Chapter 1

Samantha POV

Chloe and I made our way to the venue, my heart danced with excitement, mixed with a hint of apprehension. 

The sight of the endless queue towards the entrance weakened my spirits momentarily, but Chloe's determination was infectious. 

She grabbed my hand, and pulled me towards the entrance."Come on, Sam, we're not waiting in that line," Chloe declared, her voice filled with conviction.

Before I could protest, we were met by two heavy-chested bouncers, their imposing figures towering over us. 

One of them spoke sternly, his voice cutting through the chatter of the crowd. "Back to the line, ladies.

The collective scream from the crowd behind us echoed in my ears, I followed Chloe obediently as we moved back into the queue.

Minutes passed by like hours as we moved closer to the entrance. Finally, we got to the front of the line, and Chloe took out the tickets from her bag with a sheepish grin. 

The bouncers, unmoved by her gesture, collected the tickets wordlessly and stepped aside, granting us entry.

"What a jerk". Chloe hissed. 

Stepping into the venue, the banging bass of the music filled the air, pulsating with energy. 

My heart raced with excitement as we were led deeper into the venue by another bouncer, descending a staircase into the underground.

Colorful disco lights illuminated the room, casting twisting patterns on the walls as we went through the crowd.

My gaze moved to the boxing ring in the center of the underground room, bringing up memories of my father's days as a kickboxer.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice Chloe dancing beside me. Before the fights began, I excused myself to use the restroom, ensuring I would be comfortable during the fight.

After informing Chloe, I made my way to the ladies' room. Inside, I took a moment to check my phone for any missed calls or messages. 

I couldn't find any messages, Immediately I sent a text to Mom, letting her know I would be spending the night at Chloe's house. 

Just after sending the text, I flushed the toilet, washed my hands, and headed out.

Opening the door to leave, I bumped into someone, my phone slipping from my hands in the process. Before it could hit the ground, a pair of hands caught it surprisingly.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I met the stranger's gaze, his gray eyes locking with mine, he was handsome as sin, tall, with smooth skin, well built, with a strong jawline.

"So Sorry about that," I mumbled, hastily collecting my phone. "I didn't see- I never knew you were there", I stammered.

The stranger flashed me a charming smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's fine, no need to apologize. I should be apologizing for not watching where I was going".

"I couldn't help but smile back, feeling a flicker of excitement in my chest.

Gathering my composure after the crash into each other , the stranger's introduction caught me off guard.

"Um, I'm CAVEMAN," he said, extending a hand towards me. I hesitated for a moment, surprised by his sudden introduction. 

Did I just hear Caveman?? Like the caveman I came to watch tonight? The caveman which I'm a huge fan of? OMG! OMG!! I screamed in my head.

"Nice to meet you, CAVE-MAN. I'm Samantha," replied, shaking his hand.

His lips curled into a playful grin. "Samantha, huh? That's a beautiful name," he remarked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

I couldn't help but smile at his compliment, though I was still surprised I had finally met him in person.

"Thanks. And 'T-he Caveman'? Is that, like, your Nickname or something?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.

Before he could respond, he was called by some men. "Sorry, Samantha, I've got to run. Maybe I'll see you around," he said hastily, darting off before I could get an answer.

I watched him disappear into the crowd, I made my way back to Chloe, who was waiting for me impatiently by the entrance.

"Finally! What took you so long? Were you peeing out your lungs? Chloe exclaimed. "The fight's about to start. Let's go!"I chuckled at her impatience, falling into step beside her as we made our way towards the crowd.

Despite my lingering curiosity about my meeting with the CAVEMAN in person, I couldn't just push the encounter to the back of my mind, eager to enjoy the night's fight with Chloe by my side.

THE CAVEMAN POV_______

The energy coming from the crowd filled the air, sending a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. 

Tonight was the night I had been training for, the night I would face against The Hooker in the ring. 

There was a huge bet on the fight, about a hundred thousand dollars but for me, it was never about the money.

Kickboxing was my passion, my escape from the loneliness that often preoccupied me.

In the changing room where I was, my team were around me, their words of encouragement boosting my determination. 

"You've got this, man, remember all your training" my coach reassured me, his voice steady support amidst the pre-fight nerves.

With a nod of gratitude, I focused on warming up, stretching my muscles and mentally preparing for the battle ahead. 

"I'm CAVEMAN," I said, stretching out my hands. With a shy smile, she introduced herself as Samantha, her curiosity intensified by my unusual name.

 Before I could respond, the call of my team drew me away, signaling the start of the fight.

"Nice to meet you," I managed to say before reluctantly tearing myself away. The memory of her remained in my mind as I returned to the changing room.

Despite the urgency of the upcoming match, thoughts of Samantha clouded my thoughts, a welcome distraction from the intensity of the fight ahead.

With my mind still preoccupied, I made my way to the boxing ring with my mask on. I don't show my face for personal reasons, the deafening roar of the crowd drowning out any idle doubts. 

My opponent, The Hooker, awaited me in

the center of the ring, his steely eyes locked onto mine with unwavering concentration…..