Fuck.
Yeah, this is going to be a tough day.
Chase walks over to me, grinning that evil grin. “NEXT!”
Double fuck. Then I hear something I really don’t want to hear. “Double next!”
That was Max, and that means they are offering a twofer. Two of them, and I am betting it’s one of me.
I don’t hear anyone else trying to get in so I look around and see a couple of frowns in my direction. Then I feel a huge fucking arm slide around my shoulders. Looking up, I see Max’s face beaming down at me.
“Aww, isn’t it my heterosexual life partner? Ready to go play?” he says as he directs me to the gym.
Fuck.
Yep, fuck.
I haven’t been putting the time in the last week at the dojo or the gym. Since seeing Mandy come back, I have been taking this training a bit too lightly. I may not be drinking, but I’m not getting myself prepared for the fucking war it’s going to be with Charlie.
Charlie is an asshole, but he’s fucking talented, and he’s the fucking champion for a reason. He’s good at the ground and pound, submitting, and he can stand. My standing though is far superior, and I am good at the other two. I am going to win, this is a mantra I have been telling myself, but have I really done it or felt it? Fuck.
I get pushed into the cage by Max and I see Chase slamming it shut. He may have retired but the hulking fuck hasn’t stopped coming to the dojo and gym sessions. This is going to be a long, long day.
I have three weeks and then it’s my fight night. Three weeks to become the champion or be pushed so far down the ladder that it could take a couple of years to get back to a title shot. These aren’t always given out to people who lose to the champ. So either I take this shot as mine or I fail.
“Take down time, baby!” Max slams his weight into me, and it’s all I can do not to fly backwards on my ass.
This fucker is just as fucking talented as Chase and he knows how to use his weight. I sprawl backwards and push him to the side as I dance to the left and away from his grasp.
This is going to be hell day; I can already tell. One of them will wear me down to a takedown, and I have to either tap or get out of the takedown. Then the other will go after me to take me down, and I will have to tap or get out of the takedown.
This is punishment time. Yep, I’ve been a bad boy not putting my all into this.
I eventually fall to Max after he sweeps me from behind and down I go. Slipping out, I get tackled from Chase and land hard on my side.
Failure, god that is a scary fucking term. This is what I have worked my whole fucking adulthood towards, maybe even my life. I have had other aspirations at one time, but those are gone. I could maybe be a teacher if this doesn’t work out, but I don’t want that. I want to fight right now and I want to win. I want to be the fucking man.
Will I let myself down if I lose this fight? Yes. Will I let my parents down? I have no clue. I miss them right now. I got Mandy back, why not them?
I stand from Chase’s takedown and this time rush at Max, not waiting for him to advance on me. Grabbing his meaty leg, I push up and tip him over onto his side where I quickly wrap him up.
A tap on my shoulder tells me he wants me off, but he’s got a wicked grin. I am feeling sassy though so I hop up and charge towards Chase. I want the fucker down, too.
What will happen when this fight is done? Do I really get to keep her?
Fuck! I need to push myself and clear everything but me and my body.
The King of the Mountain goes on for about forty-five minutes. I am gasping for breath and my workout clothes are absolutely drenched. Yep, time to tell my body to sack up. I have a lot more work today before I go home and nurse my owwies.
I work for another hour with a couple of guys at the dojo. Chase instructing and fine tuning my defense before I head out to the gym. Today is cardio day, and I need to work on keeping my heart rate up when I am fighting so I don’t slow down.
Weights, running, and then I do the torture routine Chase taught me. I start with lifting and pushing over one of those gigantic fucking tires.
Over and over. Lift, strain, then push. Lift, strain, then push.
After that, running for about a mile on the track. I do the lunges for about a half mile. I am doing this to increase my endurance. It’s the man who can give that last bit of effort that can win a fight.
I hop back to running with a guy behind me pulling backwards as I lean forward to push as hard as I can. I have to pull with this, I have to push my