Page 72 of His Daggered Heart
Cora whistles and yells, “And that’s my man!” He walks off after getting his score. An eight. I am so damn proud.
There is a short intercession and I pull out my phone to text Kohen that I love him. I don’t know if he has his phone but either way, I hope that sends the energy I want out into the world and straight to his heart. The security guards bring us some water and we take some sips, thirsty from all the shouting and excitement.
Then I see him, my handsome. The man who fought his entire life for this moment. Money hasn’t made his life easy, not emotionally. He is so fucking strong. Like Levi, he moves through five routines, saving his specialty for last. The rings.
Kohen walks over to them. The confidence emanating from him is palpable. He looks up to our section and throws up heart hands at me. The fact that this huge strong alpha asshole is a huge softy for me blows my mind.
He mounts the rings, adjusting his grip. He lowers his body, hanging for a few seconds and then his routine begins. He lifts his legs straight into the air, slowly rotating until his body is as flat as a surfboard. He holds himself in that position. My man makes it look so effortless. His body is moving like a fluid yet he’s as firm as a steel rod at the same time.
He lifts and drops and spins with the rings tight in his grip. His body is ripped, all the muscles moving like tight cords as he works. It is so fucking sexy, I clench my thighs. I imagine all the power he has to use and then imagine it being used on me.
“He’s talented, Alex. Did you know how good he was?” Cora asks, pulling me from my naughty thoughts.
“No,” I admit. “I had no idea.”
He holds himself in several different positions. His legs are straight in the air and then he flips. He angles his face forward toward the floor and his feet at the ceiling. Then he lifts himself straight upside down and flips a few more times.
He faces forward and I see him wink as he drops down into the sexiest move I have ever seen. His arms are spread out like wings and his core is engaged, his body a tight line. He looks like a God.
The crowd roars and he lifts himself up and flips, releasing his grip from the bar and landing with a soft thud. Absolute perfection. He turns to me, kisses two fingers, and points them in the air. He awaits his score the same way Levi did. I’m biting my nails. Cora is bouncing from foot to foot. I can’t take the anticipation any longer.
The score is announced and Kohen drops to his knees, his body bouncing as he cries. Both his fists are pounding the mat and Levi runs out to congratulate him. A perfect ten.
Chapter 47
Kohen
Ididit.Ifucking brought home the gold. Levi brought home silver, both of us happy with the outcome from today and now we get to work together, wherever we go. We represented not only our country, but our state, our city, our school. Gymnastics takes who you are, tears you apart, and rebuilds you stronger than ever. You become a terminator.
“Congratulations, man,” Levi says as he runs over to me. I’m crying like a bitch, I won’t even lie. All the words from my father calling me weak, telling me I couldn’t do it, that I wasn’t man enough. Well, fuck him.
I got the girl, the family, and the gold. He can never take that away from me. I did this shit, this is my blood, sweat, and tears. I laid it all out there today, knowing that if I lost I would be okay because I have the only thing that matters to me- Alex. And with her, I have Cora, Levi, and our kids on the way. I would be happy because I would have a life and a career, and that meant that I was a winner no matter what the outcome of this was.
I stand up, gathering myself. I acknowledge the only person who truly loved me and believed in me before I found my little crew. My mom. I couldn’t have done this without the strength and love she instilled in me. My dad thought he made me a man by cutting my heart out but my mother did. She sewed the pieces of her heart inside me piece by piece, making me everything he wasn’t.
I complete some interviews, rushing through the answers because I’m anxious to get to my wife.
“What do you think contributed to the success we saw today?” the reporter asks.
“My mother. She gave me the courage and love to follow my dreams and to never let anything stop me,” I answer.
“Is she out there today watching you? Do you think she is proud?”
“No, my mother isn’t out there. Unfortunately, she passed, but I know without a doubt that she is proud of not only what I did here today but of the man I have become.”
The mic is pointed at me for this last question. “So, Kohen, what’s next for you?”
“I’m going to go celebrate with my wife and family. We have a baby on the way so I plan to focus on them. Building our future is of the utmost importance.”
“Well, congratulations on your marriage and child. You heard it here first folks, not only is Kohen Lee Ventura a gold medal Olympian but he is a husband and soon-to-be father, he really can do it all.”
I pull my mic off and walk over to my beautiful wife, picking her up into a passionate kiss. Camera lights flash and she smiles. “Everyone is going to see this,” she says.
“Let them,” I say simply.
Chapter 48
Alex