Read Naked Choke (A Stepbrother MMA Romance) Online
Authors: Celia Loren
"No!" I scream as Logan falls to the floor. The
arena falls into momentary silence, and then erupts in anger at the cheap shot.
The ref jumps in between Krusov and Logan, angrily gesturing at Krusov to
return to his corner.
I watch Logan's face as he stands up. He grimaces as he puts
weight on his right leg, but then officials swarm the cage and he's cut off
from view as someone pushes a chair forward for him to sit in.
"What the shit was that?" Maya exclaims.
"They're not going to let it continue, right?" she asks turning to
me, but I can only shake my head. I can see Dan Black conferring with the
judges, then calling the referee down.
"I wish there were someone there with him," I
murmur as I catch a glimpse of Logan pushing away a medic. Black's conference
doesn't last long. He hands the referee a wireless mic, and I watch as his
black and white uniform heads back into the center of the cage. The crowd
quiets to hear the verdict.
"Due to an intentional late hit, Andrei Krusov is
disqualified from competition. Logan Riggens advances to the final round."
The crowd cheers and Krusov storms back to the locker room with his coaches,
shoving cameras out of his face. With the cage a little clearer, I can see
Logan still seated in the chair. The referee goes over to talk to him, and
offers him his hand to help him stand up. Logan shakes his head – he doesn't
need it.
As he stiffly rises, the crowd goes crazy. Logan's
expression changes for a moment. It's as though he's hearing their support for
the first time, and he's surprised. He glances around the arena, then gives a
slight nod. The cheers follow him as he walks slowly down the steps from the
cage and toward the locker room.
"Thank god he's alright," Maya sighs.
"I don't think he is," I reply shortly. "But
he's not going to let on because then Austen will try to exploit it."
"Would Austen do that?"
"He'd be a fool not to. I can't believe it's really
come down to the two of them," I groan. "And Logan's going into it in
such rough shape. I don't think I can stay here and watch this."
* * *
An hour later, and I'm still sitting in my car in the
parking lot. I was so determined to get as far away from this fight as I could,
but now I can't make myself leave. I look at the clock. 4:02. The fight is
already underway. I reach for my keys and turn the engine on to idle, then flip
the radio dial until I find the local sports station that's covering the
tournament.
"—and Logan Riggens blocks a jab but the cross makes
contact. Austen falls back, looking for another opening. Logan comes up with a
knee—Oh! Austen catches his leg and brings the fight to the ground. Austen's
trying to get a good position, I can see Duke Riggens yelling at him to get the
arm, but Logan's slippery. And they're back up. Both fighters looking a little
tired—Austen with a big leg kick! Logan took that one hard on his right leg
just about where Krusov hit him. He's definitely limping now—"
I flip it off again, feeling nauseous. I watch the clock.
The first round will be over now, and Logan will be heading back to his corner
alone, while Austen confers with their father. I turn the keys again and put
the car into drive. But something stops me.
I feel like I'm abandoning Logan. He helped me so much, and
now I'm just leaving him to lose? I don't want to be a distraction, but if he's
already so far down, I probably can't make it worse, right?
Something clicks in my brain and I yank the keys out of the
ignition. I grab my purse and go flying back toward the doors of the arena, shedding
my inertia like a cloak. I head for the entrance to the VIP seats. It's the
only way I'll get to the floor. I stop as I see an usher standing at the first
row. The cage is so close, I can see the blood pouring from Logan's reopened
wound without looking up at the big screen.
Austen steps forward into a quick combination that sends
Logan stumbling back. Austen pursues him, pinning him up against the cage.
Logan shields his face while Austen throws haymaker after haymaker. I jump on
my toes, desperate to help him. I look back down at the usher. His eyes are
glued to the fight. I take a deep breath and without another though, I rush
toward the cage. I sail down the aisle. People on both sides of me begin to
stand with excitement as the round draws to a close. I dart past the front row
and am in the clear space just in front of the cage. I turn toward Logan's
corner when I feel a hand grabbing my wrist. My head snaps back to see a burly
security guard frowning down at me.
"Let go!" I yell, pulling back. A memory flashes
in front of my eyes, and I find myself stepping toward him, bending my arm down
until he releases it. He blinks in surprise and I turn back toward the cage
just as the bell signals the end of the round. I see Logan slump against the
chain link without even a coach to bring in a stool for him to rest on.
"Logan!" I yell, hurrying the remaining few feet to him. I see him
glance up in shock just as the security guard reaches for me again.
"How'd you get in here?" he gasps in confusion.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see an image on the big screen on the side of
the arena. One of the cameramen surrounding the cage caught my move and they're
replaying it for the amusement of the crowd. I point up at it. He glances
toward the screen and I wrap my fingers around the cage as the security guard
tries to pull me off. Through his swollen lips, I can just see a smile as he
recognizes me using the very first self-defense move he taught me. "Let
her stay," he says, turning back toward the guard. "You here to tell
me to quit?" he says, blood and sweat dripping down his face.
"I'm here to tell you that I know you can do this. I
believe in you," I reply, standing on my tiptoes to get as close to his
face as I can.
"You shouldn't," he murmurs, his shoulders slumping.
"Yeah, I should!" I argue fiercely. "I
applied to college, Logan. I got a new job. I'm doing it, and it's because of
you. You did that. You inspired me. You're the strongest person I know and I
love you. You can do this!" He sways slightly, trying to focus on my face.
His fingers drift down the metal cage and come to rest on mine. "It
doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Your father or Austen or anyone. You
just concentrate on my voice, OK? I'm here for you. I forbid you to give up.
Fight!"
The ref taps Logan on the shoulder, calling him back for the
final round. His fingers press against mine as he turns around.
The two brothers run at each other full force, Logan’s face
twisted in anger and Austen’s painted with a smirk. It seems as though Austen
can’t believe his younger brother is even still trying, and in a moment of
misjudged cockiness throws what he thinks to be the knockout punch.
Logan dodges under the blow and wraps his older brother up
in a nasty rear naked choke. The two hit the mat with a thunderous crash, Logan
straining with every ounce of strength left in his body to strangle the life
out of his brother.
My heart jumps out of my throat and tears begin to well in
my eyes as I see Austen reach with his right hand and frantically tap his
brother’s arm in submission.
I meet Logan’s gaze as he jumps up in the ring, arms raised
high above his head, a smile beaming from ear to ear.
Over the crashing cacophony of cheers he mouths to me, “I
love you”.
I smile wide, “I love you too.”
And now I get to sleep with an MMA champ. Lucky me.
THE END
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