Drawn to Fight: Zac & Evie

by Lilliana Anderson

  For the past year, I’ve been living in a constant state of fear that someone was going to find out that we were on our own. Before that, I was in a constant state of fear that we weren’t going to make it through the day under my stepfather’s wrath. But we did, and now we’re here.

  With Damien’s tutelage, I’ve learned some new skills that have increased my abilities to the point where I’m currently ranked fourth in the entire Rumble Circuit. So the money and the financial freedom is actually within my grasp. I just need to get through the next two fights and I’m home free.

  Meg still isn’t home. I haven’t even heard from her since she left a month ago. I know where she is, though. She’s shacked up with Sparks. And as much as I want to go and drag her home, I know that it’s gotten to the point where she needs to work through this on her own and hopefully, if she needs to, she’ll come back by herself.

  With the help of Jason, Evie, my stepsister Nikki, and even Evie’s friend Sisley, we made it through the school holidays while still giving me enough time to train and attend the fights. Evie is front and centre at every one. And having her there has helped to keep my focus in the cage.

  Outside the cage, life is a lot harder without Meg around. Evie is here with me most of the time, and she does help, but I can’t expect her to take on everything Meg used to do. So there’s a lot more for me to do every day. And while I felt sure when Meg left that doing all of these extra things would be the thing that broke me, just having Evie waiting for me in my bed at the end of the day, and wrapped in my arms every morning makes everything better.

  “Do you ever wonder what this is like with other women?” she asks, her voice still sleepy as she trails her fingers up and down the skin on my back as we lie in bed between the time the alarm goes off and the time we actually have to get up before Jason or Nikki get here to help with the kids. I have to train and Evie has a shift at the gym. She always helped her parents out, but now that she’s finished school, she’s begun working there part time under the proviso that she’ll go to university where she’s now decided to study fine arts.

  What she really wants, is to work at the gym permanently, she loves it there. But she’s compromised with her parents and this is their happy medium. I personally think it’s pretty cool that they’re so willing to make their daughter happy while still helping to guide her future. And in this respect, I agree. The painting of the fighter she did was amazing and it was even featured in the ArtExpress exhibition of the best year 12 artwork the state has to offer. It would be a shame if she didn’t keep working with her talent.

  Rolling over, I face her so she can see my face as I answer.

  “Never. I only want you,” I assure her. “I’ve only ever wanted you.”

  “And it doesn’t bother you that, well, you probably heard the rumours back at school. They basically thought I was the town bike.”

  I reach up, brushing my fingers through her long curls before I push her hair behind her ear and lightly touch her face, seeing the vulnerability in her eyes.

  “What bothered me, was the way they treated you, and the way they joked behind your back like you were something they could use and pass around to see who could convince you to sleep with them. And then, the way they used to taunt me with their knowledge of you. It infuriated me and they knew I had a thing for you, so they took great pleasure in torturing me with the details.”

  “I didn’t do everything they said I did. I need you to know that. I fooled around with them, and I let them use me because I thought we were just having fun but I only slept with one of them. And he is my biggest regret. Actually, I regret all of it. I wish I’d never gotten involved with any of them, especially Austin. I really did believe that he liked me for me, and that he wasn’t with me just because he wanted to mess around. He convinced me there were real feelings there and… stupidly, I fell for it. And as soon as I did, the whole school found out and…” her voice cracks and she closes her eyes for a moment. I want to tell her to stop because I know what she’s going to say. I know the whole story – was taunted by it – but she seems to need to talk this out. Guys before me have hurt her, and I need her to trust that I’m not like them, and that I want all of her – the good, the bad, the past and the future. “There was photographic evidence to prove it. I had no idea he was taking them. But that meant that every story ever told about me was suddenly true, and they got wilder and wilder and…god, I hated them all so much.” She whispers the last part, a tear sliding from her eye that she quickly wipes away before she turns her eyes back to me. “I’m sorry I gave myself away to them when there was someone like you wanting me.”

  I let out my breath slowly, hating what those douchebags did to her. “Don’t you be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. You just got caught up in the shit guys can say to get what they want from girls. I’m sorry that your experience with guys came from dicks like Austin Beeton and his fuckwit friends. But if it makes you feel any better, those guys coped a beating for everything they said about you.”

  “They did?”

  “Yeah, I went around and beat each and every one of them to the ground. It was very gratifying, especially when that fucker Austin’s nose broke beneath my fist.”

  “He was the worst, he turned me off high school boys for good,” she agrees, then suddenly, she tilts her head quizzically. “Hang on, does that mean you used to fight all those guys because…because of me?”

  I lift a shoulder a little and continue to stroke her hair. “Someone had to shut them up. You were better than all of them and until you realised that, I didn’t want them talking shit about you.”

  “So you’re the reason Austin’s nose was broken? He said that he was rolled by ten guys who stole his wallet and phone. But the official rumour was that my dad beat him up.”

  I laugh, remembering the moment with a large amount of satisfaction. “No, it was just me. Oh, and Principal Cleary. He sort of busted us just as I smashed Beeton’s nose and that was pretty much the end of my schooling.”

  “What? Oh no. Are you serious? I’m the reason you got kicked out of school?”

  “You were worth it,” I tell her honestly. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

  “I feel bad that I was such an idiot for getting mixed up with those guys and that it cost you your schooling,” she says with a frown. “I don’t know what to say…”

  I slide my hands either side of her waist and gaze into her eyes. “Don’t say anything. You weren’t an idiot. You were beautiful, and you were trusting, and you were every guy’s fantasy – you still fucking are. But now, you’re mine. This is where you belong, in my bed, in my arms, in my life. And I would fight a hundred guys to get you to see your worth. I know you don’t need it, you can more than take care of yourself. But I want you to know that I’ve always been there to fight for you, and I’ll always be here when you need me. You mean a fucking lot to me.”

  Smiling, she leans down, her hand touching the side of my face as she lightly presses her lips against mine and whispers, “I love you.”

  The words hit me in the chest, tightening my lungs and swelling my heart. It beats out of my chest as my mind swims with the information. And in response, my fingers curl in her hair and I pull her against me, kissing her fiercely.

  I don’t know if I can say those words back to her. I don’t know if I every can. But I do know that she’s the moon, the stars, the sun and the fucking rain and air to me. Now that I have her, I don’t know how I’d live without her. And I don’t know how to say all of that out loud because just thinking it scares the fuck out of me.

  What happens when she leaves too?

  Forcing my mind quiet, I deepen the kiss, focusing on the feel of her naked body against mine before I roll her over, and try to show her what she means to me by worshipping her body one more time before we have to leave for training.

  ***

  “Shelves need restocking in the café, Yvonne. You, with me. I’ve got someone here for yo
u to meet,” Damien says, the moment we walk through the gym doors.

  Evie and I glance at each other, both wondering what’s going on but doing as he says without question. No one needs a pissed off Damien Rhodes in their life.

  I kiss the top of her head and we part ways, but I glance over my shoulder once before I head in to the dojo, just to catch the view of her walking away.

  As I enter the dojo, I drop my bag and remove my shoes. Damien doesn’t make me wear the Aikido gi because what he’s teaching me isn’t strict Aikido, it’s more Aikido based street fighting, designed to keep me upright and in control throughout my fights. And it’s working too. Over the past month, I’ve noticed that my ribs have become a hell of a lot less painful because I’m not getting hit anywhere near as much as I was before.

  “This is Aaron Stevens,” Damien informs me as he moves to stand next to a guy about my height with greying blond hair who looks about the same age as Damien. He’s not quite as built, but he looks just as fit and strong.

  “Nice to meet you,” I say, extending my hand to shake his in greeting as I push my hair back from my face.

  “You too, mate,” Aaron says, shaking my hand with a friendly smile.

  “We have a slight problem,” Damien states, keeping his voice low because he knows the sound carries and Evie has a penchant for eavesdropping.

  “What’s that?”

  “Fourth place isn’t good enough.”

  “Ok,” I say with a frown. “And I agree. I want to win.”

  “It’s not about wanting. It’s about needing. You need to win. Harry has made it pretty clear that unless you win, your debt with him isn’t cleared.”

  “I don’t understand. I’ve more than made him his entry fee back.”

  “I’m sure you have, mate. But he’s a businessman. He doesn’t invest unless he gets a return and no amount of threats from me are going to keep him from getting what he believes is his. He expects that you win, or you keep fighting for him until you do. He said something about a payout for him if you win, I don’t know all the details. ”

  “That wasn’t the deal. I agreed to fight so I had enough cash to look after my family. As it is, I have enough for a whole year, maybe two if we’re careful. I want to fight. But I want to do it the right way. I don’t want to be stuck in the underground forever.”

  “I know, mate. I get it. And from Harry’s point of view, he’s probably hoping that you come second because you’re his cash cow right now.”

  “Then why is he letting me go if I come first? Aren’t I worth more to him if I’m on top?”

  “No. From what he told me, the winners don’t return to the Rumble Circuit. Instead, they go on to the next level. There’s another promoter, he runs the Circuit, his name is Jasper, you might have met him already.” I nod to say that I have. “Well, much like Londonderry is set up to find good fighters for Harry to take to the Rumble Circuit, the Circuit is set up for Jasper to find top fighters to move into the semi official MMA leagues. It’s the next level. There’s a lot of money involved here, Zac, and you’ve probably selected the toughest route to make it to the big time, but if you tread right and fight well, I can’t see why you can’t do well.”

  “You think I actually have a chance at winning?” I ask, surprised that Damien is giving me somewhat of a compliment. I’ve come to have the utmost respect for him, and to have him say something like that means a hell of a lot to me.

  “You’re an excellent fighter, Zac. As you get older, you’re only going to get stronger, so keep up your training and I think you can make it to the big leagues. But first, we need to get you out of the Circuit and on the road to legitimacy. And that’s why Aaron is here.”

  Aaron nods his head and lifts his hand as he’s finally brought into the conversation. “Aaron is a Krav Maga specialist, and he’s going to show you a few things that are brutal, but they’ll surprise your opponent because they aren’t your typical moves. Since Yvonne insists of being at every one of your fights, I’ll ask her and her friends to film the other fighters so we can study the moves of your opponent for the final match next month.” He pauses, looking briefly between Aaron and I before continuing. “Now, I need to go and talk to my daughter so I’ll leave you with Aaron. He’s an old family friend and he’s only visiting for a couple of days. So make the most of your time with him. Learn as much as you can.”

  He pats Aaron on the shoulder before heading out the door and leaving us alone. I look to Aaron who claps his hands together and smiles.

  “An old family friend,” Aaron chuckles. “Damien and I used to be sworn enemies. But time seems to have mellowed us.” He looks toward the door then gives his head a light shake as if clearing his mind then returns his attention to me. “Ok, let’s get started. Sounds like there’s no time to waste. Do you know much about Krav Maga?”

  “A little, yeah, but not a hell of a lot,” I tell him honestly to which he nods.

  “First rule of Krav Maga – there are no rules. There’s no restraint and there’s no mercy. You fight to win. There is no other choice.”

  I nod, fully alert as I give him all of my attention.

  “Show me what you’d usually do when your opponent throws a punch.”

  “Well, I used to take it then punch back harder.”

  He laughs. “That’s one way. Show me what you’re doing now though.” He steps back from me, about the same distance we’d be apart in the ring. He calls ‘fight’ and we move around each other for a moment before he steps in and throws the first punch.

  Knowing by his stance that he was going to hit with his right arm, I dodge to the side, palming his arm across his body as I step through and land a hit in his kidneys.

  “In the ring, when I’m hitting to hurt, that would generally send him off balance so he’d either stumble or fall to his knees. Then I’d continue based on that.”

  “Ok. That’s good. Very effective, and I can see you’ve been listening to Damien. Now, I’m going to show you a few other things so you can mix it up between the styles. See if we can knock these other guys on their arses. Come at me this time, I’ll show you what to do.”

  Moving back again, we start, circle and when I think there’s an opening, I move to land a hit. And as my fist shoots out, he side steps and reaches his arms over the shoulder of my outstretching arm, keeping that arm locked against his side as he quickly pulls my torso and raises his knee into my chest, demonstrating the move with three quick taps, which at full strength, would wind me.

  When he releases me, I’m grinning. “That’s an epic move.”

  “Stick around, mate. There’s a lot more where that came from.”

  Thirty

  Evie

  “How was your training session with my uncle Aaron?” I ask when both Zac’s training and my shift is over and we’re back in the car, headed to Zac’s place.

  “He’s your uncle?” Zac asks, glancing over at me as we come to a stop at an intersection.

  “Not by blood. He and my mum dated years ago, and he helped raise me while I was little. I don’t really remember it, and I don’t know the whole story. But they’re all friends and we see him and his family a couple of times a year.”

  “Fair enough. Yeah, it was good. He taught me a lot actually. He’s training me again tomorrow and then he’s going back to some island.”

  “Phillip Island. It’s in Victoria. It’s actually where I was living when I was born.”

  “Really? So you aren’t a New South Welshman by birth?”

  “Explains a lot, huh?”

  “No. You’re perfect no matter where you are in this world.”

  I can’t keep the stupid grin from curling my mouth as he reaches over and takes my hand, holding it against his thigh as we drive the short distance back to his house.

  On the tip of my tongue, I want to tell him that he’s perfect, and that I’m in love with him. But I don’t want to push it. I’ve said it a couple of times when we’re in bed, and eac
h time he responds by making love to me with this passion that I can feel pouring into me. So I feel how close to me he feels, but he never says the words…

  “What the fuck?” he says, as we pull into his driveway and there’s a blue sedan sitting in it behind his van.

  “Whose is that?” I ask, not recognising it as either of his step-siblings’ and worrying over who it could be.

  “I’m not sure.”

  Zac quickly pulls out of the driveway and parks on the road, jumping out of the car and jogging down the steep drive to his unlocked front door. The moment we step through, we can hear voices coming from the back of the house and Zac places his body in front of mine protectively, placing his hand on me to tell me to keep back as he quietly moves toward the sound.

  Of course, I don’t keep back. I follow directly behind him, looking over his shoulder as we walk down the short hall.

  “What are you doing here?” Zac demands, stopping in the doorway of what was Meg’s bedroom, his voice anything but happy to see her.

  “Zac. I’m just here to get some more of my things,” she says.

  “You’re fine. I have an issue with a cradle robber standing in my house.”

  “I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m just helping Meg.” It’s a man’s voice. Mr Sparks.

  I move so I can be seen and I see Mr Sparks’ face fall as he sees and recognises me.

  “I saw that you made ArtExpress. Congratulations,” he says resignedly. I suppose there’s no point in pretending like he wasn’t once my teacher. That would be even weirder than what’s happening right now.

  “I did. Thanks.”

  “Don’t talk to her either,” Zac bristles, shifting his body again so that I’m protected behind him.

  Mr Sparks raises his hands to signal that he’s no threat. “Zac, I don’t want to fight with you. I know that you see this as wrong and I’m sorry, but…” He shrugs. “We can’t help how we feel.”