The Golden Ring was empty, except for a few lingering boxers scattered around the room.

"They're training," Leon explained, waving as they passed.

He led Natalie to an empty corner of the ring. Without the big crowds and loud music, it looked a lot more like a gym than a club, not to mention the workout equipment that had been set up here and there.

"Warming up for their fights tonight," he continued.

Natalie nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from the boxers. Some were so big, they could have been double Leon's size.

"Do you have a fight tonight?" she asked.

He nodded, dropping his school bag, and beginning to unbutton his shirt. She blushed, ready to look away, when he revealed his undershirt beneath.

"It'll be an easy fight," he replied. "I've never lost against him before. And now that I've got my lucky charm here..."

She laughed lightly, batting his hand away and gazing around at his potential competition.

"Who are you fighting?" she asked. "Is he in here?"

"He's the one I waved at when we walked in," he said pointing. Natalie's eyes bulged as she followed his gaze to a towering man with muscles the size of her head.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nah, he's a big softie. Slow, too," Leon replied, slinging his bag back over his shoulder. "I'm gonna go dump this in the back. Wait here a second?"

She nodded, watching as he began walking away. He hesitated for a minute, turning to the so-called 'big softie' and shouting, "Hey, I'm gonna be a sec. Can you watch Natalie for me?"

Natalie blinked, a million thoughts starting to run through her head. Leon shot her a thumbs-up and vanished as the man nodded, marching his way over.

Natalie felt like shrivelling up inside of her skin.

"Hey," the man said. Up close, she could see just how big his muscles really were. Not only his biceps, but his legs. She didn't even know they could get that big.

"Hi," Natalie squeaked.

He laughed, his face seeming to lighten up. "I'm not as scary as I look. Promise. Leon isn't either, you know. I'm Rob."

Natalie snorted. Now that she'd seen Leon in all his shades of colour, she knew he definitely was not as scary as she had first expected him to be. That first day when he wiped the blood from his lip with a swipe of his thumb, had he even realised how he looked to her?

"I'm Natalie," she said.

"I know you are. Leon never shuts up about you," he replied. "I followed you on Instagram."

"Oh." She frowned. That explained the sudden influx of requests she'd been getting lately. She had ignored them all, thinking she'd been targeted by spam accounts. "Sorry, I didn't know..."

"It's fine," he said, waving a hand. "I just wanted to see this girl Leon keeps going on about, and now I can. I've known him since he was a kid, you know. He had this obsession with unicorns."

Natalie laughed, hard. "So, I've heard."

"Yeah, and then it progressed to aliens," he continued. "And now it's boxing. Little shit got better than me quick. His dad would be proud. Horrified, but proud."

"Horrified?"

"Oh, yeah. His dad was such a pacifist. I don't think he ever threw a fist once in his life."

"I wish I could have met him," Natalie said, the words drifting out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"He would have loved you, if only because Leon does," Rob said. Natalie's face warmed at the L-word, but it didn't seem to faze Rob. "Trust me, he wasn't too thrilled his only son loved unicorns, but he got over it quick when he saw just how much the kid loved them. Besides, you're a good kid too. Leon tells me you want to help people."

"Did he?" Natalie's brow furrowed. "I wanted to be a doctor."

"Wanted?"

She shrugged. Every time her mind wandered in the direction of her future, it felt like ripping the wound open again. But she didn't hate it. She liked saying the words out loud. She liked speaking for herself.

"Well, seven-year-old Natalie didn't realise exactly what surgery involves," she said. "I'm not in love with the idea of blood. I think I'm going to go into allied health instead."

"Wherever your heart leads you," Rob said. Natalie smiled. He really was a big softie. It was hard to imagine that in just a few hours he'd be in the ring trying to knock Leon out.

"What are you two talking about?"

Natalie turned to find Leon approaching them. He had changed into shorts and running shoes and he swung a skipping rope in his hand.

"Definitely not you," Rob said, grinning. The pair clapped hands before Rob patted his back once. "You better watch out tonight, I've been working on my footwork."

"You keep telling yourself that!"

"See you, Natalie!" he added, waving at her. She grinned back, watching as he made his way back to his own little corner.

"He was nice," Natalie said, turning to Leon. "But I don't need a babysitter, you know."

"I know, I know. It's just..." he nodded towards the far end of the room. Natalie froze, spotting a familiar face. "Tyler's fighting tonight."

Tyler sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes on them. Natalie swallowed hard.

"He's not, like, angry, is he? At you—us?"

"No, he shouldn't be. I spoke to him, remember?"

"Are you sure?" she asked, her pulse beginning to quicken as Tyler pulled himself to his feet, his eyes still on the pair. "Because I think he's coming over."

"I told him I'd speak to the boss if he promised to stop bothering us. Said I'd get him a fight and then he can prove himself that way," Leon explained quickly. "And, uh, one other thing—"

"Natalie," Tyler said, pausing in front of her.

"Um, hi," Natalie said, glancing sideways at Leon. He stood half in front of her, his gaze sharp on Tyler, but he didn't seem worried, so Natalie decided she didn't need to be worried either.

"I just wanted to come and apologise," Tyler said.

Her eyebrows shot up. Out of everything she expected him to say, that was probably last on her list.

"What?" She wasn't sure if she had heard him right.

He released a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry for scaring you and coming to your school." Leon cleared his throat and Tyler let out another sigh. "And for following you and your friend. It won't happen again. Please forgive me."

Natalie stared at him. He stared back.

"Please?" Tyler added after a moment of silence.

"Um, I mean, sure," Natalie said, glancing unsurely towards Leon.

"Good. Thanks," he replied. He turned to Leon and lifted a brow. "Is that all?"

"Yep," Leon said, patting his shoulder. "Just stick to your word and that's it. Good luck with your fight."

"You too," Tyler muttered. He gave Natalie one last nod before turning and walking away.

Natalie stared at his retreating back in silence for a few moments. It wasn't until Leon nudged her hip with his own that she snapped out of her daze.

"That was really weird," she said, Tyler's words finally processing. She turned to him. "Did you make him do that?"

Leon shrugged, grinning.

"Didn't seem like enough, did it?" he said. "I thought about making him get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, but I figured that would just make him angrier."

Natalie rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "Start stretching."

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Natalie quickly discovered that she loved watching Leon warm-up—almost as much as she loved watching him fight.

He won the match, of course, just like he predicted.

Leon had been right. Rob was big, but he was slow, and Leon was able to dodge his blows to deliver his own.

Now Natalie sat in the office chair, watching as Leon towelled himself off and pulled his school uniform back on. He shrugged his blazer on and turned to face her.

"Did you like the fight?" he asked.

Natalie nodded, pulling one knee up to her chest and resting her cheek on it. "It was good. Thought he had you for a minute there."

Leon smiled. He leaned over her, his elbow resting on the desk beside her.

"No, you didn't," he said before pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Natalie laughed, pushing him away and dropping her leg. "No need to be so arrogant."

"Not arrogant," he said, stepping back. "Just factual. Should we get you home?"

She sighed, turning to frown at the door. She could still hear the noise of the current boxing match, the thumping of music, the cheering of an audience. A weeknight, and the Golden Ring was still so lively. Going home was the last thing she wanted to do.

"How about," she said, standing, "we do something else?"

She leaned forward, brushing her lips against his. She felt his breath catch as their lips pressed together. He smiled, laughing lowly against her mouth.

"I know what you're doing," he muttered, though did nothing to move away, instead letting each word linger as a brush against her lips.

"Oh really? And what's that?" She matched his tone.

"You're stalling." He kissed her, one hand lifting to capture her cheek. He pulled away for a moment to murmur, "But I'm not completely against it."

Lifting his other hand, he cupped her face and kissed her hard.

Warmth blossomed in Natalie's chest as he pulled her closer, his mouth soft and inviting. Gentle, and then suddenly hard. Biting on her lower lip. Pushing his body forward.

Natalie felt his body press heatedly on hers until her back was hitting a wall, and all that she could feel was Leon.

And she was suddenly grateful that it wasn't gentle. She didn't want gentle anymore. She wanted Leon. She wanted him on her, against her, kissing her, biting her lip, breathing heavily against her mouth, groaning lowly in his throat—and he gave her all of him, like he knew she wanted it. Like he wanted her too.

She could smell him and only him. Sweat, from his fight. Cologne. Aftershave. The smell of Leon.

Her hands found their way to the front of his shirt, and she was pulling, pulling, pulling—wanting him closer than ever until she wasn't sure where her skin ended and his began.

Natalie parted her lips, craning her mouth higher up into his. His hands moved down, circling her waist, and she lifted her own arms around his neck. Her shirt rode up, and Leon's fingers brushed bare skin, and like an electric shock, Leon snapped back.

"What—" she panted, searching his eyes.

Leon shook his head, taking a step back, and then another. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head again.

His eyes had turned impossibly dark, the gold nowhere to be found beyond his dilated pupils.

"We should stop," Leon muttered, looking anywhere but at her.

Natalie practically whimpered. She stepped forward, reaching a hand up to his face. He leaned into her touch for a second, his gaze hardening before he squeezed his eyes shut and pulled away.

"Natalie," he said, his voice tight with restraint, "I think we should get you home."

"I want to stay here," she said, "with you."

"I know. I want you here too," he replied. He released a heavy breath. "Trust me, this is all I've ever thought about for months. But if we don't stop now, I don't know if I'll ever be able to. I don't know if I'd be able to stay away from you."

"That's fine with me."

He smiled at her, his gaze softening. "Come on. Let's get you home."

Natalie sighed but relented. She knew she had to have some restraint. Leon was her first ever boyfriend and she was already losing her mind over him. She'd had permission to touch him, kiss him, for twenty-four hours and she was already using up her privileges.

She took Leon's outstretched hand and slung her school bag over her shoulder.

The Golden Ring was still bustling with crowds that gathered around the boxing ring, drinks in hands. Natalie thought it was Tyler's fight, but she didn't care enough to get a good look. Instead, she squeezed Leon's hand and let him lead the way.

"You know the first time I went to your place," Leon started once they stepped out into the cold evening air, "I was so nervous you'd be annoyed."

"What?" She thought back to the night he appeared at her window to take her for an impromptu joyride. "You mean when I first rode your motorbike?"

He nodded, swinging their hands between them. "You should've seen me. I thought about it for so long. Left, came back, walked down the street, came back. In the end, I decided to just do it. I'm surprised no one called the cops on me. I must have showed up three nights in a row or something."

"You're joking."

"Not at all," he said. "You drive me crazy, Natalie. I hope you know that."

"Well, you started it," Natalie replied, nudging his shoulder with her own. "Do you know how many classes I spent doodling your name in my notebooks? I felt like a twelve-year-old girl again."

The walk to her house was quick but she had no time to mourn the loss of Leon's fingers intertwined with her own. She was too distracted by the lights in her house being on.

"I think my parents are waiting for me," she muttered, releasing Leon's hand, and stepping towards her porch. "The lights are usually off by this time. They're usually in bed by now."

"Will you be okay?" Leon asked, moving beside her. "Do you want me to come in with you?"

Natalie shook her head.

"That would probably make things worse," she admitted. "Besides, I need to talk to them alone."

Leon nodded, stepping in front of her, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"You can do this, Natalie," he said lowly. "You have my number, yeah?" He took her hand into his. "You'll be alright?"

"I'll see you tomorrow," Natalie said. She leaned up, pressing a quick kiss to his lips, hoping it wouldn't be their final one. She wouldn't put it past her dad to find some way to hide her away from society again—something more isolated than an all-girl's school. "If I survive, of course."

"If you survive," Leon repeated, rolling his eyes with a grin. "Call me if you need back-up."

"I will," she said, jogging up the front steps. "You'd better get out of here."

"Don't need to tell me twice," he murmured. She thought she heard him say a final goodbye, but her mind was solely focused on one thing.

She strained to hear if any noise came from beyond her front door, but to no avail. There was only one way to find out what was waiting for her.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped forward, and opened the door.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Not me racing to edit and upload the last 3 chapters today lmao I hope you liked this chapter! Let me know what you thought!!! See you in a few hours probably hehe