Tonight is the night of the finals. The night that everyone in town has been talking about—the fight of the decade.

Jax versus Kayden. Deadbeat versus Killer.

To me, it's no competition. To me, Jax is the clear winner. He's been training hard for years. I've seen his determination—it roars inside of him. Fuels his mind and his body. Drives his punches and swings. It won't and never burn away. It has become him and it will stay that way until he no longer breathes.

That's why I love him. No man can ever compare to him. I don't care how fucked up he is. He's my Deadbeat.

If he says he doesn't have a soul, then so be it. I'll live for the both of us. I have been for the past two years. And I won't stop now.

The warehouse thrums in shared excitement—bets are being shouted from all four corners, bookies busying themselves with the cash and spectators push forward in a desperate attempt to get a good view of the ring. I have the best one. I stand with Braydon, Beth and Trevor in an elevated platform. It's perfect for us to see all the action unfold.

"This is so exciting." Braydon nudges my shoulder. She jumps on the balls of her heels and claps enthusiastically, a beaming smile gracing her lips. "I've got a thousand dollars on Jax tonight."

I shake my head and snort. "You're crazy, Bray."

"What? You don't think he'll win?"

"Oh, I know he'll win."

"Good. Because if he doesn't, Trev's gonna have to pay for my college fees."

"Me?" Trevor says, scoffing. "You're on your own, babe."

"Come on, babe," Braydon whines. "You said I was your everything."

"Unless you're broke."

Braydon turns to me and fake sighs. "Isn't it romantic? I have the best boyfriend ever."

"Yeah, that's right, baby. I am and you know it," Trevor says and grabs Braydon to crush his lips against hers. When he lets go of her, she stumbles backwards, her eyes widened, clearly unaware that he was going to do that. Then, she shrugs and leans forward to kiss him again.

While Trevor and Braydon make out, I realize that I should go find Jax and maybe do the same thing. After all, it's the night he's been anticipating for months now. He deserves a kiss or two as a way of me saying good luck.

I quickly mutter to them that I was going to see Jax—even though I know they probably didn't hear me—and slip into the crowd, weaving my way through and heading towards the back hallway where the fighters are getting ready.

After the bouncer lets me through, I start to make my way down the hallway. Just as I'm turning the corner, my arm accidentally brushes against another man's. It's too dark in here so I can't see much of the guy's face—I can only make out several features of his like his dark hair and grey eyes. My eyes dart all the way down to his body, his huge arms to his ripped abdomen and the tattoos that cover most of his chest. A red robe drapes over his body, accentuating his body figure and black pants hang dangerously low from his hips. It suddenly clicks—I know who this man is.

Kayden.

Jax's arch-nemesis.

Kayden jerks away from me as if I was made of fire and he scowls... no, he smiles at me? Yeah no. He's definitely scowling.

Damn, this man has the deepest scowl I have ever seen. So deep that Adele would probably be rolling in it.

"Watch where you're going, girl. You won't be so lucky next time," Kayden hisses.

"Excuse me?" I say, baffled. "It was just an accident. Just chill, man."

I don't think he expected for me to retort back. His eyes widen a bit, his anger masked with surprise. But it doesn't hold for long. He shakes his head quickly and turns his back on me.

"Whatever. I gotta go." In an instant, he brushes past me and then he's gone, melting into the shadows.

I stand there for a couple of seconds, utterly bewildered at the fact that I just met that I just met my boyfriend's arch-nemesis. During the past few weeks, I hadn't formed any opinion about Kayden. I had never met the guy—it didn't seem appropriate to think any negatively about him just because he was Jax's rival.

But now that I have met him, I can say with utter confidence that he is without a doubt—

A fucking asshole.

Whatever. It doesn't matter.

It's not like we'll ever cross paths again after tonight anyway.

Shaking all thoughts about him, I continue my way towards Jax's room. I knock on the door four times, a signal that he knows that it's me and not some random girl that has managed to slip through the bouncer and intends to jump on him (that actually happened before and I was not too pleased about that). Half a second later, I hear him fiddle with the doorknob and he opens the door to let me in.

"Hey," he murmurs, crushing his lips against mine briefly before pulling back. "Like the new robe?"

He does a little turn for me and I smile when I see his black robe got a bit of an upgrade. Gold intricate designs are embossed all over the sleeves and along the seams and hood of the robe. Even his name 'DEADBEAT' is printed bigger and bolder with gold Serif lettering.

"I like it. It's very fitting for a victor," I say, stepping towards him. He grins back at me and everything that I love about him comes through with that smile—his strength, his confidence and his arrogance.

"Glad you like it. Because I want you to wear it. When I'm out there fighting him," he spits the last word like venom in his mouth. "I want everyone to know that you're mine. And you're with me tonight."

"Of course I will wear it," I say, my hand reaching up to curl around his cheek. My thumb brushes against his skin, hoping that my touch can soothe him. He's looking at me—his eyes on mine and mine on him—with so much intensity and this time, he lays all his emotions for me to see.

I know that he never gets nervous. So when I feel him tremble just the slightest, I know that he's scared. Frightened that he can't retain his title tonight. Frightened that some newbie end his reign tonight.

I won't let that happen. Jax deserves every win he has ever fought for. And tonight will be no different.

"Jax, you can beat him. I know you can. You have the best trainers over at Lean Machines," I say to him reassuringly.

"What if..." His voice falters but he clears his throat and continues with a more steady voice. "What if Julian was right? What if he was the best for me after all? And I made a stupid mistake by firing him?"

"If you think that Julian did you no good, then you should trust that."

It feels wrong for me to say that even though I'm still training at Breaking Point with him, but I say it anyway to distinguish all of Jax's nerves for him. I'll say anything he wants me to say as long as he goes out there into that ring as his usual self—his cocky, over-confident, animalistic self.

"Yeah, but fuck. Jules was good to me. And... I treated him like shit."

I don't say that I agree, even though I do. Instead, I tiptoe so that I can press my forehead against his and both my hands can trap his face. "Forget about it. What happened in the past stays in the past. You're just nervous right now and I can understand why. Kayden's been undefeated ever since the prelims. I heard from the bookies that he has good odds against you. 40% of that people in the warehouse are rooting for him.

But you know who's rooting for you? The other 60%. Braydon. Trevor. Beth. Me. Your girlfriend. I love you, Jax, with everything that I am, and I know you can do this. I've got a good sum of money on you. And I know I'll get back thrice of that as long as you won't disappoint me."

That earns a small chuckle for me. "I won't disappoint you, princess."

"I know you won't.

My confidence in him earns him a smile. He folds his arms across his chest and looks down, grinning to himself. "Just out of curiosity," he says, "how much did you bet on me?"

"A little over five hundred."

He whistles lowly. "That's a lot."

"That's nothing. Bray's got double of that on you. I'm a little ashamed that she's betting more than me even though I'm technically the girlfriend and the girlfriend should be the one to bet the most."

"It's okay, princess. I forgive you," he says, his index finger gliding over my bottom lip. "But there's one way you can reward me when I win though."

From the perverted look that he's giving me, I know exactly what he means.

"We'll see."

"Oh, come on," he groans, pouting his lips. He looks like an eight-year-old boy who has been deprived of candy. "Please?"

"I said we'll see. See if I'm in the mood. But your chances are quite good."

"I'll bet on that," he says. "Anyway, you should get going. Fight's about to start soon."

"Okay. Good luck, Deadbeat," I murmur. "I love you."

"Thanks." He winks at me, kisses me quickly on the lips.

Next thing I know, I'm being shuffled out of the room. I pretend not to let the fact that he didn't say I love you back affect me, but my body knows and my heart slowly sinks.

I head on back to the platform where all the others are at. Beth is waving at me and squeeze my way through so I'm standing next to her. She notices the frown that's on my face and she passes me a quizzical look.

"What happened between you and Jax? Are you guys good?" She places a concerning hand on my shoulder. I nod and brush it away. Hurt crosses her eyes.

"Yeah. We're good." I focus my attention on the ring rather than Beth instead, but I can't stop repeating myself. "We're good. Better than good. We're awesome."

"Okayyyyy," she says, stringing the last syllable. "That's good to hear, I guess."

I don't reply. Soon enough, the spotlights dim and the entire audience explode into cheers when the announcer emerges to recite the rules of the fight and announce the fighters that will be fighting in the ring tonight.

"Aaaaand to your left, we got a newbie—a guy whom we never thought would make it this far but he sure proved us wrong! He's never not won a fight this season and if you've seen him fight, you know he slays everyone that crosses his path. And I also heard he's a real killer in between the sheets as well, just putting that out there for all you ladies!" The announcer winks and several girls from the crowd scream, waving their panties in the air. I roll my eyes. They look ridiculous. "Ladies and gentlemen, Kayden 'The Killer' Williammmmmmmsssss!"

The entire warehouse roars when Kayden makes his presence known, emerging from the shadows. His face is stone-cold and his eyes hold little to no emotion as he rounds the ring, allowing his fans to reach forward to touch his shoulder. The entire audience screams and chants his name, with the exception of some of Jax's loyal fans, who boo and yell curses at him.

I don't choose sides. I don't jeer at him, unlike Beth, Braydon, Trevor and the others. I just watch soundlessly as Kayden takes his place on his side of the ring. He unsheathes his robe and flexes his muscles, ready for war.

When the noise has simmered to a bare minimum, the announcer then addresses the audience again.

"This man doesn't need no introduction! Everyone already knows his name and how many titles he currently hold but just for the heck of it, I'll say them anyway! He's fast, he's cunning, he's a legendary rogue machine when he's in that ring. He's the currently reigning king of The Underground—two championships and counting! Will tonight be his third one?" With that, the audience erupts into cheers. "We'll see! He's the one, the only... JAX 'DEADBEAT' DENERISSSSSSSS!!"

The noise is deafening when my boyfriend finally thrusts himself into the spotlight. He lifts his fists up into the air, a sly smirk on his face as he greets his fans. A cacophony of cheers burst from within the audience, so loud that my voice is drowned out by the thousands screaming his name alongside with me.

Jax's grin widens when the audience starts to chant his signature 'Deadbeat' chant; he does it along with everyone else and he looks as if he's thriving off the power and energy from the audience. It's such a pivotal moment for me to witness. It makes me happy that he feeds off from his fans, but it also makes me feel more insignificant. I want to be his strength, his power—and I would gladly give everything so that I can be everything to him.

But he doesn't seek for me. He doesn't lean on me. He never did.

I'm just one faceless face among the thousands that he thrives on tonight.

When both fighters are ready, they face each other. I can feel the hatred pouring out of Jax when he greets Kayden. Kayden, on the other hand, isn't fueled by hatred. He's focused, driven—driven by something that I'm all too familiar with. A feeling that has been bred and grown from within my bones and a feeling that I've been harboring for two years now.

Anger.

He does well to hide it too. But I know better. The slight clench of his jaw, the twitch in his eye, the veins popping along his neck. He's angry tonight and something tells me he's going to inflict a lot of pain tonight.

Unto himself or unto Jax, I'm not quite sure yet.

But I'm about to find out.

The bell rings and Jax pounces first. He slams a solid punch on Kayden's shoulder and Kayden reels back, his body stung from the hit. But he doesn't give up quickly. He ducks when Jax swings his arm back for another hit and rise back up to loop an arm around Jax's neck to trap him. The audience groans when Kayden lands punch after punch after punch unto Jax's torso.

I wince when I see the fear grow in Jax's eyes. Of all the times I've seen him fight, I've never seen anyone land this many punches on him before.

"Oh god," Beth says, looking away. "I can't watch."

Her hand seeks for mine and I take it, squeezing it to give her reassurance that Jax still has a lot of fight in him left. Finally, his instincts kick in and he kicks outwards, causing Kayden's legs to give out and unbuckle. He scrambles to get up but before he can fully stand, Jax barrels him unto the ground strikes him on his face twice.

The crowd watches, fully enraptured, as the fight continues with Jax gaining the upper ground. Kayden crosses his arms to deflect Jax's punches and mustering all of his energy, he twists his body and flips the both of them around.

Jax tries to get up but loses his footing and crashes to the ground on his face. Another mistake. The crowd groans along with him.

Kayden has the advantage now—he cages Jax, one arm grabbing his foot and another arm looped around his neck. Jax is helpless. His body and his arms are bound and he's quickly losing air. Beth sobs and buries her face in my shoulder, too scared to witness the outcome of this fight that will surely end in Kayden's favor. And I'm starting to think that it will too.

Jax writhes against Kayden; he coughs and draws out blood. While gritting his teeth, he hisses out a few words, blood still bubbling in his mouth, "I will fucking kill you."

Kayden's eyes widen and Jax takes the split second distraction to bite into Kayden's arm. He howls in pain, giving Jax enough leeway to escape Kayden's grasp. Both of them scramble to gain footing and now that they're both standing again, murder screaming in both of their eyes, I know the fight's going to get good.

Just as Kayden sprints towards Jax, Jax drives his knee upwards and it connects with Kayden's stomach. He doubles over from the pain and Jax uses that as an opportunity to slam his fist to Kayden's side. He collapses against the side of the ring and he tries to use that as a support to help him stand again, his arms desperately holding unto the rope, but Jax is merciless as always.

A strike against the jaw causes Kayden to spit out blood.

Another on the shoulder and his hold on the rope loosens.

And the last, final blow unto his cheek that knocks him out completely, sealing his rather somber fate and Jax's long-awaited third victory.

"Oh my god!" Braydon cries. "Oh my god! He won! Jax won!"

"Yes!" Trevor throws his hand upwards, unable to contain his excitement.

The entire warehouse burst into cheers when the announcer lifts Jax's hand up, signaling his victory. Beth and Braydon both hug me and expressed their congratulations. I'm unable to keep the huge grin off my face as they crown my boyfriend the champion again. He wears his belt with the utmost confidence and the crowd goes crazy when he lifts his trophy up into the air.

"You should go in there!" Braydon nudges me. "Show your man some love!"

Right on cue, Jax's eyes search the crowd and they land on mine. His grin grows even wider and he beckons me to come upstage. Of course, I can't say no to him. The crowd part ways for me, as if they know who I am to him, even though I often don't even know myself.

It feels nostalgic when Jax wraps me in his arms, looking down on me as just the entire crowd is looking at us. Except this time, it feels different.

Last year, I was certain that I knew what he felt for me. Last year, I was certain that he was the perfect man for me. Last year, I was certain that it no matter what life threw our way, it was us against the world.

Now, I'm starting to think that rather, it's him.

Against me.

And when he seals our lips together and the crowd goes insane, I'm not surprised that the uncertainty is still there. And I don't think it'll ever go away.

From the corner of my eye, I notice Kayden seated on a stool on his side of the ring, looking absolutely defeated. But his eyes are trained on the both of us—or to be specific, me. The magnitude of his stare makes me feel so exposed, as if I was transparent in front of him and he knew exactly how vulnerable and doubtful I felt.

And something tells me that he understood exactly how I was feeling, which is both rather intriguing and unsettling at the same time.

* * * 

 "I'm going out with the guys," Jax says to me once he's helped me down from the ring. His arms release me when both of my feet hit the ground and I immediately feel the absence of his touch. "I'll come find you later, princess."

"Wait, what? I thought we were going to celebrate together," I say, annoyed. Behind me, there is a large crowd threatening to climb over the metal partitions—the only thing that is preventing us from stomping all over me and attacking Jax. "You said we were going to have a nice dinner and everything. You promised."

It sounds whiny once those words leave my lips but I can't help myself. I've waited a few weeks for this. He hasn't exactly been the most romantic boyfriend with all the late hours in the gym and the rigorous training. I've never complained then. I knew he needed to do his own thing. But now that that's done and over with, all I want is my man back.

"I know, babe. I know." He doesn't even seem very apologetic. "It's just a few drinks. Hopefully, I'll be back before 10. I'll pick you up and we'll go someplace nice. My treat. Or yours, if you'd like. You won a lot of cash tonight." He grins and I immediately feel the weight of what I won in the back pocket of my jeans.

"No. You're paying tonight." I jab a finger into his chest, where a huge bruise has begun to take its form—thanks to Kayden. Jax winces slightly from the pain, and it's the first time I'm satisfied about it. "You promise we're going out tonight?"

"You know I always keep my promises." He presses his index finger on the tip of my nose and grins. I wiggle my nose, a frown weighing down on my face. I smell complete and utter bullshit. "I'll see you later."

He pecks me lightly on the lips and scurries off, disappearing into the crowd. I heave out a heavy sigh and turn back, heading towards Beth and Braydon who are lurking outside the entrance, waiting for Trevor to get his car.

"Hey," Braydon says, her voice laced with surprise when she sees me. "I thought you and Jax were going to go celebrate? Together? Alone?"

"Yeah. It's been postponed. He's having drinks with the guys." I roll my eyes. "He doesn't even like them."

"Sometimes, you'd rather surround yourself with fake people." She shrugs. "After all, it's better than being alone."

"But he's not alone. He has me."

"But does he know that?"

"What?" What the hell is that supposed to mean? Braydon's question catches me completely off guard.

Braydon squeezes my shoulder reassuringly just as Trevor's car pulls up front. I want to ask her what she meant but my words are swallowed up when Beth comes up front behind me and tugs on my shirt.

"Hey, s-since you're not going out with Jax now, you wanna go home?" She asks me. "W-we can stay up and wait for Jax together. I'll even help you do your h-hair."

A small smile tugs on my lips. "Sure. That'll be nice."

"Come on. Let's go." She takes my hand and ushers me towards the car. "And don't listen to Braydon. Her and Trev got into a fight just now. She's just annoyed right now."

I don't believe she said that just to spite me. But I'm not in a mood to fight about this tonight, so I decide to just let it go. "Yeah." I nod. "Sure."

But as I glance over at Braydon again, then to her boyfriend and my sister, I can't help but feel that there's something I'm missing here. That I'm oblivious to some form of truth that seems to be staring right at my face.

* * * 

A/N: I KNOW IT'S NOT FRIDAY BUT I FORGOT TO UPDATE TWO DAYS AGO SO HERE IS MY UPDATE NOW LMAOOOOO.

DID U GUYS SQUEAL AT THAT LITTLE KAYNA MOMENT? CUZ I DID WHEN I WAS WRITING IT.

ANYWAYS HOW HAVE U GUYS BEEN? I MISS MY DIA-HARDS. I wish I was back in high school when I literally had so much time in the world to write. But maaaaan, uni drains the life out of me. No joke.

We're almost coming to an end guys! Only 4 more chapters left, can you believe it? I know I can. It's probably time to put the Perfect series to rest. I've been milking this series for too long now let's be real here lmaooooo.

Anywaysssss

See ya soon bitches. Love ya'll long time!

Love, Claudia.