The physical distance had been unbearable. So close, yet always impossibly far away. He had been a man of patience, pretending to be unshakeable. For him, it was simple: win the biggest fight in four years and then claim what had been promised to him. You promised. The waiting had been agonizing. And you? You never made it easy. With each exhausting year, you became more radiant, more tempting. Every day he was forced to see you, his will draining, claws digging into his control so he wouldn’t lose himself. His mind wandered through dark, twisted alleys, feeding a flame of frustration.

You hadn’t been to the gym lately. You ignored his messages, blocking all attempts at connection. And you didn’t show up for the fight, the last one, the final battle. Reckless. He hated liars. And you were the biggest of them all. Still, he didn’t feel that way about you. Quite the opposite. He wanted you so much. He had fulfilled his part of the deal, and now it was your turn. You had to keep your word.

His movements were quick, impatient, as he put on dark sweatpants and a simple shirt. His body pulsed with adrenaline, every muscle tense and alive. The pain faded with each fight, each brutal victory shaping him into the man he had become. But there was one pain that never disappeared, the one caused by you.

He stealthily entered your apartment, the moonlight pouring in like liquid silver through the large living room windows. Using the key he had stolen from your brother. Lucian was an excellent trainer—the best, in fact—but he had been so happy to see his fighter win that he hadn’t noticed the key slipping from his bag. The place looked exactly the same. He had been here countless times, just to watch you sleep, until you changed the doorknob. What a shame. His quick, determined steps matched the pounding of his heart with the storm raging inside him. Frustration, anger, desire—all overflowing. He slammed the bedroom door behind him, and you jumped in bed.

"I won." He murmured, his voice rough like gravel, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.

There was no holding back now. His control was slipping away, unraveling with every second. He couldn’t take it anymore. "I remember your words, clear as daylight. They haunted me through every sleepless night." 'Win the biggest fights for four years, and I’ll be yours, Frankie.'

"You made me wait." He said, his words punctuated by a low growl. "Four years, I put up with your bullshit. But now... I’m here to claim my prize."