Kait felt a flutter of excitement run through her. So when Jasper won, which he was of course going to-she had to believe that-she'd get back fifty times her original bet. Her mind struggled to reach the grand total which would buy a house outright along with a car and a luxury beach holiday. She started to feel slightly dizzy.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" The guy asked warily, misreading Kait's excitement for reluctance.
"Yes," Kait nodded confidently. "I'm sure."
"Okay then," the guy began processing the bet, "but don't say I didn't warn you."
Chapter 109
Outside the betting office, Kait hungrily cleaned in the fresh, outdoor air. Her hands were shaking by her side. She'd never in her life spent so much money before and definitely not in such a reckless way. There was a risk that she'd never see that money again which she'd worked so hard for, but it was worth it because placing the bet meant she was going all in on Jasper, and she wouldn't have had it any other way.
When she was quite certain that her heart had settled in her chest, she headed back to the office, wondering how she'd possibly make it through the next few hours at work when all she could think about was the impending fight that was going to change their lives either for better or worse.
Chapter 110
Jasper turned up the music in his ears so that it was at a deafening volume. It was the only way to drown out all the negative thoughts which constantly plagued him. In just a t-shirt and shorts, he was heading out for a jog before going to train at the gym for a few hours. It was a good way to test his bad knee which had actually starting to improve over the last few days. Jasper was daring to believe that he perhaps wouldn't need surgery on it at all.
His feet pounded the pavement in time with the angry rap music he listened to. It had been the music of his childhood, the soundtrack to his rise from the bottom to the top. He liked the emotion that came across in rap music, the gritty determination that the artists had and Jasper shared.
As the music played, he ran with the sun warming his back. He ran all through the upmarket neighborhood he lived in and ended up at the edge of the local pool where the sunlight glistened against its vast glassy surface. Picking up speed, Jasper completed a circuit around the pool. Even then he had only just started to sweat. He went around a second time. Now his t-shirt was starting to cling to his back and he was breathing heavily. The music pounding in his ears helped keep his energy up. He briskly jogged back to his apartment building where Carl was impatiently waiting at the front entrance.
"You're late," Carl taped the face of his designer watch. Jasper clocked the item with surprise, wondering why his agent hadn't yet pawned it if times were really so hard for them both financially. And if Jasper was struggling for money, then surely Carl must be too since Jasper was his sole client? The watch was easily worth several thousands of dollars even second hand.
"Nice watch," Jasper commented as he climbed in to the car which was parked on the curb and waiting for him.
"Win tonight and you can treat yourself to one," Carl quipped, climbing in the driver's side of the vehicle.
"I told you to be ready for ten," Carl announced sharply as he started the engine.
"And what is it now?" Jasper glanced at the clock on the car's dashboard, "ten fifteen, I'm hardly late."
"We're on a tight schedule today, Jasper," Carl explained, gritting his teeth.
"And whose fault is that?" Jasper threw back. "You're the one who wanted three hours this afternoon to just chill."
"I told you, I've got a meeting."
"With who?" Jasper lamented. "I don't have any sponsors, and you don't have any clients except me."
"How about I let you do your job and you let me do mine, deal?"
"Deal," Jasper grumbled, turning to look out the window at the houses speeding by. Houses he'd previously just jogged past. He'd forgotten how much he used to enjoy running, especially first thing in the morning or late at night when it felt like everyone else was sleeping and the whole world was beautifully still.
But thanks to his bad knee, he'd tried to avoid running excessively.
"My knee is feeling better," he commented to Carl.
"Is it? Oh, good," Carl replied somewhat absently. Jasper frowned; he'd thought his agent would be ecstatic to hear such news. Perhaps he was just feeling nervous about the fight. After all, he had his career riding on it just as Jasper did. Win or lose, they were in it together. That's what Jasper had always liked about Carl; he'd been with him as he rose to the top. It helped him feel like he could trust him. He just wished that Kait liked Carl at least a bit. It was going to be difficult juggling the pair of them in the future, but Jasper would adapt; he'd have to. He couldn't foresee either of them going anywhere.
"I'm feeling really good about tonight," Jasper added, smacking his hands together.
"Sure you'll do great," Carl was pulling in to the car park of the gym.
"Great? I'm going to kill it!" Jasper insisted.
"I know," Carl turned and smiled at him, but there was a sadness in his eyes which Jasper hadn't seen before.
"Everything okay?" He wondered anxiously.
"Yeah," Carl shook himself, and the sadness was gone. He was back to his old, sharp self.
"Are you okay to spot me for a bit?" Jasper enquired as he climbed out of the car.
"Absolutely," Carl grinned enthusiastically, "anything for you."
Chapter 111
Kait held her breath as the lights went down in the arena, and the two fighters were introduced in to the ring. People were cheering louder for Jasper's opponent, already discounting him as a has-been. It pained Kait to hear. She just had to keep telling herself that Jasper was about to turn it all around. She was once again on the front row on the opposite side of the ring to Jasper. She sat there tightly crossing her fingers.
He looked powerful and determined as he stepped in to the ring wearing bright red shorts and a matching helmet. As he banged his gloved hands together, he revealed his impressive muscles. Jasper was ready. Kait could feel the energy radiating off from him over to her. He'd been training aggressively and it had all been for this moment – for this chance to reclaim his rightful glory.
Chapter 112
Before a fight, Jasper always got tunnel vision. He had learned that it was important to focus solely on the task at hand, not get caught up in the excitement of the crowd or be cowed by the grandeur of a venue. All that mattered was landing his punches correctly and winning.
Jasper stepped in to the ring feeling like he was on fire. Every fiber in his body tingled with anticipation, ready to spring in to action. He could do this. He was not going to go down in the second, he was going to win! The referee dropped his arm, a bell sounded, and the first round commenced.
The next few minutes were a whirlwind of expertly executed punches, kicks, and dodges. Jasper thundered at his opponent like an angry tornado from which there was no escape. He punched hard and fast, and by the time the bell run to signal the end of the round he was ahead on points.
As he dropped down on to his stool in his corner of the ring, he tried not to get déjà vu. This was how it had gone down before – he'd come out strong and ended up burning out.
Leaning back Jasper panted heavily and removed his mouth guard so that he could drink from the sports bottle that Carl had just given him.
"Way to go there, champ," Carl shouted to be heard over the excitement roar of the crowd.
"You've got this."
Jasper could only nod as he hungrily downed the liquid inside the sports bottle, wiping his mouth afterward, and taking a few more seconds to gather his strength before commencing the next round.
Chapter 113
"Please, don't be tainted," Kait couldn't take her eyes off the water bottle in Jasper's hand as he gripped it tightly and drank deeply from it. With each swallow, Kait grew even tenser. Her mind hammered panicked questions at her.
What if Carl switched the drinks back? What if he'd known what she'd done? What if Jasper were now to lose? They'd both lose everything.
"Come on," Kait crossed her fingers even tighter. It had to have worked. She had to have stopped Carl.