Caroline studied Alice sadly, wanting to say more but knowing it was not possible. Jeffrey waited by the door for her to follow. But Alice hesitated, refusing to get up from the sofa. “Jeffrey, can you give us a second?”
“Miss Cross, I have my orders. I'm supposed to escort you out of the building.”
“I know, I know. But I’ll be down shortly.” She looked at him longingly, hoping he could see that she would be fine now. He turned and walked down the steps. The two girls listened to his heavy footsteps track down the three flights of stairs.
“Micah’s condo? I suppose that’s because of me.” Caroline smiled—though Alice could read the hurt.
“Yeah. It was. What was I supposed to do—not tell him? He just wants to protect me, Caroline. He loves me.”
“Do you love him?”
“I do. I love him. I love him so much.” Alice became bold as she repeated the phrase.
“Then, why are you not in Chicago? Isn’t his match on tomorrow?” Caroline wiped away the tears from her eyes and sniffled a bit.
“I was supposed to be. I came here when the detectives called. Now Micah and his agent think it’s best for me to stay behind and watch from home. They don’t want me to be a part of the story anymore. It makes him look soft or something.” Alice was almost ashamed to admit this, especially to Caroline. She would never be told where to go or not to go.
“That’s bullshit.” Caroline slowly stood to her feet. “You have every right to be there. You’re the reason why he’s winning those fights. You’re the reason why he’s even invited to that match. You have to be there.”
Alice laughed. “And how do you expect I make it to Chicago without the press, Micah, or Micah’s agent finding out about me? Plus, the match is sold out. I couldn’t get a ticket if I tried.”
Caroline thought long and hard. “I know how. Do you trust me?”
Chapter 32: The Final Round
“Do you have the sunglasses we bought? The scarf?” Caroline reached over the airline’s seat to grab Alice’s attention.
Alice nodded her head. She placed the thick, black sunglasses over her eyes and wrapped the scarf like a figure eight around her neck. Taking a hold of her Tequila Sunrise, she threw the glass all the way back, hoping it would inspire some liquid courage. She was going to need it. Caroline’s plan was bold, almost too bold. Alice wasn’t exactly sure if she could go through with it, let alone if they would make it there in time.
The match began at six that night. The flight alone was not scheduled to arrive until at least five. Using the map application, Alice and Caroline would be lucky if they made it to the stadium by the last round. But that’s all she needed really. She just needed to be there to see Micah win. Whatever Caroline had planned, whatever she wanted to do, Alice would gladly follow if it meant that she was in the right place at the right time.
***
For Micah, he too spent most of his day thinking about the right place and the right time. His few days in Chicago had been a never ending cattle call from one photo shoot to the next. If he wasn’t modeling for pictures for sporting drinks or protein supplements, he was sitting in an interview with a sports magazine or a local television station.
Of course, Lucy was there every step of the way, guiding him on what to say, how to stand, and reminding him of how much money he had earned. Just yesterday, the numbers reached a figure he could have only dreamed to make in a year. Today, he could earn even more, along with a shiny new title belt to go with it.
The nerves and the pressure were all mounting as the seconds to the match ticked away. Lucy had begun the whole Micah Anderson show at five that morning, giving him little time to sleep, let alone get mentally prepared for the actual work he had in front of him. She may know her business, but she had certainly misunderstood the whole point of being an athlete.
After his third interview, he pulled Chris to the side, roughly grabbing his arm in the process, and said, “Chris, you have to get me out of here. I am exhausted. I am hungry. And if I have to tell someone that ‘It’s gonna be a great match’ one more time, I may kill a cameraman. Get Lucy off my back for just two hours or so or I'm not gonna be able to fight tonight.”
Chris ran his hand through his blonde hair, trying to decide who to side with. He looked Micah up and down, studying the way the fighter slumped forward and how his eyes were pale and baggy. He knew that Micah was right; he was not the fighter he could be.
Micah watched as Chris strode up to Lucy, who was waiting in the wings, emailing away on her tablet. He sat next to her and the two instantly began to fight. Micah could only make out bits and pieces of the conversation, but he could tell Lucy was not amenable to whatever Chris was putting forward. She stood up angrily and marched towards where Micah stood with his hands tucked in his pockets.
“I hear you need a break. Is this true?” She felt almost like an old teacher to him, one he should be very, very afraid of. But without saying a word, he nodded his head.
Lucy clicked her tongue and waved her arms. “Then, I guess that's what you'll get. But just know you have lost potentially thousands upon thousands of dollars by canceling on these people. I'm gonna to have to spend my entire day trying to smooth out the mess you are making. This is your future, Micah. You have to be responsible for it.”
Micah looked up at her, his eyes focused straight at her. He cocked his head to the side, as he asked, “What did you say?”
“I said that this is your future. You are responsible for it. If you cannot bother to be held to your commitments, why even bother?” Her head was already buried in her laptop, as she struggled to keep up with the incoming messages.
It all of a sudden struck Micah. Everything became so clear, so real. He grabbed Lucy by the shoulders suddenly, pulling her in for a long hug. He looked back down at her as he released her tiny, shaking body. “Lucy, you are absolutely right. I’ll meet you at the hotel at three this afternoon.”
Micah took off like a flash, grabbing his leather jacket as he tore through the studio’s door. Outside, he flagged a taxi before he could grab any attention from the waiting cameras. He asked his cabbie one important question before the man sped off towards the city’s downtown skyline—towards Micah’s future.
***
“Alice! Alice!” Caroline’s urgent voice floated into her consciousness, awakening her from her deep sleep. She grumbled, turning over in her seat as she pulled a small toss blanket over her arms and shoulders.
“Alice, we’re landing. It’s time to go. We have to get going!” Caroline was not used to being the responsible one of the two, but her friend needed her. She shook Alice’s shoulders, pulling the blanket off of her body quickly. Alice recoiled instinctively from the chill.
“Hey… come on!” Alice just wanted to sleep. Three flights in two days was way too much for her body to handle.
“ALICE! THE MATCH” Caroline was shouting directly into her ear now, hoping to awake some sense in her. It did the trick. Alice sat up straight, reaching for her seatbelt as the flight attendant made their final round. She prepared for landing, as Caroline went through the details of the plan once more.
Alice wasn’t fully paying attention. She was awake and alert, but her mind drifted again to where Micah was, what he was doing, and how he was facing the day alone. She tried to mentally send him messages, trying to egg him on and willing him to win.
As Caroline stopped talking, Alice turned back towards her and said, “What time is it anyways? How much time do we have to get to the arena?”
“It’s five minutes after five. Shit! We’re not gonna make it there by six.”
“We’re gonna make it for the final bell. That’s all that matters. We just have to see him at the end.” Alice tried to remain calm, but she was as nervous about the time as Caroline.
As the plane began to unload, the two girls jumped ahead of the line and past the flight attendants assisting the first class customers. Hand in hand, they ran through th
e airport, through the tunnels, and past those waiting for the arrivals. Caroline spotted the sign for the cabs, as she pulled Alice towards a revolving glass door.
Alice sighed as she saw the line for the cab pick-up. It had almost circled back indoors. Caroline was not about to let that slow her down though. She walked to the front of the line where a man in jeans and a faded Hawaiian style t-shirt stood looking down at his watch.
She smiled as she continued to hold on to Alice’s hand. She approached the man quickly, completely blindsiding him. “Oh my goodness! How are you?” She brought the man into a hug, her slender body pressed against him tightly. She stepped over the velvet rope as Alice followed her lead. She continued with her charade.
“I’m sorry, but do I know you?” The man was bewildered but did not seem annoyed. Caroline’s appearance had that effect on men like him.
“It’s Julie! We met in Hawaii. Remember? The suntan lotion fiasco? I still have the burns on my chest!” She pulled at the collar of her black tank top, flashing the man the top of her lacy red bra and the curvature of her cleavage. “Anyways, tell me, how is life? How’s work going for you?”
The man couldn’t take his eyes off of her despite his turn for a cab coming up. Alice caught on quickly, as she walked up to the waiting car and snuck in silently in the backseat. Caroline turned to check in on Alice’s progress. Satisfied, she turned back towards the mystery man as she kissed him on the cheek. “I’ve gotta run. It was so nice to see you though. I guess we’ll always have Hawaii!”
The man watched, his hand over the spot where she had kissed him, as the two girls sped off towards the city in his taxi.
“Sir, we’re trying to get to the Ace Hall Stadium. Can you get us there ASAP? I mean, short of getting us killed. We had to get there like twenty minutes ago?” The cabbie nodded at Caroline, as he made a quick U-turn in the middle of the busy intersection, forcing the girls to slide nearly off of their seats and to the doors.
“Do you mind changing the radio to the MMA match? I think it’s on…” Alice struggled to remember what sports network was covering it, but the driver was as quick as his lead foot and had the radio tuned in before she could come up with it. Alice scooted forward in her seat, as she struggled to hear what was happening. By what she could tell, the introductions had just been completed and the match was about to begin. Perhaps there was hope for the girls and their timing after all.
The driver was all business, pulling into the stadium right as the second round began. From the vague descriptions the announcers were giving via the radio, Alice was just in time. Micah was taking a beating from his competitor, Kelly O’Day. The words “bloodbath” and “killing” were being tossed around between the two sportscasters.
Caroline handled the cab driver his payment, as Alice ran up the steps to the arena, forgetting that the next part was all Caroline’s plan. Her friend caught up, taking her by the arm and whispering in her ear, “We have to get you in through the back way, past the press, and through security. Come on.”
Alice took her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes. She pulled the turquoise scarf closer to her face, hiding her mouth and chin in the process. Caroline led the way past the press who barely registered the two women. The security guard, however, took note.
“Passes, ladies?”
Alice pulled out hers from the semi-final match. Luckily, she had held on to it since then. The guard studied it and quickly noticed the error.
“Ma’am, that’s from the semifinal match. We need to see your pass for tonight.” Alice did her best to look confused and upset, as she scoured her purse for the right pass.
She turned towards Caroline, waiting for her to take the cue. “Miss C? Do you not have your pass for tonight’s match?” Alice shook her head dramatically, pretending to lift her sunglasses to wipe away phantom tears. Caroline pulled her in for a hug and then turned back towards the security guard and said, “It’s been such a long night. We flew here just hours ago thinking we had missed the match. I cannot believe we didn’t check to make sure she had the right pass.”
The man looked at the two women with pity. “Let me see if I can go grab the VIP list. She should be on that. As he turned his back from the girls and slipped inside, Caroline grabbed the open metal door with her hand, giving Alice just enough time to slip out past the man, as he fumbled with the large, black clipboard. Then, Alice ran, sprinting past the buffet tables and trays of complementary alcohol.
She only stopped to see the television screen. It was nearly the end of the second round. Micah was laying on his back with Kelly O’Day square on top of him. She watched, almost as if it were in slow motion, as Micah scanned the room with his eyes. His attention was primed on the one empty chair in the VIP area.
Alice tossed off her long trench coat on the couch and continued to sprint towards the stadium, as she could hear the bell buzz to signal the end of the round. This was her last chance.
Before she could make it through the doors and out to the stadium, an usher stopped her in her place, offering to escort her to her seat. She tried to decline, but he was insistent. Digging once more in her purse, she pulled out the pass once again, hiding the details of the previous match’s information. Luckily for Alice, the dark shielded everything but her previous seat information.
The bell rang again, as the young man looked up at her, offering her his arm. “Just in time, I suppose,” he said, guiding her to her seat, which was once again among the same women. Her presence drew little attention from anyone this time.
Anyone except for Micah. He spotted her instantly. A look of shock turned over his face, as he looked out upon her. His arms dropped for a split second before his attention returned to the man about to strike him. He ducked just in time, as he used his head to guide him towards a perfect one leg takedown.
Kelly O’Day fell hard. His body slammed into the floor mats as the crowd roared with excitement. Micah delivered blow after blow with O’Day almost too tired to even attempt a block. As the referee separated the men, Micah stood, his eyes fixed on Alice in her gold dress—the same one he gave her to wear at the last match.
In those few moments, he saw her. He saw every bit of her, from past to present. Each second of their lives together played before him, and every moment of the future came to him as he knew what he came there to do. He was not there to win or to hold a title. He was there for Alice. He was there for their futures however entwined they were to be. He knew that from this second on, no one was going keep them apart again.
The round resumed, as Micah again ducked a quick jab attempt only to fight the man into the corner, hitting him square in the face and the body while his legs kneed and kicked away at O’Day’s lower torso. He had a long way to make up for the earlier match’s dominance by his opponent, but he was determined to win this one punch at a time.
O’Day managed to release himself from the wire of the octagon’s side. Both men began dancing once more, each knowing that there were only a few fleeting seconds to make it decisive. At this point, it was any man’s game. It belonged to whoever wanted it more.
Micah didn’t hesitate. He pushed into the man, grabbing both feet and swinging him wildly to the ground once more.
Alice stood at the sight of her modern day gladiator. She watched him as he punched at his opponent’s body, locking his arms to his side and his head firmly into the ring. She could feel the crowd counting down the seconds with her as Micah refused to relent. 10… 9… 8…
Micah drew blood, his fist landing directly into the man’s temple. 7… 6… 5…
O’Day’s legs attempted to wrap around Micah’s, but he was firm as a rock, unmovable from even the strongest waves. 4...3...2…
A hush came over the crowd. All that could be heard was Micah landing one more, definite punch to O’Day’s face. The man’s neck swinging wildly downward into the mat. ...1.
The bell sounded as Micah released himself. He retreated towards his corner where Chris had
come out leaping towards him. His arms wrapped around his body in congratulations. Micah paid him no attention; instead, he remained transfixed on Alice. He pointed her out to Chris, giving him instructions. As the referee signaled for the fighters to join them in the center of the ring, he turned his view from Alice back to his coach, as he commanded him to do whatever he had asked.
Chris slipped out of the ring and walked down the stairs towards Alice. The two stood silently, side by side. Alice would not let her attention leave Micah for a second, not even to give Chris polite hello.
She sucked in her breath and held it in her lungs as the announcer approached with his card. “By unanimous decision, the winner of tonight’s match and the winner of the MMA Associations’ Breakthrough Invitational is…” The referee nodded and then quickly raised Micah’s arm into the air. The crowd shouting and shrieking with pleasure.
Alice could feel Chris let out a sigh and then drop to his knees. He regained his composure just in time to grab Alice’s arm and lead her out the side door, towards the locker room.
Don’t You Dare: A Bad Boy MMA Fighter Romance Page 24