Love TKO

by Selene Chardou

  “You know there’s no guarantee even if I fight my best, I still might lose. But know that if it happens, it’s because I couldn’t go on, not because I threw this fight for those fuckers.”

  “I know that, son.” Neil nodded despite Torin’s guarded reaction. “You’re aware of how I’ve always considered you a second son after Kurt, and he’s my son-in-law. I’ve always tried to look after you and now that you’ve found a good woman, I don’t have to do so much heavy lifting anymore. Chiara will take good care of you. She’s exactly what you need. She’s loyal, extremely protective of you and she won’t ever let you down.”

  Torin embraced his coach in a manly hug before the middle-aged man pat him hard on the back. They separated quickly.

  “Let’s go get this shit.”

  Neil smiled proudly. “That’s my boy.”

  They both left the dressing room and walked down the hallway.

  Torin’s heart thudded in his chest; the adrenaline rush like a drug spiked in his veins and affected him immediately. He felt light headed and euphoric. Fighting always made him feel this way and in front of a star studded crowd, it was the best feeling in the world.

  The lights were bright as he entered the sports arena. He stepped up to the elevated platform where the ring was and the shouts and cheers from fans were deafening over the loud music that played. Rob Base’s “It Takes Two” thumped from the hidden speakers and the crowd went nuts as he entered the ring.

  Rodriguez got into the ring and looked like a wannabe hip-hop star in his red glittery robe with the flag of Puerto Rico on the back. Between the noise from the audience, the music and his thundering heart, Torin found it hard not to focus. He had to if he wanted to do his benefactors proud. He stood there while the Puerto Rican bounced on the balls of his feet while throwing phantom punches and kicks in the air. His coach, a Don King wannabe with a mini-afro, signaled to him and he nodded his head before his dark-brown eyes glared coldly in Torin’s direction.

  There was no mistaking the animosity between the two fighters and Torin thanked God their sport only had three rounds and would be over before he knew it. If the guy didn’t stop all his phantom kicks and punches, he would tire himself out.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Ultimate Fighters’ Championship match! This is the moment you’ve all been waiting for so give a warm welcome to our contenders.” The announcer stood in the middle of the ring while the crowd clapped, cheered, whistled and worked themselves into a frenzy.

  “In the left-hand corner, we have the award winning runner-up from Belfast. Put your hands together for the Irish MMA champion, Torin Duffy!”

  The crowd went wild as he flung off his robe to reveal Kelly-green boxer-shorts and his famous tribal tattoo, which covered part of his chest and right arm. He held up his arms and enjoyed the sound of his name being chanted by admirers and fans alike.

  “And in the right hand corner, we have the defending champion from 2013. Please welcome the Puerto Rican from New York City, Victor Rodriguez!”

  Some of the same fans booed while others cheered for Victor as he shrugged off his robe to display olive skin, chiseled muscles and tattoo sleeves on both arms as well as the Puerto Rican flag tattooed on his back. He raised his arms and screamed, “Make some noise!”

  Torin wasn’t a fool. The referee came over and spouted off a bunch of rules and regulations. Twelve minutes. That’s how long they would fight, divided into three rounds of four minutes. He could do this shit, he could strategically beat this pompous motherfucker who smirked at him and shot daggers through dead eyes like he was a piece of shit.

  His icy blue eyes fully assessed his opponent with growing animosity. He had no choice. He couldn’t let this fucker win and leave the octagon with a shred of dignity. It was now or never, and time to fight for what he truly wanted.

  A bleached-blonde with an aqua blue bikini walked around the ring with a championship belt that had the number “1” on it and as soon as she stepped out of the ring, the referee took his spot.

  Then the bell rang loudly, and the first round began.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chiara

  THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH seemed to last a lifetime as I tried to control my breathing and calm myself the hell down.

  My heart thumped in my chest through the whole lead up, during all the pomp and circumstance of what was fight night. When I saw Torin emerge, surrounded by bodyguards, Neil next to his side, both with their game faces on, I knew he had no intention of throwing this fight. If Rodriguez won, he would have to earn it.

  The icy look in blue eyes warned me he’d had no intention of losing, and once he got into that octagon ring, I knew this too. He didn’t even bother bouncing on his feet or throwing phantom punches and kicks. He already knew what he had to do and he was scoping out Rodriguez to see where his weaknesses were.

  It didn’t matter I’d been there with him. We’d watched every major fight Rodriguez had won. We already knew his strengths and weaknesses. I would often watch Rodriguez fights while smoking pot and then tell Torin what he would have to work on that night in bed.

  We knew exactly how he fought so it only made sense both of us understood what Torin would have to do to beat him. It was doubtful Rodriguez and his people didn’t know about how Torin was supposed to throw the fight. That meant his trainer assumed Torin wouldn’t try to do any overt moves that would give him huge points over the opposing fighter. However, that wasn’t going to happen.

  Not tonight, not ever.

  The bell rang and Torin immediately charged toward Rodriguez with animal brutality as he swung a right and hit him in the face before he served a left in his gut. The Puerto Rican seemed a bit taken aback at first but he quickly began to fight back. He stepped out of Torin’s way and spun around, bringing his right foot in the air and connecting with Torin’s gut.

  He acted like Rodriguez hadn’t hit him and instead backed up and returned a kick to his opponent’s side, just below the ribcage.

  Sienna grabbed my left hand and I squeezed hers as they continued to trade punches, kicks and blows. I kept looking at the clock as it slowly ticked down from four minutes and willed the seconds to pass quickly.

  I don’t think I’d breathed that last minute because when the bell finally rang and the fighters’ went to their opposing corners to be tended by the cut-men, I finally breathed and felt light-headed.

  “You okay?” Sienna mouthed to me.

  I nodded reluctantly before I looked over at Raymond, Angelo and Karl. They’d brought their wives and looked pleased so far. I wonder how they’d feel when this fight ended if Torin won. My eyes kept roaming and I noticed Kieran speaking to Fiona, Seamus and Devin. They were all speaking Irish Gaelic to one another animatedly. I looked toward the ring again before the crowd went wild as the fighters stood and got ready for the next round.

  My whole body trembled and I didn’t think I could survive the next four minutes, at least not watching this fight. I couldn’t psych myself out, and not even my happy pills combo helped me.

  I felt like Alice in Wonderland, tumbling down the rabbit hole with no one to catch my fall. It was the same feeling I’d had when I realized I was in love with Torin and could admit it to myself but I didn’t want all the butterflies and rapid heartbeats. What once had been fun for me to watch now drifted into an unknown territory of heavy anxiety and an extreme case of nervous energy.

  The bell rang and my adrenaline spiked with Torin’s because he already looked worse for wear. Rodriguez had attacked his face as much as he could. It was true, my head raced with a dozen outcomes but the fight was like an automobile accident. Not just two cars but a multiple pileup and I couldn’t look away no matter how much they fought, punched, kicked and pummeled each other.

  It was primal, the sound of wrapped fists hitting flesh, legs swinging and feet connecting with backs, stomachs and chests. The sight was equally primitive. Two men fighting like they were in a life or death situation t
hough the only thing at stake was pride and a fuck load of money.

  The jabs and kicks continued relentlessly while the crowd roared and cheered behind me. All I could do was squeeze my sister’s hand every time Torin was hit or Rodriguez landed a punishing blow and cheer with the crowd when he fought back. Regardless of what he faced, I knew he no longer saw his opponent, he was fighting his father all over again.

  This frightened me when he confirmed my suspicions by raining several painful blows to Rodriguez before the bell rang. I couldn’t concentrate as I watched him walk back to his corner and get treated for various cuts.

  Although Victor’s porn star wife, Madison, had been smirking before the fight and during the first round, she now looked pale beneath her tan and mountains of makeup. I turned toward Raymond, Angelo and Karl. They all wore stony expressions but there was also a hint of fear.

  I wonder what they were afraid of since they held all the power in this situation.

  Torin and I had both done the math in a situation like this. We knew they could send the photos to the police back in Northern Ireland and there was a fifty-fifty chance the Public Prosecution would charge him with first degree murder. There could be a simple inquiry and he might be cleared of all charges due to his fame and fortune. He was a hero in both Ireland and Northern Ireland, and an exemplary subject of the Crown. He’d already been awarded Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire—MBE for short—by the Queen. The prestigious title had to follow his name on official documents and was listed on his Wikipedia page.

  My mind reeled with what would happen if he won but I feared him losing more because I knew it would hit him roughly. He had to win, if only to retire a champion and finally have a trophy of his own.

  Sienna leaned over. “He’ll be fine, sis. Can’t you see he’s going to win?”

  I glanced at my sister as she pulled away, her green eyes comforting and warm under the bright lights. “I have no doubt,” I mouthed to her.

  The bell rang again and the final round started with a fury of loud noise from the crowd. It was all a blur until the last minute when the crowd began to chant Torin’s name and the writing was on the wall. Rodriguez still fought but his kicks and punches didn’t have as much oomph in them as they had when the match had first started.

  I stole a glance at Raymond, Angelo and Karl. Although they maintained unreadable looks, Karl stood and buttoned his tuxedo. Raymond and Angelo glared at him. They both nodded at the same time and he walked out of the arena.

  The bell rang again, signaling the end of the third round and the end of the match. Both Torin and Victor were tired, worn out and looked like they’d gotten into a street brawl but the decision was made before the announcer spoke.

  Torin had won fair and square. He’d beaten Victor and was the 2014 UFC Champion.

  “Let’s give a round of applause for our new champion, Torin Duffy!”

  The audience cheered, my sister and I included as he hoisted the trophy over his head in triumph. Although I wasn’t supposed to be happy he hadn’t thrown the fight, I knew why he hadn’t told me about it. He didn’t want me to get hurt by Raymond, Angelo or Karl.

  Torin’s eyes were on me and he smiled at me as he mouthed, “I love you.”

  “I love you too,” I mouthed back while trying to hold back the tears.

  The last thing I wanted to do was ruin his moment. He’d fought his whole career for tonight and now he could retire from the sport in a blaze of glory.

  THE AFTER PARTY was unbelievable. There were celebrities galore and the set up was pure extravagance and class.

  I don’t get the chance to have the champion—and my fiancé—to myself. His arm never left my waist even though he continued to receive congratulations from various people during the party. I held a fluted glass of Cristal champagne and sipped from it. The mood was extremely blissful and the longer the night wore on, the more I craved Torin’s body against mine, flesh against flesh and his hard cock, deep inside of me. It was an image that flashed on and off through my brain like a movie in slow motion.

  “We’ll sneak off in a few minutes. No one will notice we’re gone,” he whispered in my ear before he kissed my jaw.

  “We can’t,” I teased in a low voice. “We’re surrounded by people who want to congratulate the champ.”

  “Well they can wait a few minutes if they don’t take this chance to congratulate me now.”

  “You’re awful, Mr. Duffy,” I whispered to him.

  “Yeah but you still love me, right?”

  “Always.”

  We both laughed together as a deep male voice said, “Congratulations on the win tonight.”

  I turned away from Torin and faced Raymond who smiled wryly. He stood next to Angelo and Karl. The three motherfucking stooges. What the hell did they want now?

  “You never placed a bet on Rodriguez—none of you did. You certainly wouldn’t look so calm, cool, and collected if you had. I know you, Raymond.” I glanced at him, the alcohol fueling my bravery though I was secretly frightened and my heart knocked against my chest with frayed nerves.

  Raymond smiled. “Chiara, you wouldn’t have been an employee of mine for over nine years without getting to know me.”

  Torin scowled and flexed his hand. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Now come on, Mr. Duffy, I didn’t mean anything sexual by what I said. I am a happily married man and love my wife deeply. I have never slept with your fiancée.”

  “Well, that’s a relief. Thanks for the accolades…I know I’m probably in trouble since I don’t seem to be able to follow orders but to be honest, I just couldn’t throw that fight. I worked too damn hard for my career to allow that son of a bitch to beat me. I’ve never won against him…ever, until tonight.”

  “By the way, how did you beat him?” Karl wondered out loud.

  “He pictured Rodriguez as his father. If you would have done that, you might be retiring with a lot more wins under your belt than you already have earned.”

  I did a double take on Raymond. The man hadn’t become a billionaire by being stupid. He knew the psychology of people, plain and simple.

  “Do you plan to hand those photos over to the Police Service of Northern Ireland?” I questioned in a low voice. “I know we can’t stop you but at the same time, them having that evidence doesn’t sit well with me. The Public Prosecution Service probably won’t indict with him being a national hero in Northern Ireland. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t ask.”

  “No, that won’t be necessary.” Angelo smiled though it never reached his cold arctic green eyes. “I think you’ve paid enough…for now.”

  What the hell did he mean by that?

  I glanced at Torin with a worried look on my face but he merely shrugged his shoulders.

  “If you say so, Mr. Abandonato,” Torin replied.

  “I do.”

  “By the way, come by the casino tomorrow.” Karl glanced at Torin, looking cool and calm. “We have to give you the originals so you can destroy them and this won’t ever come back to bite you on the ass. There are also some…finalities Raymond, Angelo and I would like to go over with you.”

  Torin nodded his head. “All right.”

  “Excuse me.” I walked away from the subtle tension in the air, and directly to the restroom where I locked myself in one of three stalls.

  I didn’t trust any of those sons of bitches but Angelo was the worst. He might be my sister’s father but he’d always been a cold-hearted son of a bitch. I would rather have my absentee father who sent me money every birthday than hers. In fact, the manic depression had come from Angelo’s side of the family, not our mother’s. His mother had suffered from manic depression and his maternal grandfather had been a psychopath and diagnosed schizophrenic.

  What the hell did he mean by that? How had we’d paid enough if Raymond didn’t plan to turn over the evidence to the PSNI? It didn’t make sense and I couldn’t quite connect all the dots.
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  A couple of women walked in and I stayed inside the stall though I didn’t have to go to the bathroom.

  “Well, Maddie, looks like you held up pretty good tonight. Your husband lost after all.”

  “Fuck Torin and his cheap ass tart. You know she was a prostitute, right?” Madison sneered.

  My breath almost stilled at this comment as my heart beat faster in my chest and my palms began to sweat. How the hell did that bitch know anything about my past?

  “No way. What was she? An escort or something?” her friend questioned.

  “Nope. She worked for one of those services you see in those sex papers they give away along the Boulevard. He’s lucky she isn’t loaded down with syphilis or gonorrhea. Hell, she might even have the bug—”

  “Are you talkin’ HIV? Don’t you think he would have had her tested? I mean, I’ve fucked Torin and he was super careful. Hell, he wouldn’t go down on me and he wore a condom.”

  “According to one of the girls who used to know her in Reno, she wasn’t exactly the cleanest person out there. Hell, she used to fuck guys from that biker gang in Northern Nevada.”

  “You talkin’ about the Demon’s Bastards?”

  “Nope, the Lucifer’s Saints. I think she slept with the oldest Cox brother.”

  “Are you sure about that? Don’t they have club whores or something?”

  “Listen, she’s nothing but a dirty whore—I’m tellin’ you that.”

  I’d had enough. I unlatched the bathroom stall and walked out, poised and perfect. “Do you have any other unsavory rumors you want to spread about me?”

  I glared between Madison and her friend. They were both bleached blondes whose tanned skin had an orange tinge, making them look like they were tangoed. Their heavy makeup didn’t hold up so well to close scrutiny and they both looked older than their age. In fact, I suspected they were in their late twenties though they both looked like women in their mid-to-late thirties.