Chapter 72
Kait checked herself in the mirror to ensure that she didn’t look too upset. The anguished tears she’d shed when she’d watched Jasper fall to the mat like a toppled tree had been carefully wiped away, her makeup reapplied. The crowd around her had held their breath as Jasper suffered another devastating loss. He looked so battered and broken as he fell at the feet of his opponent. It was killing Kait to see him go through it, to see him suffer like he was.
Satisfied with her appearance, she left the toilets and walked in the direction of the dressing rooms. The burly security men let her by with a smile and a stiff nod.
“He’s had it tough tonight,” they commented kindly.
“Yeah,” Kait agreed. “But he’ll turn it around. He always does.”
She felt the part of the loving, supportive girlfriend. People knew who she was and why she was backstage. She was no longer Jasper’s secret; he’d finally shared her with the world.
Raising a hand, she knocked briskly on the dressing room door. When it opened, Carl was staring at her, looking angry. He always looked angry; she was convinced he just didn’t like her.
“How is he?” Kait inquired politely.
“How do you think?” Carl retorted as he stepped past her to leave the room. “He’s defeated.”
Pursing her lips with concern, Kait walked over to Jasper who was sat on the sofa, still wearing his blood stained shorts.
“Hey,” Kait carefully sat down beside him and placed a hand on his knee.
“Hey,” Jasper greeted her in his deep, velvety voice.
“You took a real beating out there tonight.”
“Yeah,” Jasper sighed and turned to look at her, revealing a deep gash above his right eye which would surely need stitches.
“I think we need to get you to a hospital,” Kait said anxiously as she peered closer to assess the wound.
“I’m fine,” Jasper promised her unconvincingly, reaching for her face and cupping it in his strong hands. He didn’t kiss like a defeated man. He kissed her hard and deep like she was the oxygen he needed to survive.
“Well, at least your spirits aren’t too dampened,” Kait gasped as their lips parted.
“All I need is to see you to perk up again,” Jasper smiled. Kait wanted to lose herself in the moment with him, but she couldn’t stop fretting about the deep cut oozing blood down his cheek.
“We’re going to the hospital,” she told him. “No arguing.”
“Yes, Mum,” Jasper mocked.
“I’m serious, Jasper. You need to take care of yourself. Especially…” her voice trailed off.
“Especially when I’m getting my ass kicked every night,” Jasper completed her sentence for her.
“I didn’t mean,” Kait lowered her head and folded her hands in her lap.
“Yeah, you did,” Jasper said softly. “And you’re right. I need to glue myself back together so that next week someone else can pull me apart.”
“Jasper - ”
“I just don’t get it.” Jasper was staring blankly at the far wall of the brightly lit room. “I put in the hours at the gym, I eat right and sleep well. Yet the moment I step out in to the ring, it’s like all my energy just drains out of me, and I’m useless.”
“You’re just overdoing it,” Kait stroked his arm fondly. “Give yourself a few weeks off to heal.”
“I can’t,” Jasper shook his head fiercely and began to stand up. He wavered on his feet, and for a split second, Kait feared he might topple.
“Hospital, now,” Kait said firmly, reaching for her phone and calling his driver before he could protest.
Chapter 73
Jasper felt woozy from the pain killers he’d been given at the hospital. The cut above his eye had needed an impressive six stitches. Not that he could feel any of them. He was blissfully numb as he sat sprawled out on his plush leather sofa watching the football highlights on the television. Kait was curled up beside him reading a book, her hair falling over her face making her appear even more angelic than usual.
Lately they’d been spending more time at his apartment, which made sense as it was considerable larger than Kait’s place.
“Woah,” she’d exclaimed when she’d first visited, “you could easily fit my place in here at least six times.” Which was probably true.
Jasper actually liked having her there. She made the large rooms feel less empty and impersonal. At night, they curled up together in his grand bed, and each morning Kait insisted on making him breakfast. His kitchen had never known so much use. The evenings no longer felt endless as Jasper wasn’t alone. Together he and Kait would watch movies, take long bubble baths in his grand tub and just relax together. It was bliss.