Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
What I found a little surprising was that Kage seemed to be the lowest ranked fighter by far. Having only fought three UFC fights, he was still a baby compared to the other guys in the room, but he was a star in the making. Anyone could see that. Even the way he carried himself around these men was a testament to his professionalism and potential.
As I watched him climb the steps to the platform and take the seat he was assigned, I couldn’t help smiling with pride. That was my man up there.
“Excuse me, mind if I sit here?” A young woman with long blond hair, bright blue eyeshadow, and a nose ring sat down beside me without waiting for my answer. “Are you Michael Kage’s assistant? That’s what one of the organizers told me.”
“That’s me. Jamie Atwood, Assistant.”
I wasn’t really in the mood for small talk. I wanted to watch everything. One of the reasons Kage had gotten me into this event was so that I could get some experience. This was just the type of thing I might be doing in the future after I graduated from college. Even more than that, I wanted to keep an eye on Kage. In this atmosphere, it wasn’t totally outlandish to imagine that he might get into an altercation. If that happened, I would not hesitate to jump in and start fighting. I wasn’t a professional like these guys, but I had a little bit of training, and I had a lot of heart where Kage was concerned. I figured I could at least slow someone down long enough for Kage to beat the shit out of them.
“I’m Farrah. David Grand’s girlfriend.”
Was it petty of me to feel jealous of her just because she could say that aloud? It was so unfair that I had to pretend, and yet she could just blurt that shit right out.
“Nice to meet you, Farrah.” I smiled at her, because it wasn’t her fault the situation was messed up. No reason to be unfriendly. “I’ve never seen your boyfriend fight, but he must be pretty good to be here today.”
“He’s the number two contender for the Welterweight title. No offense, but I thought you’d know that, being Kage’s assistant.”
“It’s okay. I never said I was a good assistant.”
She laughed, and the sound instantly put me at ease. In another life, I might have been attracted to her.
I sought out her boyfriend on the stage just to see what he looked like, and I was underwhelmed. He was average in the face, with a wide jaw and smallish eyes. His nose had been broken, and probably more than once. His body was wide, and I guessed he was probably a good bit shorter than Kage.
When David looked our way, Farrah waved excitedly, and he lifted a hand in response. “Look at him trying to be all cool,” she said under her breath. “He’s so funny when he gets around these guys.”
“Kage and I haven’t been to many of these kinds of things, so I’m not sure how he’s going to react. If he’ll be all aloof or not. If I had to guess, he will be, though. Most people find him to be pretty intimidating, even when we’re just hanging out or going shopping.”
I realized too late that I was babbling. The urge was strong to brag about my boyfriend, and to let it be known that we were close enough to have funny stories together, too.
Farrah laughed. “Yeah, they can be intimidating. But they can also be big babies.”
“I know, right?” My answer was reflex, and I instantly felt bad for insinuating that Kage could be a big baby. I’d never thought of him that way, even when he was clinging to me after a nightmare.
Farrah was in a sharing mood. Unfortunately for her boyfriend, it was his business she wanted to share. “I’ve never told anybody this, but one time David and I were in a hotel for fight week, and we’d both been drinking. We had a little private time, if you know what I mean, and then I got in the shower to get ready for bed. David got out of bed and finished off the leftovers of our room service meal, but when he went to put the dishes outside the door, he let the door close behind him. He got stuck out in the hallway in nothing but a little pair of briefs. He kept banging on the door, but of course I couldn’t hear him from the shower. Poor guy had to go all the way down to the front desk and get another key made. He was so pissed.”
I found myself chuckling along to her story, enjoying the fact that I was bonding with the significant other of a fighter. Never mind that it was at the expense of David Grand’s dignity. It made me feel like I was part of the culture. I didn’t want to be an outsider, always hovering around the edges, pretending to be with Kage in a professional capacity rather than a personal one. I wanted to support him and cheer for him the way my girlfriends had cheered for me when I played sports. I would have bet a million dollars that Farrah ran up and threw her arms around her boyfriend and gave him a big kiss every time he won a fight.