Page 33 of On the Ropes of Scandal (With Love in Their Corner #3)

“Shit.” Pain ebbed down Duncan’s arm, but he couldn’t think about that right now.

All too soon, he was caught up in a whirlwind of blows that left him reeling and very much on the defensive.

When one of the bigger man’s fists drilled into his gut, pain swamped him, had him doubled over from it.

He returned the volley and was fortunate enough that his fist found purchase on Burlington’s nose.

The sickening crunch of cartilage was satisfying, as was the burst of blood down the bigger man’s face.

Scrapping ensued, shoulders locked. Decorum was done for, and that was all the permission he needed.

Releasing his hold on Burlington’s waist, Duncan bounced away, using his footwork to runs circles around the bigger man.

When his opponent took a swing, he easily ducked, which put the mountain out of balance.

Darting behind him, Duncan was quick to jam his heel into the back of Burlington’s right knee.

The man lurched forward, and Duncan delivered a hard blow to the side of his head.

At the same time, he came around and kicked at the wounded knee. That gave him the edge.

With a cry of anguish, Burlington tumbled to the ground, but he wasn’t knocked out. The crowd roared from either approval or denial.

“Put him down!” The cry of encouragement from Lewis was somehow heard over the crowd’s noise and the thunder of his pulse in his own head.

“You shouldn’t have bragged, Burlington.

” But before he could deliver another blow, the other man reached out, clamped a hand around his calf and then yanked.

Duncan lost his balance with a curse, tumbling to the sweet meadow grass.

When the bigger man straddled his hips and grabbed his shoulders in the attempt to pin him to the ground, he fought with all his remaining strength.

“Concede the match, Frampton.” Burlington might have strength on his side and the current upper hand, but he hadn’t won yet.

“I am not done.” Though his endurance wavered, he refused to give up, for he wanted Phoebe proud of him, wanted a future together, wanted to know that contentment he’d had in Surrey with her.

Briefly, he closed his eyes as he fought with the other man to keep his shoulders from the ground.

He ignored the yells from the crowd, ignored his brother’s calls, ignored Phoebe’s pleading.

Somehow, he was able to pull up a knee and then gained purchase with his foot to push the larger man from his body.

Then he scrambled to his feet, fists at the ready.

By the time the mountain of a man lumbered to his own feet, he landed a hard punch to the side of his huge head.

“Fuck!” Burlington shook his head as confusion shadowed his face. He retreated a few steps.

“Who is done for now?” Duncan blew out a breath of pain as sweat rolled down his back.

Then he threw another punch, this one landing in the man’s breadbasket, and while he tried to recover, Duncan kicked out at the vulnerable knee.

Burlington crashed to the ground while the crowd roared. “This bout is mine.”

“No…”

With a bit more confidence and ease, he lashed out with a fist, digging his middle knuckle into the man’s temple, and followed that up with a left-handed uppercut that connected with Burlington’s jaw.

His opponent flew backward to land heavily on his back. Duncan jumped onto him, crawled over Burlington’s large form and clamped down on the man’s shoulders to keep them from slipping out of his hold. He panted, but when Burlington thrashed about in an effort to break his hold, he hung on.

The crowd roared.

“You are done, Burlington.” Knowing the man was truly immobilized, Duncan kept him pinned to the sweet-smelling meadow grass as the larger man’s legs flailed.

He stared upward at Duncan with a bit of disorientation in his eyes, but eventually his movements stilled.

“Is that all you have, Burlington?” Duncan managed to say around clenched teeth.

“Get… off,” the other man gasped out.

“Not a chance.”

The crowd roared. His brothers whooped with victory.

When the other man went still in his hold, Duncan continued to keep him pinned.

Though blood dripped down his face and onto his chest to mingle with sweat, he looked around at the crowd beyond the circles of light.

He couldn’t remember how many wounds he’d sustained.

Pain screamed through his body, and he sucked in deep breaths.

The judge came over to make certain Burlington was down. When the doctor agreed, the judge counted down from ten.

Then the caller shouted, “The winner of this bout is Mr. Duncan Stapleton! Lord Frampton has taken the prize purse as well as bragging rights for this bout!”

Another roar sounded from the crowd.

Dear God, I’ve won.

Slowly, Duncan scrambled to his feet. For a few seconds, his world tilted crazily from the exertion, then he bent over and cast up his accounts.

The money is mine.

Nearly a half hour later, he’d finished with all the well-wishers, and as the crowds thinned, he stumbled over to his corner. Damn, but his whole body hurt, and all he wanted to do was seek out his bed and lay in one spot for the next few days.

Or, if Phoebe was amenable, spend those days in much sweeter endeavors.

Lewis was the first to congratulate him. He clasped a hand to Duncan’s shoulder. “Fine showing. Papa would have been proud.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m proud of you too,” Lewis said in a soft voice. “You did well out there. The Stapleton name is still a good one.”

Alexander nodded. His face was wreathed in a grin. “You’re scrappy, I’ll give you that, and you made for frantic wagering after the second round. No doubt your cut will be quite fat.”

“Not bad for a night’s work, hmm?”

“You’ll be wanted on the circuit again soon. Are you up for it?”

Duncan shrugged. “Let me think about it for a few days.” With a look at Phoebe, he knew all was right in the world when she smiled and offered him a ladle of water.

“Fair enough.” Alexander jabbed an elbow into Lewis’ side. “You go tell Mama the good news while I claim Duncan’s prize purse.”

“Thank you.” He narrowed his eyes. “That money is going toward my future. My wife and I have plans, you see.”

Once both men left the ring, Phoebe dropped the ladle into the bucket. She picked up the pile of his clothing and handed him the shirt. “You were incredible out there. The way you moved, how you kept your feet, knowing that you never gave up…” Tears welled in her eyes. “You are every inch a hero.”

“I appreciate that, but I feel like shit for the effort.” Donning the garment nearly broke him for all the pain it caused.

“I’ll take care of you again; I do have some experience in that.” When she offered him the remainder of his clothing, he declined.

“Put it in the bag, but I’ll take the boots.” When she gave one to him, he shoved a foot into it in some agony. With the second one, a groan left his throat as he tugged it on. “I could only gain that victory because you were here, believing in me.”

A tear fell to her cheek. “That has never wavered, never been a lie.” Then she uttered a sound that was a cross between a snort and a giggle. “You need to see the doctor.”

“Later.” As he grinned, pain went through his face. “I’m going to look like a dog’s breakfast tomorrow, but I couldn’t have done it—everything—without you.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” She lifted a hand, danced her fingertips along the side of his face, frowning when he winced. “I am so glad the outcome of this bout was better than the last.”

“As am I.”

“You could have been killed.”

“I wasn’t, though.”

“Will you fight again?”

“Perhaps. I haven’t decided, and I wanted to talk about it with you, because you are my wife.”

“Oh.” The emotions in her eyes made him catch his breath, and accelerated his pulse. “Is that all you would say to me? After everything we have both gone through over the past two weeks?”

Confusion temporarily took hold of his brain, then he shook his head. “No, it’s not. In fact, I have been trying to say those very words for the past couple of days, but apparently, I’m not that eloquent.”

One of her eyebrows rose in challenge. “Try. I need to hear the words from the man you are now, today, with all the knowledge you have.”

“I understand.” When he blew out a breath, his face hurt. “I’m tip over tail for you, Phoebe. Yes, in a mere two weeks, I have fallen in love with you, perhaps loved you in Surrey without even knowing who I was, and I defy anyone to question that. And…”

“Yes?”

“And will you remain married to me? With all the force of love, affection, and respect behind those vows now?” Outside of boxing, this was the greatest moment of his life.

“Oh, Duncan, you are so sweet.” Tears welled in her eyes. The drops fell to her cheeks, and she sniffled. In lieu of a handkerchief, she scrubbed at her cheeks with her free hand. “Yes.”

“What?” What the devil did that mean? “My brain might have been addled in the fight, so could you perhaps elaborate?”

She chuckled and cried all the harder. “What is there to say, Duncan? I’ve fallen in love with you as well, and I only just realized it before the bout, but I was certain when you went into the ring tonight, determined to win because of our future.”

“A future I desperately want, with you.” Dear God. He drew in a shuddering breath and let it out. “Does this mean you will be my wife in every sense of the word?”

“I will, and I’ll be happy to do so.” Phoebe nodded, and her grin could light up the night. “Because I love the man you are. You are perfect for me.”

A wave of happiness crashed into him, strong enough to make him temporarily forget about his wounds.

“You are exactly the kind of woman I need by my side.” He grinned, and his busted bottom lip protested the movement.

“Somehow, some way, we will find our way through, and I have a feeling our lives are going to be the talk of Town. Scandal be damned.”

“Because it doesn’t matter how love comes about, as long as both parties fight for it when they are up against the ropes.” She laughed even as she continued to cry. “Now, please, will you go over and let the doctor look at you?”

The dear woman had made a boxing analogy.

No wonder he adored her. “How about, instead, we simply go home? There is nowhere else I want to be right now than with you.” Then, with a gentle tug, he reeled her into his arms and tenderly kissed her.

Even that brought him pain, but he didn’t care.

“I don’t believe I’ve broken any ribs, and these cuts and bruises won’t inhibit any other exercise if you so desire. ”

“We shall see how you feel after a bath, hmm?” She held him close, and he winced from the pain involved in that. “I’m glad you survived.”

“Well, I am a Stapleton, and we don’t back down in the face of challenges.”

“No, you certainly don’t. Your whole family has incredible strength.”

“Perhaps, but I also believe that strength is from having people believe in us, love us. That goes a long way into making everything bearable.” Perhaps that was all a man needed.

Love and acceptance led to peace and contentment.

“And, sweeting, don’t forget that they are your family as well. Always.”

“I know.” Despite a fresh torrent of tears, Phoebe pulled him close, lifted onto her toes, and kissed him as the hood of her cloak fell backward. Afterward, she held his gaze. “Thank you for giving me everything. How can I even repay that?”

“There is no need, but you can do one thing for me.”

“Oh?”

He nodded as he ducked under the ropes with a groan and waited for her to join him. “Give me an heir, not that I have much to bestow upon him, but it’s early days yet. I haven’t reached my full potential.”

But he would, with her help and support.

“I look forward to trying.” Then she grabbed his hand and threaded their fingers together despite his still being wrapped with bloody, sweaty cotton. “For now, I only want you.”

“I can do that.”

With a grin that hurt like the devil, Duncan escorted her toward the area where the vehicles had been parked, where his family waited for him.

For the first time in his life, he felt as if he’d finally found where he belonged.

No longer did he need scandal to gain him attention or notice.

He had that already from one unassuming woman who’d turned his world upside down with lies made from the heart, and what was more, those lies had blossomed into something incredible and pure, something he had no idea he’d wanted all along.

Odd how life worked, and he couldn’t wait to see what was next.