Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
S eptember 18 th
MMA, or mixed martial arts, is a sports romance genre I’ve barely dabbled in. I’ve read a lot of hockey, soccer, football, and rugby. Just not so much fighting. Luckily, I have barely enough time to read an MMA book about a fighter falling for a kindergarten teacher. Now I’m ready to throw some punches for love. Well, lust. So, watch out bunnies, I’m in a fighting mood.
Paige stood on the sidewalk outside the arena waiting for Griz and Roman. She’d met them at a furry convention. Griz was a bear of a man and had suitably been dressed as a bear. Roman had been a wolf. In real life they were just normal guys with normal jobs. They’d almost had an orgy with Paige and Moxie before things went black—as in they all passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning. Yet, they’d stayed friends.
“Hey, Paige,” Griz boomed, causing people to turn and look.
Roman was quieter but a predator nonetheless. He was powerful in an understated way, while there was nothing understated about Griz.
“You’re a much prettier third than Dracklen,” Roman said, wrapping her up in a hug. “Ready for this?”
“I have no idea what to expect, but I’m embracing the moment.” Paige looped her arms around Griz and Roman as they headed inside. That was what this resolution had turned into. Moments to embrace, friends to make, and adventures to be had. And tonight was going to be an adventure.
They found their seats and what seats they were. The seats were in the second row with the cage looming large in front of them. “Beer?” Roman asked. Griz nodded and Paige asked for one as well. When in Rome and all.
“Griz,” Paige asked as the arena filled, “I know you’re the trainer for the offensive line and some of the other football players, but do you go to practices?”
“Not normally,” Griz answered. “I’m usually in the stadium, but not out on the field. Why?”
“My boss, Jack, got sideline practice tickets for a couple of weeks from now. I’m going to go with him and was hoping to see you there.”
“Ah, the sponsors’ practice. I’ll make sure to come out and say hi. I know the quarterback always gets the most attention, but there’s some great lineman that I could introduce you to since it appears you’re getting . . . sporty.”
Paige winked at him. “You guessed it. I’m in my sports romance era.”
“Well, hang on for tonight. I never thought of MMA as romantic.”
Roman came back with three beers and handed them out as the lights dimmed and heavy music caused vibrations to jiggle more than just Paige’s beer. The crowd went nuts. Like rockstar level nuts. Lights, lasers, music . . . the athletes’ walkout was a whole show. Then a whole entourage appeared. Police officers, security, and several friends of the fighter. Several of the guys were hyping up the crowd to a near frenzy. Then, in the middle of the pack was the serious fighter. He wasn’t looking anywhere but the cage. Unlike boxing, there were no silk robes. He wore sponsored athletic gear as he reached the spot in front of the cage. Then the magic happened. He unzipped his jacket and pulled off his T-shirt. Holy abs! Paige watched as an official ran his hands over the fighter, checking him for anything illegal—where could she apply for that job?
The second fighter came out in tight spandex shorts with a Canadian flag over his shoulders. Now, these were men who could pick a woman up and toss her around the bedroom in the sexiest ways possible. They oozed power, cockiness, and focus. Imagine if they put that focus just on her.
The second the two guys got near each other, the trash talking started.
“This is going to get messy,” Griz said down the row to where Roman was sitting on the other side of Paige.
“Why?” Paige asked.
“These two are huge rivals. They really don’t like each other. It’s not just a show. It’s hatred, which means it’s going to be a down and dirty fight,” Roman told her.
The entourages were now trash talking each other and there was enough shoving that security had to get involved. The referee moved things along, and before Paige knew it, the fight was on.
There was kicking, punching, and a lot of faces in crotches as they rolled around the floor of the ring, locked in battle. Griz and Roman and the entire arena were out of their seats yelling and cheering as blood was drawn.
Paige cringed. Yes, it was exciting, but ouch!
Then the Canadian went down and Mr. Sexy Abs jumped on him. There was a lot of hip thrusting, legs tangling, and punching as Mr. Sexy Abs tried to get Mr. Canada in a hold. In the end, Mr. Sexy Abs punched Mr. Canada in the face so much the ref stepped in and pulled him off.
The crowd went crazy and the entourages got into a fight right in front of where Paige and the guys were sitting. Griz put his arm out as if to protect her, but it was too late. The entourage’s fight spilled into the crowd when one of the guys was shoved into the front row, sending them all flying into Paige’s row.
In a split second, the crowd went from happy and excited to feral. Security was trying to pull apart the entourages while the refs were trying to keep the fighters in the ring from killing each other, but there was not enough security when the fights broke out in the seats.
Mr. Canada broke free of the ref and leaped onto the padded top of the fence around the ring. He saw one of his friends get knocked out and Mr. Canada dove into the fray. Unfortunately, that meant the fray was launched directly into Paige.
Paige’s breath was forced from her as a sweaty and bloody Mr. Canada fell into her, sending her tripping over her chair and landing in a heap on the ground as men fought above and around her. Panic took over as her heart raced in fear and all she could do was pull her arms up and cover her head for protection.
Paige heard Griz and Roman yelling, punches being thrown, and security yelling for everyone to break it up.
“Surry aboot that, baby,” Mr. Canada said as Paige felt herself being lifted up. Paige blinked her eyes open to find Mr. Canada’s bloody face inches from hers. He smiled and he was missing a tooth. Her ribs hurt, her back hurt, and the amount of blood running down Mr. Canada’s face from his cut eyebrow was making her woozy.
Griz turned and took a selfie of them all.
“Are you hurt?” Mr. Canada began running his hands down her arms and her hips, and her ribs. She sucked in a breath and Mr. Canada frowned. “You need to go to the hospital. Have them send me the bill. Surry aboot that, again. Give me a call if you need a nurse. I’ll be happy to take care of you.” He winked and blood gushed from the cut above his eyebrow before running down into his mouth.
Paige managed to choke out her thanks before she vomited all over those glorious abs.
“Can’t you take me to a different hospital?” Paige asked in a groan. Then she groaned again because it hurt to groan.
“Sorry, this is the hospital partnering with the MMA sponsors. It’s the only way they’ll pay for it,” Roman told her as they rode in the ambulance. Griz was following the ambulance in his truck. She’d wanted to take his truck, but the sponsors had insisted all injured parties be transported by ambulance. Paige wasn’t the only one about to roll up to the emergency department. It was her and around thirty others.
“How’s the nausea?” the paramedic asked.
“Better after that shot you gave me, but now I’m super tired,” Paige told her.
She’d never been that bothered by blood before, but she’d also never seen so much. Nor had she ever seen it squirt from an eyebrow just inches from her face before.
The ambulance stopped, and when the doors opened, both Griz and Felix’s sister who was a nurse, were standing waiting for her.
“How did you know I was coming in?” Paige asked as Felix’s sister, Lucinda, took the notes from the EMT.
“Oh, chica , we all knew you were coming in. We saw it on the television. You vomiting all over that sexy MMA fighter? Yeah, it’s gone viral.” Griz helped transfer her to a wheelchair as they headed inside the now packed emergency department. “I managed to get your usual bay.”
Paige would have groaned again if it didn’t hurt so much. She’d been to the emergency room more times this year than in her entire life.
“There’s my favorite girl.” Dr. Fraser Robertson smiled at her without disgust, despite the fact Paige was sure he’d seen the vomit video. Maybe that was a good thing about dating a doctor—they didn’t get grossed out easily. Although, they weren’t really dating. They’d gone out on dates and they’d kissed, but then something always took him away.
“Did I wake you up?” Paige asked, looking up at his tousled light brown and blond hair.
Fraser immediately brushed down his hair. “Yes. I was lying down in the doctor’s lounge. But you’re here now, so let’s get a look at you.” Fraser looked to Roman and Griz as if expecting them to leave. “You can wait in the lobby.”
“No,” Roman said simply.
“I think we’ll stay here,” Griz added as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Paige looked at them with confusion. Were they really that concerned about her being injured?
“Paige,” Fraser asked, “What do you want?”
Well, she didn’t want to scare her friends. If they were that worried about her, they could stay. “They can stay.”
Fraser frowned but nodded. “You’ll need to take off your shirt.”
Paige hesitated but gave in and let Lucinda help her remove her shirt. The guys didn’t look at her. They were watching Fraser.
“I’ve missed seeing you. It’s been so busy,” Fraser said as he began to feel her ribs. His hands were warm as they skimmed her skin as he moved down her ribcage. She hissed in pain, and he stopped to feel the area more. “It doesn’t feel broken, but we’ll do an X-ray.”
Twenty minutes later, Paige was back in her bay as Fraser looked over the X-ray. “It looks clear. You’re going to be sore for a week or so, but nothing is broken. If you find it more comfortable, you can wrap your ribs. Sometimes compression helps with the pain.”
“Thanks, Fraser. You always seem to have to patch me up.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Fraser said as his niece walked into the bay. Paige had met her before but couldn’t remember her name.
“Fraser,” she said to her uncle. “You’re wanted for a consult.”
Fraser nodded. “Thanks. I’ll be right there.”
His niece nodded and walked off leaving Griz and Roman looking between the two of them.
“I’m free tomorrow night. I’m on call, but I’d love to bring you dinner,” Fraser said, reaching out and placing his hand on hers.
Griz and Roman frowned. “She’ll be too sore for that,” Roman answered for her.
“Roman!” Paige shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Dinner at my place sounds great.”
“I’ll pick up our favorite and see you at seven. You have my number. Call if you need me sooner.”
Fraser smiled at her and Paige thanked him before turning to her friends. “What was that about?”
“I don’t like him,” Roman told her.
“I don’t either.” Griz almost growled.
“But you two liked him before when he helped us after our carbon monoxide incident.”
“I know,” Roman said, “But I’ve changed my mind. Who was that woman who came in at the end?”
“His niece. I’ve met her before.”
They both frowned before turning their attention back to her. “Let’s get you home,” Griz said, helping her into the wheelchair as an aide appeared to push her out to Griz’s car.
They talked about the fight and laughed about the vomit. Fraser was forgotten by the time they helped her to her apartment. Tonight hadn’t gone as Paige had pictured it, but it was a night to remember, that was for sure.