Page 23 of Ony If It’s You

Chapter Fifteen

J avyous

“Bringing the kids to the weigh-in last night was perfect!” Cheryl boasted. “The media is really loving you guys.”

“Word, the kids enjoyed that shit.”

Si had been asking me if I would take him down to one of the weigh-ins.

I was happy that his mother had finally caved in and let him go down.

Nothing dangerous went on at them, but she needed to see that for herself, I guess.

Jocey’s little cute ass stole the show too.

She was seated at the table beside the one I was at with a mic in front of her, so she both answered and asked some questions of her own.

Everyone loved it, well except for my father.

He kept leaning to my ear telling me to get control of the interview and a whole bunch of other shit that I ignored.

He got beside himself often trying to control me and my fucking career, but I planned to set his ass straight as soon as we got back to the crib.

“All of you guys dressing alike is genius. So many people have been reaching out to Zach and I about possibly working with you. I told you this was the perfect look for you,” she continued.

“Yeah, that’s all Lani, the clothes and shit.” I tossed my head in the direction of the room that she was in.

“Ugh, I just love her. Okay, I just wanted to come by and touch bases with you. I know you have to get ready for the fight. I’ll see you guys there.”

Nodding, I stood so that I could walk her to the door. Everything that she had come by to tell me could have been said in a message or over the phone, but Cheryl was adamant about coming herself. She reminded me a lot of Ms. Phyllis with her nurturing nature. She was older so it made sense.

Once she was gone, I went to the balcony and took a seat on the chair, putting my AirPods in.

I needed to clear my head and prepare for the night.

Tonight’s fight was going to be different because it was against the same opponent that had me suspended for three months.

I knew all they were going to be talking about was what happened then as opposed to what was to come.

I really wanted to tell my pops not to come because I knew he would be adamant about being ringside since this was my final fight before we went home. I knew he would want to be seen, but I didn’t want to potentially be triggered again. He didn’t know how to be seen and not heard.

A text from Kecia came through breaking me away from my thoughts.

Zoey is really going crazy!

That’s her problem, not mine.

What did you say to her, JV?

I told her ass the truth.

You’re an asshole, dude. You know how sensitive she is and you know even better how she feels about you.

That’s no excuse or open invitation to blackmail or disrespect me and mine.

You and yours?

That’s what the fuck I said.

You and your marriage are a joke lol.

Yep.

Are you going to talk to Zoey or not? I mean we don’t even know if she’s dead or alive.

Not. I got a fight tonight. I’ll see y’all around.

Not wanting to allow her the opportunity to write me back, I blocked her number.

Kecia didn’t give a fuck that much about Zoey, at least I didn’t think so.

Yeah, they rocked when we all messed around and without me, but I was a pretty good judge in character so I could confidently say that she was only fucking with Zo because I was.

I wasn’t trying to be an asshole or be insensitive about her mental health, but I wasn’t going to let either of them use that as an excuse to make me deal with them.

I tried being nice and letting them down easy, but Zoey fucked that up.

I knew if she was in my crib while I was out of town, then Kecia’s ass was too.

I chilled outside for another hour or so before I headed inside to get my shit so that I could go downstairs. Pres was all on a nigga’s back about talking and shit beforehand, so I was going to do that.

Kehlani was in the kitchen when I walked out of the room that I had been staying in alone because of her stubbornness. She was still dressed in lounging clothes, so it was obvious that she wasn’t planning to go to my fight, but I still wanted to ask so I could at least hear her voice.

“Lani?”

Her movements stopped as her head slowly turned in my direction. She didn’t turn all the way around, so I only got the profile of her pretty ass face.

“You coming tonight?”

“I’ll take a hard pass on being approached by Thing One, Thing Two, or possibly both tonight.”

“They’re not going to be there, baby,” I argued.

“Well, that will make three of us then.”

She resumed what she was doing. My heart plummeted at her coldness, but I shrugged it off, said fuck it, and headed for the door. I paused when my hand landed on the doorknob.

“Kehlani, if you can, please come. I had both of those seats sold and got you one behind my corner. I need you to be there. Not for no fucking appearance or none of that fake, flaw ass shit. I just need you there.”

Not wanting to hear her decline or deal with the rejection, I left. I hoped that she at least showed up to watch the fight, then she could leave. Kehlani had quickly become a nigga’s peace. When I felt like I was spiraling and shit, one look at her ass calmed a nigga all the way down.

Yeah, I needed her tonight. I needed her period.

“Javyous, you’re not even trying to play offense, what the hell is going on in your head?”

We were in the fifth round of the fight and I was pretty sure that he probably had four out of the five. My head was all over the fucking place, but I was mainly worried about these people painting me out to be a monster again if I really beat on this nigga like I knew I could.

Shit wasn’t just about me anymore. I had to think about my girl and her kids and shit now too. I didn’t want anyone saying anything to or about them.

“He's too fast man,” I lied.

“Bullshit,” my pops barked. “If you’re trying to throw this fight because you’re worried about that bitch I swear to God?—”

“You swear to God what?” I spat as I quickly rose and turned his way.

“JV, no!” My uncle put his palm on my chest, but I ignored him.

“You swear to God, what?” I could hear the commentators talking and asking what was going on behind me, but I had tunnel vision. “Disrespect her again and the main event tonight will be me on your ass, nigga.”

He was holding onto the ropes, so I shoved him making him release and fall off. I didn’t care that we were on TV. He talked too fucking much and was too big for his fucking britches, so somebody needed to shut his ass up.

Just as I got ready to turn around, I noticed Zach and one of the security guards walking Kehlani to her seat.

She was wearing a red, sequined dress to match the red shorts that I was wearing.

The shit was short as fuck and the front of that mothafucka had a deep li’l drop in it, but she looked good as hell.

After she got to her designated seat, we made brief eye contact.

She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her pretty face and that was enough to change my entire mood.

She heard me when I said I needed her.

I felt my cheekbones rise as I smiled back at her then turned back to face my uncle and team.

“I hope that smile means you’re ready now,” Pres said as he nursed the cut above my eye.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

I was hype now, so when the bell rang, I hopped up from my seat hitting my gloves together and got ready to end this fight. There was no way in hell that I was going to lose in front of my girl.

No way.

Gambrell threw a punch to my ribs, so I tucked my elbow into my side to block it.

The hit left his right side completely open so I sent a jab into his face sending him stumbling backward.

He was unbalanced, so I took advantage of that.

I stepped up sending a right to get him to react, and when he did, I threw a left connecting to his face again sending him backward this time, into the ropes.

Immediately I started to deliver body shots until he reached to hug me around my neck so that I would stop. The referee got between us, giving him a chance to get right and try to shake some of the hits off a little.

As soon as the ref stepped back, we went at it again. I was delivering jab after jab to his face and lower body. My adrenaline was rushing and I was pumped. That was until I felt his glove connect to my groin.

“Fuck!” I barked, doubling over in pain.

This bitch ass nigga hit me in my nuts.

“That was a low blow.” The ref had a hand on my shoulder as he talked to Gambrell before turning to address me. “Are you okay, Goldsmith?”

I nodded, standing up. “I’m straight.”

Nodding, he went to the judges table to let them know to take a point away from Gambrell for the low blow, but that wasn’t even necessary.

I was about to end this fight. He had me fucked up.

I knew that the last fight had ended tragically, but I’d apologized to his fuck ass.

He was trying to interfere with me making some beautiful babies with the beautiful lady that was in the crowd.

Right before the ref waved us back in, I looked back at Kehlani and winked. She was really a nigga’s sanity.

Gambrell came at me throwing some wild punches as soon as the coast was clear, tiring himself out. I ducked and weaved all of them. He was clearly running off of emotion now. His final punch, I side stepped while delivering an uppercut to his chin sending him onto his back once again.

The crowd erupted in cheers at my victory along with the commentators.

Finally, they would have something new to talk about when it came to Goldsmith and Gambrell.

Because I was trying to change up my image, I walked over to where the ref and Gambrell’s team were standing over him to assist then reached to pull him up on his feet myself.

“You good?” I asked him.

He nodded. “Thank you, man.”

Tapping his back with my glove, I turned to face my corner, fans, and wife before lifting my hands in the air to signify my victory. It felt damn good to be back doing what I loved doing. Now it was on to the next level.

“Maybe we need to keep Kehlani over in the corner of your matches to keep you in line.” My uncle grinned before pulling me into a hug. “I’m proud of you.”

“’Preciate that, Unc.” I smiled and touched fists with the rest of the team.

“I ain’t gon’ hold you, I thought you had me come all the way the fuck back to Vegas to see you get yo’ ass kicked,” Dominique said when he entered the ring.

It was a lot going on and an assload of people in the ring, so I couldn’t lay eyes on my wife.

My eyes scanned everywhere it seemed, but I didn’t see her.

“Zach and your security got her and Celeste on through if that’s who you looking for.” Nique had a stupid ass smug grin on his face as he waited for me to respond, but I didn’t even entertain him.

“Nigga name a time you ever saw me lose a fight.”

“I don’t know, cuz, if that was a street fight ol’ boy would have for sure kicked your ass.”

“That’s where you got me fucked up. These hands are lethal with these gloves on, fuck around and murder a mothafucka without them.”

“I mean it sound good.” He grinned hard.

“You want to test the theory, mothafucka?” I smiled, tossing some playful jabs his way.

“Chill out, man.” He ran off.

We climbed out of the ring and started through the tunnel where the reporters were waiting along with my pops.

I stopped and did some interviews with them and even included his goofy ass when they asked what was next since he was my promoter.

He was looking stupid as hell, so I didn’t want to embarrass him on TV any more than I already had.

I was lowkey disappointed that I didn’t see Kehlani waiting for me though. I knew she was mad at a nigga and shit, but I still would have liked for her to be here when I got out of the ring.

“You’ve been looking pitiful all night,” I heard from behind me.

Her small hand landed on my forearm before I turned all the way around. Unable to help myself, I pulled her all the way around to the front of my body and hugged her.

“Javyous, you’re sweaty, move.”

When I loosened my grip, she pushed out of my hold, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room that I changed in.

“Thank you for coming.”

“I mean, you told me you needed me, but I actually saw how much you needed me while watching you on TV.”

“Yeah, shit was rough on a nigga.” I grinned. “You a nigga’s good luck charm.”

She waved me off. “Please, Javyous. You were undefeated before you met me.”

“Yeah, but I ain’t start winning until we said I do,” I replied, shocking both of us.

Ya’ boy smooth as hell, although it’s the truth.

“Flattery gets you nowhere, sir.”

“Does the truth get me here?” I asked pointing to her heart.

“Javyous—”

Leaning in, I placed a kiss on her lips to stop her from talking.

“I-I’m going to go,” she said before rushing out.

I followed behind her, seeing that the security guard was there to escort her.

I knew she was still probably still feeling a way about the shit with Zoey, but I couldn’t let that be the reason that I lost her.

When we got home, I was going to sit her down and we were going to figure this shit out. Not having her was not an option.