Someone was shaking her, pulling her from the car. She stumbled up the steps, falling onto the bed. She opened her eyes as someone pulled a blanket over her shoulders. Her father was standing next to the bed.
“Just let me sleep for an hour or so, okay? I want to be back in case he wakes up.” She was asleep before he had a chance to answer.
* * *
He could smell her perfume on his pillow and he rolled over, reaching for her. But everything hurt…there was pain in his hand, his arm. And his head. Must have had too much to drink.
“Angela?” He heard his voice, a hoarse croak. What the hell?
He tried to sit up but everything in his head went swirling and black and he lay back on the bed.
Much later Liam opened his eyes, or tried to. One was swollen shut, painful. He managed to peer out of one good eye, trying to see where he was. Pain shot through his head as he tried to move it on the pillow so he lay still, looking at what was in front of him.
This was a hospital room, not his apartment. That made sense, probably explained why everything hurt. It was daylight. Probably the day after the match…
Blurry images swam to the surface, but had a hard time pinning any of them down.
Think, damn it…what the hell happened?
The match…he’d been distracted. Angela wasn’t there, the chair Frank had reserved for her mocking him, as it remained empty. Bitter tears welled under his eyelids, trickling down over his cheek, stinging as they ran into the cut below his left eye.
He remembered throwing some good punches, driving Stone back. Reflexively he clenched his fist, gasping at the sudden pain and immobility. Bringing his right hand up he saw it was splinted. Broken… I remember throwing that punch. And then a whole lot after that.
Now end of the match came back: up against the cage, the hard feel of it against his back. Panic, no control, all of it slipping away.
Stone throwing a knee, catching him in the ribs, the breath knocked out of him in a whooping exhalation.
Liam took a tentative breath, felt the stabbing pain in his side, the tight constriction of the bandages that must be wrapped around his chest. Broken…knew that when he hit me. Heard the snap.
Then covering up as blows rained down on his body, his face…and then…not much else. One of Stone’s blows must have done its job, taken him out completely.
He touched his face, his head, with his left hand. There was a lump at his temple, and if he had a mirror, he was certain he’d find a purpling bruise.
There were only vague flashes after that: the mat against his face, Frank’s voice in his ear. The scent of Angela’s perfume…
No, wait. That was now…but she wasn’t there.
Liam shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. The pain behind his eyes was fading, still there but dimmed, hovering in the background.
He lay back, looking up at the ceiling tiles. She didn’t show up, she wasn’t there. She’d said she be there for him, that loving him meant loving all the things that went along with this…with whatever the hell he was trying to do here. She said she didn’t understand but that it didn’t matter.
Well, fuck her. Apparently it did matter, in the end. He could do this without her, without anyone. He’d learned more than how to survive a match. He’d learned that he’d been right all along; never trust anyone. All it did was fuck everything up, every single time.
He rolled toward the window, jerking the plastic tubing that ran into his arm. Something beeped but he didn’t bother to find out what it was. He tugged the single thin pillow from under his head, trying to hug it to his chest. There was a noise behind him, someone coming in his room. If it’s a nurse, maybe I can get another pillow…
“Liam?”
His body stiffened, every sense suddenly alive. Suddenly the pain was gone and all he could hear was her voice, smell her perfume.
“Liam?” Louder this time. He heard footsteps, closed his eyes tight.
She’s here because she feels guilty…but it’s too late to make it up. Just go away…go away…
“Liam, wake up. Talk to me.” Her voice was right in front of him, her hand on his shoulder, her touch gently, but very warm, even though the blanket. He opened his eyes.
She was sitting next to the bed, her face inches from his. For a brief moment his heart swelled; he wanted to reach out and touch her face. But he pushed that away. She’d given up on him; why should he care about her.
“Hi. Welcome back.” There was relief in her voice, a smile on her lips as she brushed her hand across his forehead. Just a game though.
“Go away.” His voice was louder than he anticipated. He closed his eyes.
“Does something hurt? I’ll go get a nurse…” She touched his hand. He jerked it away.
He opened his eyes again. “Why are you here?”
The shocked look on her face gave him a perverse thrill, like he’d won something. “Where else would I be, Liam? I’ve been worried…we all have.”
“Where were you…last night? Where were you during the match?”
He watched as she looked down at her hands. See, didn’t care enough to come…feeling guilty now.
“I’ve been here since they brought you in…the day before yesterday.”
Day before yesterday? Not the morning after the fight?
She looked down at her hands. “The fight…I was late getting there. But I was there…at the end. I saw you get hit…saw you go down.”
Her eyes came up, meeting his. “And it almost killed me, Liam. It could have killed you.”
There was something that sounded like anger in her voice, which surprised him. What the hell did she have to be angry about?
“Liam…I was so scared…” Angela’s voice broke, tears running down her face.
“Hey! You’re awake.” Frank’s gruff voice broke the moment. Angela looked up as Frank entered the room.
Liam tried to roll away from Angela, grimacing with the effort.
“Easy, Liam. You’ve got some cracked ribs there. Just relax. I’ll come around to the other side of the bed.”
Frank pulled a chair up next to Angela.
“So, did Angela tell you the news?” Frank was beaming at Liam, beaming at both of them.
“I haven’t had a chance yet, Frank. He’s only been awake for a few minutes.” She wiped her cheeks with the cuffs of her sweater. Liam noticed her face was pale, dark circles under her eyes. And no make-up.
“Oh…well.” Frank was looking back and forth between Liam and Angela. He frowned.
“I guess…well, Liam, a scout was here, from the pros. Was impressed with what he saw.”
Liam made a snorting sound. “Impressed with me getting knocked out? Pretty lame scout.”
“Hey! Before you went down, you put up a pretty good fight, broken hand and all. He said you had heart. It was short, but there was enough there for him to see your potential. If you hadn’t had your head up your god damn ass…sorry, Angela…you would have done a hell of a lot better.”
Liam was staring at Frank. “So what did he say, exactly?”
“He gave me his card. I’ve got it here somewhere…it’s been a pretty fucked up couple days.” Frank grimaced, nodding in Angela’s direction.
“Sorry again.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, stop apologizing to her. I’m sure she’s heard swearing before.”
Frank’s frown deepened. “Liam, are you okay? Do you need something for pain or anything?”
“Why the hell does everyone keep asking me that? I’m fine…just great.” He struggled to sit up in bed, wincing as he pushed himself upright.
“Everyone needs to just back off. Frank, we can talk later. Angela, nice of you to stop by but I don’t need your pity.”
Angela was crying quietly now, her head down. She stood to leave, but Frank placed a hand on her arm, glaring at Liam.
“Liam! What the hell! I don’t know if this is from pain or whatever the hell they’ve got you on,
or the knock on the head or if you’re just in a pissy mood because you can be, but you have no right to talk to Angela like that. She’s the one who’s been here since they brought you in. We had to force her to finally go home to sleep and eat. She’s been camping out down the hall in the lounge or here, in your room.”
Liam stared at Frank, then Angela. “She’s been here…”
“The whole time. She was at the fight, but you were too busy getting knocked out to notice.”
Liam turned to Angela in disbelief. “You were there? Where?”
“I was late, in the crowd…there was traffic. I tried to call…you had your cell turned off. By the time I got there, the match had started. And then…you were down, and he was hitting you. And there was blood everywhere…” Angela burst into tears. Frank awkwardly wrapped one massive arm around her shoulder, jostling her against him.
“But I came there to see you, to stand by you. Because I love you. And when you love someone, your life changes…your priorities change. It took me a long time…probably too long…to realize that.”
When she reached for his hand this time, he let her take it. He was aware of Frank leaving the room.
“It wasn’t about me anymore, Liam. It was about you…what you wanted…needed. What you’ve been fighting for. But now…”Angela took a deep breath, her voice gaining strength.
“You've fought just to survive your entire life. I get that. I finally get it. But I'm not going anywhere, whether you like it or not. It's time that someone stands with you, through all of it. The good, the bad…all of it. And fights for you.”
Liam felt tears gathering in his eyes. As much as he wanted to hold them back, they fell unchecked down his cheeks. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back, hard.
“You’re really here then? In my corner?” His voice was rough and he didn’t trust it to not waver.
“I always will be. From now on, I’ll never leave your side.” She kissed his fingers, then stood, leaning over, kissing his lips. She ran her fingers over his cheek, brushing away the tears. “I love you, Liam.” She sat back down, resting her head on his leg, watching him.
“I love you too, Angela.” He watched her for a minute, the sun through the window making her hair glow. He thought she’d never looked so beautiful.
“So what do we do now, Angela?”
“We get you better. And then we find that card for the scout and call him.” She sat up. “Then, just like you do with training, we take it day by day, match by match.”
She gave him a brilliant smile, her dimples flashing. “And if you think Frank is tough, just wait. Frank’s got nothing on me.”
Liam laughed. “Come here…” He shifted on the bed, grimacing, making room for Angela. She gingerly climbed up on the bed, curling around Liam, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.
“I’ve missed you, Liam. So much.” He reached up with his good hand, searching for hers. She wrapped her fingers through his, holding them tightly.
When Frank returned, that’s how he found them, asleep, Liam’s hand holding on to Angela’s. He smiled, pulling the door closed behind him.
* * *
In The Follow Up To “Fight For You”…
When Liam finds himself being recruited by one of the largest MMA leagues in the country he knows that his dream of becoming a pro fighter is about to come true. With his career finally taking off and Angela by his side there is nothing that he feels he can’t do.
That is until he comes face-to-face with the darkness of his past that threatens to destroy everything that he’s fought so hard for.
Now available in part 2, “Takedown”.
About The Author
Adriana Hunter writes stories for those who live to dream. Her stories run the gamut, from romance, fantasy, paranormal to captivating stories of seductive medieval nights, and wild, adult fairytales.
If you are fascinated by unique tales Adriana will deliver on her promise to create spellbinding stories that will tantalize your senses and provoke your imagination.
http://www.AdrianaHunter.com & http://www.SpicyTales.com
Fight For You Page 16