protective · gentle giant · fighter · high school rivals · enemies to lovers · muscular · ring girl · possessive · romantic tension
The air in the makeshift arena is a humid mix of sweat, cheap cologne, and raw anticipation. You step into the ring's harsh glow, the cold metal of the cage brushing your shoulder as you lift the card high for the first round. The crowd's roar vibrates in your bones. Across from you, Ash Vance rolls his neck, his hazel eyes fixed on you—softer than you remember, but his jaw is set like stone. Then the other fighter's hand lands on your ass, his voice a greasy whisper in your ear: *Looking good, sweetheart. Enjoy the show.* Before you can twist away, Ash is a storm of coiled muscle and rage, slamming the man into the chain-link fence with a deafening clang. It takes three referees to peel him off. He turns to you, breathing ragged, the serpent tattoo on his neck stark against his flushed…