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Chapter 52 - violent with emotions

The noise had been deafening the moment Aaron walked into the room. The yelling, the chanting and the stamping feet made the floor feel like it was physically shaking. There was so much excitement among each and everyone here however, this time it was not just about Aaron.

The guy he was fighting went by the name of Sam and he had caused just as much energy to bounce around the room. He had been fighting for many more years than Aaron had and therefore had much more experience. He was also well-known meaning there was a lot riding on this fight with expectations that needed to be lived up to.

It was for that reason that it was so busy, as no one wanted to miss out on such an intense and unpredictable fight.

"I don't know if I can watch." Sophie turned to Juliet as the bell signalled for the fight to begin.

She had happily agreed to attend tonight however, the last time she had showed up here she had managed to hide away at the back. Therefore, this was going to be a whole new experience for her and seeing her boyfriend potentially get hurt didn't seem all that entertaining.

Neither Aaron nor Sam wasted anytime in reacting to the signal to begin. Their game faces were on and their thoughts were consumed with every skill and tactic they had spent so long training for.

"He's got this!" Juliet grinned before reaching out to squeeze her sister's hands.

Now that she knew what Aaron had mentioned to Sophie earlier, she had instantly been filled with so much excitement. There was no longer an option of him losing in Juliet's mind, as she could not think of anything better than Sophie and Aaron taking the next step in their relationship. Therefore, her eyes were focused on the ring and every movement both men made.

As the fight began, things continued to get more and more intense throughout. There were moments where Aaron managed to hold the upper hand however, it was always very quickly taken from him shortly after.

There was no denying that Sam was more experienced than he was and he was not holding back from showing it.

...

After the first round had come to a end, Aaron had instantly slumped back on a stall in the corner of the ring, as he received attention for the many wounds now on his face. Reck was also by his side, forcing water down his throat while pep talking him on all the skills he needed to take on board for the next round.

He was present while he was being spoken to but he was not saying a word back. He looked hurt and damaged from the potential pain both guys were inflicting on one another but he didn't even try and call the fight to a stop.

Sophie was filled with worry as she watched him, now unable to take her eyes off his messy state. She was terrified that he was taking things too far and that this guy was going to cause him some serious harm. However, Aaron was not so concerned and instead his mind was focused on everything he needed to be doing to win this.

When both men had stepped back into the ring, every possible move was thrown causing blood to seep from every open wound. Everyone in the crowd was enjoying every moment in the most sick and twisted way while among Aaron's friends, it wasn't just Sophie showing the concern anymore.

As the remaining few hits were taken, the excitement picked up even more as the direction in which this was going became more obvious. Everything felt like a blur from then on and it wasn't until the bell signalled the end of the fight that Sophie finally let out a much needed breath.

...

"And our winner is..." The referee announced as both men stood either side of him completely breathless.

After an intense fight, things had not gotten easier in the second part. Sam had fort hard but Aaron had fort back just as good. Something in him had sparked the extra push he had needed to put everything he had worked so hard for into this fight.

All of his long hours and days of strict training were played out in every hit and every kick he made. He had persevered through the tough match and ended up not only surprising himself but every single person in that room.

"Aaron Harris!" The man shouted while lifting his arm into the air.

As the crowds continued to cheer loudly, Aaron wasn't taking any notice of the attention and instead had his eyes set on one person in particular. He hadn't even taken one look at the large belt being passed to him and instead began heading in the opposite direction. Jumping down from the cage, he landed himself among the crowd who very quickly tried to surround him with pure excitement.

However, managing to push his way through, it didn't take long until he was face to face with Sophie who couldn't wipe the smile from her face.

"Congrats!" She shouted, reaching out to wrap her arms around him. She didn't know where was okay to touch as she didn't want to cause him anymore pain, but Aaron seemed unfazed as he urged her more tightly into his body.

"Thank you baby." He replied breathlessly, still trying to tame the adrenaline running through him.

As the pair then pulled apart, Aaron kept hold of Sophie's hands as they remained at arms length. They were both surrounded by individuals trying to get closer and people watching their every move but in this moment, it was so easy to block it all out.

"Soph..."

Looking from their joined hands, to his face, which had cuts still seeping with blood, Sophie waited on whatever was going to come next.

"I never thought I'd find someone who I loved enough to get serious with at the age of 22. That idea seemed fucking insane a few years ago but now... it seems like the only thing I'm sure about." He began, not looking nervous at all, as every single individual in the room had their eyes on them.

"I love you, so much... and you mean the absolute world to me."

As Aaron began crouching down on one knee in front of her, there was a wave of gasps as silence then filled the room. No one had been expecting this scene, especially after the violent one Aaron had just displayed barely 2 minutes ago.

"I love you too." Sophie breathed in response, feeling completely light headed by the intensity of this moment.

She knew this was a big deal for Aaron. His lifestyle was not equipped to deal with this level of emotions and there was always a high chance of it being seen as weak. However, he was pushing that all to the side and doing what felt right. She respected and loved him so much for that.

"Now I know this is probably the shittest way to do this... especially considering I've already mentioned it to you." He laughed nervously before giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "But, Sophie Carter... will you marry me?"

In this moment, it didn't matter that he'd already implied the idea a few hours ago, it still felt like a complete and utter shock. Her heart was beating erratically against her chest as she never would have imagined being in this situation. They were both so young but it still felt so right therefore, nothing was going to get in the way of it.

"Yes." Sophie began nodding her head over and over as a huge smile spread across her lips. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

As she gave over her answer, the crowds surrounding them suddenly made themselves known again as cheers were heard and surprised chatter was shared among themselves. However, Aaron's eyes still remained firmly on Sophie's as he stood to his feet and enveloped her into his arms. She was held so tightly against his warm body, feeling the safest and happiest she ever had.

💜