two waged a battle of wills. Celeste gave the womancredit. She held out much longer than expected, considering they hadan audience.

“Say it,” herepeated.

They glared at each other amoment longer, the woman finally mumbled something that seemed toappease her companion enough that he released her, yet leaving behindangry fingerprints.

“Now go sit yourpretty little ass in that chair over there and wait for me.”

Doing as told, the blondestumbled away.

As if manhandling a womanhad mussed up his appearance, he skimmed his manicured hands over hishair. Celeste snorted. Besides being a bastard, he was also anarcissist.

“Well… hello,Toots. How you doing?” the bastard even had the nerve to edgecloser.

Inher element around thugs, bastards and near-do-wells, Celeste didn’tbother with making eye contact. “Hey, yourself.”

Unfortunately, her lack ofinterest didn’t waylay him. “I can’t believe abeautiful doll like you is into boxing?”

“I’m not.”

The bastard chuckled.“That’s funny,” he said wagging a finger at her andfinally pulling her attention from Shane. “You’re at aweigh-in before a title match, and yet you don’t like boxing. Iwasn’t born yesterday.”

No.But maybe last week.“I’m here to support a friend.” The bastard didn’tneed to know any more than that and neither did anyone else for thatmatter. She was proud to have Shane as her husband, but she wasn’tgoing to let her ego ruin his chances for the light heavyweighttitle.

“Who’s yourmoney on?”

This guy was a real gem!“Why? Do you have inside information?” Celeste was

only stroking the bastard’sego. Men like him tended to think they were ten times more importantthey really were.

“Imight,” he paused to admire a gold signet ring on his pinky. “Icould give you a few inside tipsoverdinner of course.”

Celeste had no doubt thechoicest tips would be dished out in bed. And to think, a few monthsago, the party girl in her would’ve bought what this clown wasselling hook, line and sinker.

Riddled with guilt and a tadbit dirty for even acknowledging the bastard, Celeste looked away. Her gaze collided with her husband’s. Fully clothed again inthe tan bucks, tweed slacks and camel-colored turtleneck he’dworn for the weigh-in, his hair was slightly disheveled and hischeeks contained color.

Probably from all theexcitement, Celeste mused. She also noticed that he was engaged inconversation with Ollie, and yet his gaze remained locked on her. Well, not entirely on her, but also her unwelcome company. Andtelling from his brooding expression, he didn’t like it onebit.

“Here’s my cardif you ever find yourself interested.” The bastard shoved avanilla calling card in her hand. Celeste