Both fighters entered into the cage and were introduced to the rules they had I'm sure by now memorized. Each went back to their corners and came to the center of the ring before they announced the fight to start.
They circled one another, planning out each calculated move before the strike.
After several hits Mike went for the first shot to the knee and for some crazy reason it worked. The whole room was standing, flipping out as he moved across Marshall's long body trying to gain position.
I watched in fascination as the two struggling men fought over control. Everyone was waiting for Mike to go in for the kill when the most unexpected thing happened. He let him up! Not to his feet, but he actually let him gain footing. No one understood. Even Tony started screaming, "Quit showing off and TAKE HIM OUT!"
I was lost. I couldn't imagine why he would want to prolong any of this and give his poor mother a heart attack or me for that matter.
"WHAT IS HE DOING?"
Blythe asked as she grabbed me and pulled me to her expecting an answer. I didn't have one. I just watched in slow motion as Mike flipped around Marshall's body ending up behind him. As his hands came up around Marshall's neck it hit me and I went berserk.
"Oh my God! He's going to do it!"
"Do what?"
She was still lost but I was now smiling like no other.
Mike and I had wrestled around so many times while I stayed with him and he always got me in this stupid hold. It was almost like he was doing this as a joke for me. The name alone had me cracking up every time he would say it.
"It's a rear naked choke."
"A what?"
I didn't answer her again. I was watching in fascination as Marshall tried with everything he had to break free. Mike's right arm came around the back of Marshall's neck and I knew it was closing time.
"No shit, Marissa, you're right!"
I heard Talon but I couldn't tear my eyes away. One, two, three, four and that was it, Marshall had two options, tap out or have his esophagus crushed. He tapped and I, along with everyone else, went insane! Mike jumped up and pointed right at me with the hugest smile on his face.
"I think he just beat his own record!"
Mike's dad was right. He literally had Marshall tapping out within three minutes of the first round. I know for the sponsors they want a longer more drawn out fight but they couldn't be disappointed with this. Mike Harrison had just dominated the Octagon!
Chapter 20
When all the madness settled, it was time to move to the after party. We were all on a high from the adrenaline rush that was felt throughout the arena. Luckily Mike's team had put the party together ahead of time and it was being held at our hotel, making it easy to find our room afterward for the grand finale I had planned.
Tony and Kate opted out of meeting up with us due to guilt. They had left the kids with Tony's grandparents and wanted to relieve them as soon as possible. I wasn't surprised but that didn't take away from the fact I was disappointed. I wanted all of us to share in the joy of Mike's triumph. Getting everyone to party seemed harder and harder lately. The days of all of us in one place seemed long gone unless it was a birthday party or wedding. Me forcing the last get together was a first in what seemed like forever being it wasn't some special occasion. Luckily, I still had my own group of friends.
Jason, Chris and Mike were meeting us back at the hotel with the rest of his team and friends from the MMA. Chris always thought it was important to have Mike soak in a whirlpool and then be adjusted after any training or fight. It had something to do with stretching his muscles, which meant we were getting there early and starting the party without them.
"That was fucking AMAZING!"
Hudson was still reliving the fight as we walked into the bar.
"The way he made everyone think he was letting him go, it psyched me out for sure."
He and Talon had been going back and forth the entire time we rode back. I couldn't take the shit-eating grin off my face according to Blythe.
"You really need to stop. Your cheeks are going to start cramping."
"Come on, like you wouldn't be doing the same thing?"
"Okay, maybe I would. That was pretty unbelievable. The way he pointed to you when he stood up could have been a movie it was so cool."
"That was unexpected."
"Unexpected? That's the best you can do? How about, ‘That act alone will make me his sex slave tonight. Whatever he wants, he gets’."
"Well that was a given anyway."
I laughed as Blythe pushed me and said, "Brag much."
"You’re just jealous. Now, do you want to get a drink or keep talking about what you don't have?"
"A drink? I thought you quit?"
"I think tonight is cause for a celebration, you think it's worth bending the rules, right?"
"Amen! She's finally going to have some fun again!"
"Kiss my ass, I'm always fun."
"Says who?"
"Suck it! I'm getting a shot, you in or not?"
"When have you ever known me to say no to liquor?"
"Good point."
She and I walked over to the bar and found an open space between people to catch the bartender’s attention. A group of three guys were on the right side talking about the fight and on the left were four girls giggling about something I couldn't hear. It was weird how they all sat apart. Surely you would think one group would lead off the conversation to bring them all together.
"What can I get you two?"
Blythe glanced at me and then back to the bartender. "Four Fireballs and two Bud Lights please."
I looked at her like she was crazy. "What? You said you were breaking the rules tonight."
"I didn't mean in one swoop. Can I pace myself a little?"
"Not a chance. We're having fun tonight."
The bartender drew her attention back to him when he came back with all that she ordered.
"That will be forty-seven dollars."
The smile on my face fell off. Holy crap that was a lot for what we ordered.
"Put it on my tab."
I heard one of the men at the bar say it and immediately turned in his direction.
"You don't have to do that we have it covered, but thank you."
"No need to thank me. You just keep looking good over there and I will buy whatever you want all night long."
Blythe responded cooler than I could have ever played it off. "When we want something we ask for it. Like she said, thank you anyway but we can handle ourselves."
"I don't remember talking to you. I was offering her drinks, you can buy your own."
"Listen, asshole!"
"What's going on here?"
Hudson and Talon were behind us ready to take on whatever this guy wanted to throw at us and leave it to Blythe to let them.
"This prick thinks it’s a good idea to hit on Marissa and then tell me to get lost. I don't think he has a clue who's about to walk in the door any minute."
I hadn't even thought about that. Mike would kill this guy and he was set to be here any second.
"All right! Enough!" I turned back to the jerk. "I will say thank you for the offer one last time but I am forced to decline. Have a great night." Then I came back to my friends. "We came to have a blast" I reached in my wallet and grabbed three twenty dollar bills and set them on the bar. "You can keep the change."
I looked at Blythe as I raised a shot glass in the air. "Here's to fun!" Then I downed it.
She followed my lead but the guys cut us off before we could drink the second one.
"Wait for us."
Talon asked the bartender for two more Fireballs so we waited until they both had theirs in hand. Talon raised his and said, "To Mike's badass fight!"
We all tapped each other's glasses and then slammed the alcohol back. It was so strong I had to finish the beer just to take the taste out of my mouth.
Before long the place started to fill up with people and my buzz had ki
cked in full force. Blythe and I were tearing up the dance floor while Hudson and Talon sat at a table sharing a bucket of beer. I couldn't get over how crowded the room had gotten so fast. Just trying to go to the bathroom seemed to take hours the line was so long.
When I finally couldn't stand the crowd any longer, I decided to go out into the lobby and catch some fresh air. I was looking up at the ceiling again, thinking how much cooler it was after I was drunk when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around and landed in the arms of the man I hadn't seen in weeks.
"Daisy."
One word that came out in almost a whisper took my breath away. It was all I needed to hear from him after looking in those beautiful eyes before I was crashing my mouth to his. Slowly, he drug his tongue across my lips wetting them for more. Parting my lips, his tongue met mine and I was home. But before we could get carried away, he pulled back and took my face in his hands.
"God, I missed seeing this face."
I couldn't agree more looking back at his.
"I missed you too. More than I can explain in words."
He brought his lips down to my forehead and pressed them softly to my skin.
"Never will I let anything keep you from me again. I had no idea just how much I need you until now."
"No worries, champ, I'm all yours."
"That's good to hear but I already knew that."
"Don't go getting cocky on me now."
"Did you see what I just did tonight? I'm on top of the fucking world, Daisy!"
As he lifted me off the ground and spun me around, I laughed. He clearly had been drinking already. I could taste it in his kiss but the way he was acting let me know we both were feeling good from the alcohol already.
"I kind of like you like this."
He smiled and everything in me melted into his arms.
"Do you now? Well let me tell you something. I like you any and every way there is. You're my everything, Daisy."
"Now, now, don't forget about your party. You keep saying things like that and you can forget whoever is in that room because I'm going to steal you away and have you all to myself."
"Do you really think I give a shit about the people in that room? Let's go. We can have the rest of the night for ourselves."
He pulled a room card from his pocket and handed it to me.
"This is yours. Just in case you want to go move your stuff over to our room anytime soon. I can help you if you want. We can go now..."
"Stop that. You have all these people here to congratulate you. I have to share you with them for at least a couple more hours."
"It's only you and me, baby, no matter how many people are in there, just you and me."
"You're making it harder on me on purpose aren't you?"
"Do you have any idea what the last two weeks were like for me knowing after that fight I was going to have you in my bed? Going in there is the last thing I want. I just want you."
He made everything perfect, always had. The way he looked at me let me know I was his world and I knew without a doubt he was mine. Time was on our side and a few hours wouldn't hurt us.
"Go, thank everyone for coming, Mike."
"Just hearing you say, 'coming Mike' makes me want to throw you over my shoulder and—"
"Can we please just get this over with first?"
"If I have to, then we're going to do it right. Are you ready to get this party started?"
"It started without you a while ago."
"Nice try but you haven't seen shit yet."
He set me down and took me by the hand, pulling my back into the very room I had tried to escape from.
I wasn't sure why I was shocked at the outpour of applause that went off when Mike came into view, he had warned me sufficiently two seconds before.
Men came from corners I didn't know existed to shake his hand and women had no problems pushing me aside to give him a hug. I wasn't sure if they thought I was his usual trophy girl or what, but they were just plain rude to me.
Mike hadn't even noticed that I stepped back to give him space, he was soaking in all the affection coming from strangers instead.
I refused to let it bother me and turned to find Blythe and the guys. Sure enough she was still on the dance floor and Hudson was pretending to dance around her, when in all actuality he was shoving other men away.
Talon was harder to find but I spotted him in the back corner of the bar, talking to the girls that had been sitting there when we arrived.
I made eye contact with the bartender again and by this point in the night he would just smile and start making my drinks. Cherry vodka shots and beer was the poison I picked. I found myself needing the liquid courage to relax and let what was going to happen, happen. The last thing I wanted was to be scared and tense; Zoey told me it would hurt worse that way.
More time passed and I was getting more and more drunk sitting at the bar by myself. Mike, Jason and Chris were busy talking to reps and sponsors. Talon looked like he was getting somewhere with one of the girls so I didn't want to bother him and Blythe and Hudson had finally decided to quit with the game and dance together. Everyone was having fun but me.
I ordered another round but this time when the shot was set down in front of me the bartender didn't let go of the glass.
"Didn't I see you walk in with Mr. Harrison?"
I couldn't help but laugh. It just seemed so formal and Mike was nothing like that to me. Besides I was amazed he could remember that being it had to have been hours ago.
"Yes, Mike and I are together. Why?"
His face pulled back into an awkward, painful expression.
"Don't say that too loud okay. There are women here that would tear you apart for claiming him."
"Well they can try, but my claim stands. Besides, I would like to see any one of these girls attempt to get his attention with me in the room. He wouldn't give them the fucking time of day."
I was officially drunk. Never would I have been so cocky otherwise. But I stood my ground and let him know I wasn't one to be messed with. Until...
"Then I wouldn't turn around if I were you."
"Why? Is the big bad bitch lurking behind me or something?"
"Or something."
I spun around, ready to attack anyone that would have the nerve to confront me. He was mine, and they could kiss my ass if they thought...
"Oh my God!"
There was no way I was seeing what was in front of me. No way that he would do this or want this. Not with me right there in the same room. Not after everything he had said to me out in the lobby.
I grabbed my purse and then tore through the space, moving everybody in my path. When I reached the two of them I recognized her immediately. She was one of the ring girls at the fight and she was all over him. Rubbing up his chest, whispering in his ear. It didn't make any sense. I wanted to yank her away and slap him across the face but what good would that do?
My feet couldn't carry me fast enough. I tried to run but a leg brace complicates things more than you know. By the time I reached outside, I knew I needed to be further from him, further away from the rage I felt.
Tonight was supposed to be our night, it was supposed to be something special and yet I was just another person in the room to him. I couldn't take it. Why would he let her do that?
I walked and walked and walked. In fact, I had no idea where I was anymore. My phone had rung several times but every time I looked at it, it was Mike. I had nothing to say to him other than I was mad and needed space. The last call came from Blythe. I didn't answer her either. I simply sent her a text letting her know that I was fine and just needed to be alone.
She text me back but I didn't want to see what she had to say yet. I was angry and hurt that the night we had planned was ruined. I continued to walk, making turns that I thought would keep me in close vicinity to the hotel.
After a while I pulled my phone out to check the time and decided to read her text after all.
Blyt
he: OKAY BUT WE R WORRIED. WHY DON’T U JUST COME BACK AND STAY WITH US. HE'S WASN'T TRYING TO IGNORE U MARISSA. HE'S JUST DOING HIS JOB. I HAVE DONE ALL I CAN BUT HE'S FREAKING OUT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM SO DRUNK. COME BACK PLEASE
The fact that she was defending him made me rethink things. Maybe I was acting like a spoiled brat wanting him all for myself. I knew he needed to be there and now I felt just plain stupid. Whoever that girl was didn't have his heart like I did. He was mine.
I stopped and looked around but I was completely lost at this point. The clock on my phone said it was two-thirty in the morning. You would think in a city like Chicago there would still be a lot of people everywhere but there wasn't. I had no idea how to get back and started to feel the panic set in. I began to walk again, this time I paid attention to street signs and names. It took another hour, but I finally made it there.
This time walking into the lobby I noticed everything was empty. The front desk was even down to one woman. I walked back over to the room where the party was, but only saw a couple of people left at the bar.
"Shit!"
I pulled out my phone and called Mike but he didn't answer. I called again trying to somehow figure out what to do. He didn't answer. Without knowing where everyone went I sent him one last text.
Me: SORRY I GOT MAD. I LOVE YOU. I NEED TO SEE YOU, FEEL YOU AND KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE OKAY.
I hit send and then put my phone back in my purse. That’s when I noticed the key card he gave me.
"Thank you, God!"
I felt the smile spread across my face. I started walking toward the elevator conjuring up a plan. I didn't have all my stuff but I was still wearing the underwear I knew he would love.
As the numbers climbed higher and higher, the excitement started to fade and be replaced with an unknown fear. When the elevator doors finally opened I practically ran to his room. All of the pressure was building knowing that I was going to see him and have to tell him I was sorry for bailing out on his big night. Hopefully he would forgive me was all I could think about as I put the card into the reader on the door.
Fighting Fate Page 24
