Blaze's P.O.V

'I don't want you to change Blaze, I want you to put down your guard and welcome back my Cage.'

Punch, Punch

'My loving, sweet, kind boxer Cage Charming Levi. Bring down your wall and welcome back my Cage.'

Punch, Kick

'Mr. Blaze Zander, you are the strongest person I have met. The one who will fight through to see the end of the tunnel and come out to me as the person I once loved Cage Charming Levi.'

Kick, Under Hand

'It's okay Charming, I believe in you.'

Underhand, Punch

The bag broke free from the hanger and fell across the room. I couldn't get Savy's words from yesterday out of my head; they kept coming back to me. Gio won't stop this time if he finds out that I'm once again becoming preoccupied with her. He'll injure her to warn me.

"Are you going to blow the bag up with your gaze Blaze? What the hell are you doing?"

Rolling my eyes at him I go to pick up another bag and begin training on that.

"You've learned from your past mistake, that girl isn't distracting you this time. My plan worked out. She hates you." Clenching my jaw I continue to ignore him landing harder punches on the bag.

"Maybe now I can try my luck with her. She does have a killer body doesn't she Blaze?"

That was the last straw charging towards him, I slammed him up against the wall by the neck "Look Gio I am doing everything you are asking for, leave her alone. I work for so I respect you but if you go near her Gio I will tear off your little member down there and feed it too you got it?"

He was shaking struggling to breathe "I said go it?"

"G-Got it, now let me go." Letting go of him he dropped to the floor breathing heavily "Fuck man I was just joking around. Everyone knows not to mess with your girl, just trying to rile you up before the fight."

. . .Flashback . . .

"Cage come on, I wanna come watch your fight!" Savy said curling her hair

"No, babe you can't. We are going to this dinner together then I have to leave okay?"

She turned around pouting at me "Please?"

I smirked "Why do you even want to go? Is it an excuse to see me shirtless?"

Her mouth dropped open "What?! No! That's not the reason. I just wanted to come and support you like a normal girlfriend would do."

Chuckling I put my hand on the back of her desk chair "You are not a normal girlfriend and I am not a normal boyfriend, but that shouldn't stop you from giving me a kiss."

She pushed me away turning towards the mirror to continue to curl her hair "What does a kiss have to do with this?"

I shrugged leaning against the mirror in front of her "It has everything to do with this because if you give me a kiss I may change my mind about you coming to one of my fights. You just have to convince me really good."

"Shut up, you are just scared that someone might win me over while you are fighting."

I grab her wrist pulling her up to my height making Savy go on her tiptoe "W-What are you doing?"

Leaning in closer towards her lips, she closed her eyes my lips hovered above hers "Everyone knows not to go near you, or even breathe near you winning you over is the least of my problems. Everyone knows you're my girl and are not to be messed with."

. . . Present . . .

"Leave me alone Gio, I have to train don't have time for your bullshit."

Coughing as he went, he left without saying anything more. I can't take it any longer—Savanna wants me to turn back into Cage, Gio keeps reminding me that I'm Blaze, and Ellie keeps asking me billions of questions at once about Savannah and me. I started punching the bag again because I was having so much fun seeing her again after a year apart. I'm going wild.

. . . Flashback . . 

"Yeah, I'm excited to see you Ellie. It's been so long. Yeah, see you after the fight." I hang up the phone put on my robe pulling the hood to cover my face.

"Come on Blaze they are beginning to announce, you need to get to your corner," Gio said frantically without a word I followed him to my corner.

"Ladies and Gentlemen tonight we have the Fight of the Night between a legend Blaze Zander and a newcomer Judah McCloud saying that he will tarnish his record. We'll see history go down in this club right this second."

The crowd went wild, you could almost hear the girls scream the guys hated my guts because their girlfriends wanted me more than them.

"Please welcome Judah McCloud in the red corner!!" The crowd started to boo and throw stuff at him as he ran around the ring a couple of times. He was a couple of inches shorter than me, but faster too. I have to watch out for his right hooks.

"And now the one everyone is waiting for, welcome Blaze Zander!!" As I walked out the crowd stood up screaming, holding signs up, and of course, the girls were crazy but I was missing one girl who wouldn't bother to show up tonight. Not after what I did. I wandered around the ring calmly grabbing the mike from the M.C.

"How are my girls doing tonight?" They screamed out a response that I couldn't make out "I have a surprise for you girls after the fight. Some of you might get luckier than others."

I handed the mike back to the M.C. Shrugging the robe off I threw it into the crowd and it landed perfectly in a girl's arm. A familiar girl but I couldn't make out her face if she would just look away from Ellie it would- Savannah. We made eye contact, it felt like everything froze around me, and the crowd's screams dulled down nothing mattered except her. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a tear roll down her face, I mean what else did I expect her to be happy to see me?

The bell went off snapping me out of my thoughts, shaking my head I focused on the fight landing a powerful left hook against making him stumble back but he came back and landed a couple of body shots. Quickly tackling him to the ground I hammerfist his hand and he is knocked out. That's how I fight fast and quick.

"And with record-breaking time the Champion remains undefeated now 19-0."

Spitting my blood down on the ground I look up at Elena and Savy just staring at me. Elena came up and gave me a big hug dragging Savy with her even after she shook her head.

"Blaze this is my best friend Savannah Miller. Annah this is my cousin basically brother Blaze Zander."

Taking a big breath I held out my hand to shake and said: "Nice to meet you Annah, Ellie doesn't shut up about you at all."

She looked at me with the most broken look but still shook my hand quickly "Nice to meet you too. Elena, I'm going to get some air okay? It's really stuffy here I'll come back in a bit."

Before either of us could say anything she bolted out of the club with thousands of questions in her mind. While I stood there as my brain was flooded with every moment we spent together replayed in my mind.

. . . Present . . .

How am I supposed to admit that I had or have feelings for her if we aren't destined to be together? Everything is pulling us apart, my boxing, my lies, Gio, and the one truth that I have hidden from her for the past year that has been eating away at me. Her mom called me an hour before she died and I know exactly who did it. Her Father.

But I need to gain her trust back before I tell her this truth that will shake her whole world.

.  . . Flashback . . .

I woke up to the sound of my ringtone groaning I turned to look at the time 12:30 am. Who would be calling me at this time?

"Hello?"

"Cage! You need to listen to me carefully."

Quickly sitting up I recognize the voice immediately "Alisha? How did you get my number I left."

"Listen I am in danger I need you to go back to Savannah, please."

"Danger? Alisha, what's happening right now? I can't go back."

"You promised me that you would protect her no matter what, that you wouldn't leave her what changed Cage or should I say, Blaze?" My heart skipped a beat

"Alisha please tell me what's going on. Why are you in danger?"

"Her father isn't the man she thinks he is, he has always hated the both of us. He beats me whenever we are alone, he doesn't go to work, he doesn't do anything. He's fake. Please, Cage, I'm begging you go back to my baby." Her voice cracked

"Alisha, where are you now? I can come and help you. I can protect you."

"You bitch! You ruined my life and now I'm going to ruin your daughters. I just have to get rid of you first."

"I didn't ask you to come back in our lives, you came back by yourself. Leave my daughter out of this, you don't have to do this."

"I can do whatever I want. First, you have to die and then your daughter's life will become a living hell. Especially since that boy left."

"My daughter isn't alone. There's a guardian angel I left for her and as long as that angel is there you won't be able to do anything to her."

That's the last thing I heard before a gunshot went off. My phone dropped from my hand as I sat there staring at the wall crying. Alisha was gone and now Savannah's left with the monster.

. . .Present . . .

That evening, at her mother's request, I returned to her life in the role of guardian. Sometimes, when she was having dreams about what kind of state she would have been in or how her father must have killed her, I could still hear her pleading with me to go back. However, as long as I'm here, I won't allow him to touch her—either now or when I return to her life.