Chapter 96
“You love me?” Mia asked, so unsure, her voice sounded small. Like Alex couldn’t love her, like it’s something he shouldn’t even be saying to her.
“I do” Alex says
Mia stares at him, then she just started crying.
Alex panicks.
“Hey what’s wrong?”
Mia throws herself on him. Alex catches her chuckling. He hugs her tight.
“I love you too” she whispers
They lie on the couch,hugging each other, taking in the new confession..
After what felt like hours.
Mia sat up slowly, brushing her hair behind her ears. Her cheeks were still flushed, her lips slightly swollen. She looked at him and smiled-the kind of smile that made his chest ache.
“Let me clean you up,” she said softly, pushing herself off the bench.
He didn’t argue. He just watched her move around the room, grabbing a clean towel, a bottle of antiseptic, and cotton pads from the first-aid kit. She knelt in front of him as he sat on the bench, her knees pressing into the floor, her eyes focused as she dabbed at the cut on his brow.
Alex winced.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
He chuckled. “You don’t have to say sorry, nurse Mia.”
She rolled her eyes but smiled. “You need stitches.”
He shrugged. “I’ll survive.”
“knew you’ll say that” she murmured, wetting another pad with alcohol.
As she leaned in again, he tilted his head and tried to kiss her. His lips brushed the corner of hers, but she pulled back just a little.
“Nope. Not until I’m done,” she said, trying to sound stern but failing.
Alex pouted, reaching for her again, but she gently pushed his shoulder back.
“Stay still,” she warned, dabbing the dried blood from the side of his lip.
He obeyed, but only because he liked watching her like this-so focused, so gentle. The way her brow furrowed in concentration, the way her hands moved with care. No one had ever taken care of him like this.
He was used to pain, used to fixing himself, used to walking off wounds like they didn’t matter.
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Chapter 96
But Mia Mia made everything feel like it mattered. Like he mattered.
“I like this,” he said suddenly.
She looked up. “Like what?”
“You. Here. With me. Cleaning me up”
“I do care, Alex,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
His eyes softened. He reached up again, gently cupping her cheek. “I know.”
She leaned into his touch for a moment, then continued working. There was a split on his lip, a scrape on his cheekbone, a small bruise already forming under his eye.
She cleaned each one carefully, her fingers brushing his skin with the kind of gentleness he wasn’t used to.
“You know the first time I saw you fight, I thought I was going to throw up,” she admitted.
Alex laughed. “Thanks.”
“I mean it. It’s brutal. The punches, the blood… it’s so intense. I hate watching you get hurt.”
Their eyes met. The silence that followed wasn’t awkward-it was full.
“Do you think they heard us?” Mia asked suddenly, breaking the moment.
Alex smirked. “The whole building probably did.”
Mia groaned, covering her face. “Oh my God.”
He laughed and pulled her onto his lap, ignoring the sharp pain that flared in his side. She landed with a surprised squeal, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck.
“I don’t care who heard us,” he said, looking up at her. “Let them know. You’re mine.”
Mia blushed, burying her face in his neck. “You’re so annoying.”
He grinned. “I know”
She shook her head, laughing softly. “You’re impossible.”
“I love you too,” he teased.
Everything between them was moving so fast, so intense.
She slid off his lap again, picking up the towel and wiping the sweat from his shoulders. Alex watched her the entire time, his heart doing that stupid thing again where it beat too fast for no reason.
“You missed a spot,” he said when she turned away.
“Where?”
He tapped his lips.
She rolled her eyes again but leaned down and kissed him gently.
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Chapter 96
“There,” she whispered.
He smiled, finally satisfied. Then he leaned back on the bench, resting his head against the wall, watching her clean up the mess they’d made together.
Outside, the crowd was beginning to leave. The noise had died down, footsteps echoing in the hall as people filtered out of the underground arena. But Alex didn’t care. Not about the win, not about the belt or the cheers or what the fight meant.
All he cared about was the girl kneeling in front of him, wiping blood off his skin like he was something worth taking care of.
The door bangs again.
He knows it’s one of his friends.
“The fuck! go away.”
“Alex your father is here, he’s asking for you”
Alex froze
