Read Caged Love: MMA Contemporary Suspense (Book One) for Free Online Page B

were standing throughout the room, each surrounded by their own little following of reporters.
    Bretten gazed at his surroundings and his admissions to Rodrigo made him take stock as to how exactly he’d gotten here. It had been a sharp change in direction that hadn’t seemed real until this moment. In a way this was his coming out party, a big enough stage to announce that Bretten Maris was a fighter, and a damn good one.
    The opening of the double doors ripped those thoughts from his head. “Check it out, Brooke Simms,” Rodrigo said.
    The woman entered the room with a natural elegance. Attention shifted from the other fighters and landed squarely on her. The interest was due to her looks, but Brooke was a great fighter as well. Through five bouts she tallied a 5-0 record. Her last two wins came at UCC 126 Clash in Cleveland and UCC 127 Rapid Retribution . This exposure, mixed with her skill and good looks, thrust her into the spotlight in a hurry and landed her just short of the main event here at Courage and Heart Fighting Championships.
    Whittney Daulton entered next. Bretten slapped Rodrigo’s arm. “Whittney freaking Daulton!”
    “I figured Whit would be here, he’s Brooke’s and that guy’s coach,” Rodrigo nodded to the third person to enter.
    “Is that Tristan Holmes?”
    “Yep, he kicked the crap out of me a few months ago.”
    The three made their way to their seats at the middle of the table next to the podium. Both Rodrigo and Bretten stood as the trio walked toward them. Rodrigo shook hands with Whit, Brooke, and then Tristan, and was rewarded with, “Looks like you healed up good “ Hot ” Roddie, how’s the arm?”
    “Good Tristan, I’m ready to fight,” Rodrigo said in a strained but cordial voice.
    Tristan grinned. “Yeah, you’ll be alright since you aren’t in the cage with me,” and pushed by to his seat.
    When Brooke approached, Bretten found himself falling into her green eyes. They were so clear and confident, so beautiful. “Hi, I’m Bretten Maris,” he stammered.
    A thin smile drifted over her lips. “Hi Bretten Maris. I’m Brooke Simms.”
    “It’s uh great to meet you. I saw you fight at 127.”
    Her smile broadened. “You were there?”
    “No, I just watched it at Buffalo Wild Wings.”
    “Oh, cool,” she said. “Where do you train?”
    “Just a local gym in Iowa.”
    “I train at this monster’s gym.” She gave Whit a playful punch on the arm. “This is the infamous Whit Daulton. Coach, this is Bretten Maris. He likes chicken wings.” She turned to Bretten and one of those big green eyes winked at him.
    “Coach Whittney Daulton, it’s an honor to meet you sir,” Bretten said.
    “Whit,” was the reply, but in the commotion Bretten thought he said what.
    “I said it’s an honor to meet you, Whittney.”
    Whit’s laser-eyes pierced Bretten and almost caused him to tap out right there on the white table cloth, “And I said Whit, not what, I go by Whit.”
    “Nice job, rookie,” Brooke laughed as she walked past him to her seat.
    Bretten just nodded stupidly. “Good luck,” Whit said as he followed her.
    Bretten sat down. “Dude, you don’t know anything do you,” Rodrigo said. “He hates being called Whittney.”
    Even with the embarrassment of the gaffe, Bretten found himself glancing down the table to Brooke Simms until he noticed Tristan was staring at him like he wanted to kill him.
    “They used to have a thing,” Rodrigo said.
    Bretten nodded and turned to scan the growing crowd. His was the fourth fight of the night. What they call the swing fight. It would be on Korean TV if some of the televised bouts were quick finishes, if not he’d have to search for it on You Tube.
    The announcer rattled off a string of Korean and then Bretten heard his name. He felt foolish as he raised his hand and nodded. Minutes later his name was called again, this time for the weigh-in. He stripped down to his shorts and walked to the scale. He kept his