Fighting Fate (Fighting #7)(103)

The room erupts in flash bulbs and whispers, but none of it matters.

My girl, my woman, Axelle…she wants me. She interrupted an international press conference to stop me from leaving. I would’ve settled for a text.

Without a coherent thought beyond getting closer to her, I hurdle the table and cross to her. I stop just shy of her, and my arms tense at my sides. “I’ll always catch you, Ax.”

She lunges at me with the force of a girl falling, and I easily lift her into my arms.

“Baby, I—”

Her lips crash against mine with an eagerness I’ve never felt from her before and one that matches my own. Cameras pop all around us along with whispers that remind me we’re far from alone.

I kiss along her jaw to her neck. “We’ll have to finish this later.”

Her cheeks pink and she nods. I place her feet back to the ground and grip her hand, pulling her back to my seat with me.

“Killian, does this mean you’re staying in Vegas?”

“Are you taking her with you to London?”

“Calm the hell down,” Cam growls into the microphone. “Let the guy get to his seat, and I’m sure he’ll answer your questions.”

I step around the table, dragging Axelle behind me, and earn smiles of approval from everyone on my team, even Fleur. When I’m back to my spot, I drop down and pull Axelle into my lap. “Right, so as I was saying, I wanted to come back to Vegas to get some perspective, and what I learned was”—I lock eyes with Axelle and she shifts on my lap, her gaze unsure—“I’m not going anywhere.”

Gasps are followed by murmurs and then questions, but I ignore them all and continue.

“I would never be where I am today if it weren’t for my team here in Vegas.” I shift my eyes around the room and find Jonah, his arms crossed over his chest and a knowing grin on his face. “Jonah believed in me before anyone else even knew I existed, and I mean anyone. I owe everything I have to him”—I squeeze Axelle tight and turn back to her—“and this woman right here. I loved my time in London, and I’m not saying I’ll never go back, but my family is in Vegas, and this is where I’m staying.”

A reporter stands. “Are you afraid the choice to stay will hurt your career?”

“Have you seen the kid fight?” Cam’s eyes narrow at the guy. “He could be fighting in Timbuktu and dominate.” He nods to another reporter.

“Killian, can you give us the name of this woman you’re staying for?”

Cam growls into the mic. “Let’s keep the questions to fighting—”

“Cam, it’s okay.” I stare at Axelle, who seems more than a little uncomfortable with all the eyes on her. “Can we make it official?”

Her face breaks into a brilliant smile and she nods. “Yes.”

I lean close to the mic to make sure I’m heard. “This is Axelle Daniels, daughter of Blake and Layla Daniels. I’m gonna ask politely that you leave her alone. Any questions you have I’ll be happy to answer, but she’s off limits to—”

“You don’t need to protect me, Kill.” Her lips are at my ear. “I can handle a lot more than you give me credit for.”

“I know you can, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Fight me all you want, but you can’t fight the inevitable.”

“Quick Kill! Can you tell us who you’re fighting next?”

“Is it true you’re going to fight T-Rex?”

“Any plans on going for the title?”

Cameron introduces the London team, and they each get an opportunity to answer questions while I hold Axelle on my lap, praying this will end quickly so I can get her somewhere more private. There’s still so much to say, and I can’t wait another second to say it all.

*





Axelle





With the press finally satisfied, Cam wraps up the conference. Before the microphones are even turned off, Killian pulls me through the crowd, dodging reporters until we’re in the hallway of the training center. He looks in both directions before hauling me off to the left.

“Where are we going?” I can’t help but laugh as he frantically grabs at door handles until he finds one open.

He throws the door wide, pulls me in to a small office with a generic table and chairs, then closes and locks it behind us. It’s then I notice he’s not dressed in the fancy clothes I’ve seen him in before. He’s wearing a pair of worn jeans that hug his lean thighs, paired with a brown T-shirt that says, Come to the GEEK side. We have Pi.

His eyes lock on mine, and it takes everything I have to not back up a step as he comes toward me.

“Killian?” I blink and unease slides through me. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“You jumped for me.” His voice is husky.

“I did.” I can’t take my eyes off his face. The firm set of his jaw and the bronze-color of his eyes almost twinkle with what I confused earlier with anger, but now I recognize as hunger.

“You know what today is, right?”

I don’t answer because he knows I’m aware today is Valentine’s Day, the most hated day of the year. Until now.