Read Online Desire Uncaged: An MMA Romance by Ina Anielka - Free Book Online

back quickly.
    “Seriously? Another girlfriend? I’ve never heard of her. If I can be honest, he seemed pretty into you.”
    Sara didn’t feel like trying to convince him. She searched through her computer for the photo of Ethan and the other girl. She attached it to the chat and sent it off. It flashed small on the screen.
    Sara knew Joe could see it. She hoped that it was enough, that he would leave her alone. She was starting to regret accepting that friend request.
    Instead, more text arrived on the screen.
    “That’s Emily. Ethan broke it off with her before he even met you.”
    Sara was getting heated.
    “Then why did she send it to me three weeks ago?”
    Joe responded rapidly.
    “That picture? It isn’t from three weeks ago! It’s from three months ago! We all went out to that restaurant! I took the picture! Who sent it to you? Emily?”
    Sara’s anger started to dislodge.
    “Yea.” She typed demurely.
    “She’s crazy, Sara. Emily has been trying to ruin Ethan’s life ever since he broke up with her. She calls him, texts him at all hours of the night. She’s not right.”
    Sara’s eye stared ahead, fixated on nothing.
    * * *
    Ethan’s eyes opened before his alarm clock went off. This was strange. During the weeks leading up to the fight, getting up in the morning had been a burden. A herculean task that greeted him every morning. His body was consistently sore, exhausted, tired, or hungry. After the fight, he needed a week just to feel something close to normal again.
    Today was starting off promising, at least. Ethan sprung out of bed with an alacrity and energy he was simply not accustomed to having. He walked into the bathroom and warmed up the shower. He was halfway through brushing his teeth before his alarm went off. I’m already awake, man , he said to his alarm as he flicked it off. Ethan showered, changed and readied for work. No amount of rest would make going to work feel good, but it felt as tolerable as it was liable to be. He buttoned up his shirt, grabbed his keys, and walked out the door to his car.
    Unbeknownst to Ethan, his personal email inbox had a new message. The same message had been sent to his coaches, as well as leaked to several media outlets who would be interested. Ethan as a rule, never checked his email at work, but his coach had no such qualms.
    The message read:
    This message is to inform you that the state athletic commission has overturned the result of Ewing/Roberts from a win for Roberts to a No Contest. The reason is listed below:
    Drug test result for Roberts, LC has returned a positive result for banned substances.
    As a result of the above reason, the fight is declared a No Contest and will be erased from the record of both fighters.
    Ethan worked fastidiously throughout the day. He surprised himself how much more he got done when his body and mind were focused and intact. By the day’s end, he was actually ready to go to practice, not dreading it, like he had been during the last two weeks of his camp.
    He logged out of his work computer, grabbed his gym bag, and made his way to his car. He battled traffic down the highway to the gym. As he walked into the gym, still in his tie and button-up and slacks, he was stopped by his coach.
    “There he is!” The jovial, tattooed man exclaimed, “We need to talk!”
    Ethan did not feel like talking about the fight. He just wanted to break a sweat, get a good workout in and go home.
    “I don’t care about the Roberts fight. Apparently, neither does the athletic commission.”
    “Huh?” Ethan grunted inquisitively.
    “You didn’t see? LC Roberts failed the drug test! Popped hot for anabolic steroids. Way over the limit.”
    Ethan stared at his coach in shock.
    “Your loss is now a ‘no-contest’.”
    Ethan couldn’t fight the smile creeping across his face. I nearly beat that cheating bastard when he was on steroids! If I fought him clean, I’d mop the floor with him !
    Ethan’s coach turned to him,