The Comeback: An MMA Romance Novel (Book Two) Read online

  The Comeback

  © 2016 by Zac Robinson

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, places, characters, and events are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and should not be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is coincidental. All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission from the author.

  The Comeback

  A Zane Todd MMA Romance Novella

  (Book Two)

  Liberty Thunderbolt

  Zac Robinson

  Chapter 1

  My eyes opened to a brightly lit room. I blinked them hard and tried to lift my head. It felt like it weighed a ton. A petite redheaded nurse stood next to a machine that beeped rhythmically. “Well hello, Mr. Todd. It’s good to see you awake.”

  “Where am I?”

  “Bass Memorial. You were in ICU for a day, but now you’re in your own room.”

  “What happened?”

  “You took too many prescription medications and overdosed. We thought we might lose you for a while.”

  I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when the nurse’s words sank in. “I almost died?”

  “It was rough for a while, but you’re very strong.”

  It was coming back to me. I’d remembered bits and pieces of taking the pills and drinking. I saw it as my last big blowout before I got clean and serious. But I’d almost killed myself? That just didn’t make sense. I guessed I’d lost track of the number of pills I’d taken.

  “The doctor will be in soon,” the nurse said. “I’m sure he’ll send you home soon.”

  She left, and I stared at the ceiling. The last few days of my life came back in a rush. After I’d found out Lorenzo, Leeza’s boyfriend, had pushed my daughter while they were fighting, I’d snapped and beaten him up. Then I tried to keep Sam and ended up on the wrong side of the law. Just when it seemed like I was drowning, I was thrown a preserver when Lorenzo and Leeza offered me the crazy deal to basically buy Sam. Then I’d met Sam’s teacher, Elizabeth. We hit it off immediately.

  The night before what I hoped would be my final binge, rose from the murky waters of my mind. I’d been at Elizabeth’s house and we made passionate love. It was nothing like I’d ever experienced before. What the fuck was I thinking by taking all those damn pills?

  The door being shoved open shook me out of those memories.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you, Zane?” It was Leeza.

  I stared at her dumbly.

  “You’ve got to be the stupidest idiot I’ve ever known. Were you trying to kill yourself?”

  “No,” I replied flatly.

  “It seems like it.” She leaned in closer and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “And after I gave you that offer. I don’t get you.”

  “I was just having one last time to shake away the past. Then I’d be ready to change,” I said.

  “That’s so fucking stupid.”

  “Maybe so. I didn’t mean to get so jacked up.”

  As Leeza shook her head in disgust, the door opened again. This time it was a much more welcomed face, Elizabeth.

  “Hey, how are you doing?”

  Leeza looked her up and down. “Who the hell are you?”

  Elizabeth stuck out her hand. Leeza didn’t take it. “I’m your daughter’s teacher. We’ve met a few times.”

  Leeza’s face twisted up in a snarl. “Well, why are you here?”

  “To see Zane.”

  “What? Are you after him or something?”

  “Leeza, knock it off,” I said.

  She spun around and glared at me. “You don’t have any right to tell me what to do.” She leaned over, hovering above me, and whispered through gritted teeth. “This is a shitty start to making good on our deal.”

  Before I responded, she turned and brushed past Elizabeth without giving her another look.

  “Wow, she’s such a delight, Zane. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened, or why I did it.”

  She put her hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. You’re alright, and I’ll help you get better.”

  I didn’t know what I did to deserve her, but God I was happy she was in my life. And I was even happier that I still had a life to live.

  Chapter 2

  I felt like a walking cliché, but Elizabeth was right. I had to get rid of them. She asked if she could be here with me for support, but this felt like something I had to do on my own.

  I’d spent the last few minutes rounding up most of my pills. The pile was about two hundred strong, and it rested next to my kitchen sink. It contained Percocet, Xanax, Oxy, and Vicodin. I plucked out 16 pills: four Xanax, six Oxy, and six Vicodin, and slid them over by the refrigerator. All of them couldn’t go.

  Something like this shouldn’t be so damn hard, especially after I’d almost died, but it was. I placed my palms on the edge of the counter and let out a long breath. I had to come up with a whole lot of money in a short time. It probably would have made more sense to just sell my stash, but I wasn’t a drug dealer. I swept my right hand into the morsels of oblivion, and they tumbled into the sink. I used my left hand to turn on the water at full blast and fought the urge to grab pills.

  They tumbled into the drain and disappeared. I hit the switch and the disposal kicked on. The pills were gone.

  I should have felt better about myself. I didn’t. Maybe it was because it was so hard to get rid of them even though it seemed like the very first step in coming up with $75,000 so I could get Sam. Were the pills more important than my daughter, or even almost as important? Jordan Powers probably really was right. I was just a pill-popping has been.

  I turned the bottle of whiskey upside down and the sweet alcohol joined the pills. As I watched it glug, glug, glug, I thought of Jordan Powers once again, but this time it was because a crazy idea entered my head.

  “Are you finished?”

  I jumped at hearing the unexpected voice, and turned to see Elizabeth. “Yeah, all the pills are gone.” I quickly slid my body over to block her view of the little pile of pills next to the fridge.

  “I’m proud of you.” She crossed the room and hugged me tightly before planting a hard kiss on my lips.

  I grabbed a beer. “Come on, I’ve got an idea.”

  She raised her eyebrows at my choice of beverage. “It’s just a beer. Want one?”

  “Sure,” she replied.

  It probably wasn’t the best choice, but hey, it wasn’t hard liquor or Vicodin.

  We headed to the couch. My computer was asleep. I scribbled on the mouse pad, and the screen came to life. It was already on the Underground, and I was logged on. I clicked on create thread and then thought about the title. “Beating up Jordan Powers will be fun!!!”

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “It will definitely get attention.”

  “I threw in the exclamation points just to fuck with him,” I said. I couldn’t have her thinking I was an exclamation point freak like Powers was.

  Then I added the message: Jordan Powers is always running his mouth. He’s an insecure bitch. I’ve had enough, and it’s time that he gets his ass straight up whipped. Here’s what’s going to happen, I’m going to beat the hell out of a few people over the next couple months, and then I’m going to end up in the UCC cage with Powers. His reign is over soon. I’m back and coming for the belt. Screw what’s happened over the last few years. It doesn’t matter. Jordan Powers is getting beat down soon. This is not a jo
ke. I’m not speaking out of my ass, and I’m not high. I’ve got a reason to fight, and it’s going to happen.

  I glanced at Elizabeth for approval.

  “Do it,” she said.

  I hit send and wished I could have watched the thread fill up. I planned on keeping it going and contacting all the big MMA interviewers soon, but I had to get to the Coliseum to tend bar. It was a 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team long shot, but if it all worked out I wouldn’t be dealing with Leeza’s shit anymore, Sam would be living with me, and I wouldn’t serve Coronas to anybody ever again.

  Elizabeth’s hand was on my leg, and she leaned against me. I looked down at her beautiful full lips and kissed them. She moaned softly, and her hand slid upward. I felt myself getting aroused. I knew I had to stop it now, or I’d be late for work. “I’ve got to go,” I said. “Later tonight, or tomorrow. I can’t wait to kiss your body all over.”

  A pouty look crossed her face. “Fine,” she said, “but you’d better hold true. I want to be kissed ALL over.”

  “Deal,” I replied.

  We walked out the front door and across the creaking porch toward my Camaro. We stopped and hugged. I climbed in, and for the first time in a long time I felt like I had a purpose to succeed. It felt good.

  Chapter 3

  My boss, Morris Johnson, was in one of his trademark worn out blazers, and his meaty fingers held his iPhone. He sat in the flimsy gray chair next to his desk, and just like always I was impressed with the chair’s atlas-like strength.

  I’d given Morris a brief explanation of the events that had just unfolded in my house. “So here’s the deal. I’ve got to get on the card in two weeks. I’ve got to fight every chance I get over the next two months.”

  Morris dabbed his sweaty forehead with a dirty white handkerchief. “I’d love to have you on the card, but you’re on a thirty-day no contact suspension. Remember?”

  “Yeah, but there’s ways around it, right? I’m fine, and besides, the fights will be just two days short of the suspension. Hell, I’ve already had some contact when I beat up Lorenzo.”

  “I guess there are ways around it. The athletic commission would probably let you fight with a clean MRI or CT Scan and a go-ahead from a doctor. It’s not like you’ve been knocked out a lot, and you didn’t take a bunch of damage in the last fight other than the knock out…”

  Morris trailed off. It seemed he was thinking if it would really be possible. The handkerchief was back out on his wet forehead.

  “We’ve got to make it happen,” I said.

  “It’s expensive. And who would you even fight?”

  “I’ll fight whoever you want me to. The best you can find, and I promise you it will be spectacular.”

  He dabbed his forehead again. Then he looked down at his iPhone and hit a few buttons on the screen. “I’m sure I could find you a fight. There’s a young kid out of Tulsa, trains at Duke’s place, and he’s 5-0 and wanting a fight here. But how will you come up with the money?”

  Now it felt like my head was starting to sweat. “What does an MRI cost?”

  “I don’t know, maybe around $1,500 if I could work a deal with Doctor Graham.”

  It sucked, but I needed money just so I could start coming up with the $75,000. “Can you loan it to me? I swear, you won’t regret it. And if things go wrong I’ll be here working it off anyway. It’s either that, or I’ll sell my Camaro. I could get a decent chunk for it and buy a clunker.”

  Morris let out a long breath. A lot of air came from his gigantic cheeks. “You know I love you, Zane. You’ve screwed up from time to time, but I’ve always believed in you. I don’t know if I can just throw money around though. This place is expensive to maintain, and sometimes I barely make any damn money on the fights.”

  “All I can say is it’ll be worth it. I’m going to find a way to get back in the UCC soon. There is a lot more money in it now than there was a few years ago.”

  “You’re right about that,” Morris said.

  “I know it’s a risk for you, and I hate asking. How about this, you’re kind of like my manager anyway, right? So I’ll give you 10% of what I earn in the UCC.”

  “You’ve got to GET in the UCC first,” Morris said.

  “That’s why I’ve got to fight in two weeks.”

  This time Morris dabbed the back of his neck with the handkerchief. I’m sure he missed the sweat in the folds. “Let me make some calls. If we can get you cleared with the commission then you’ve got yourself a deal. I know you love your damn Camaro anyway.”

  I wanted to kiss Morris’ big head, but instead we shook hands.

  About a half hour later I served four Bud Lights to a group of college kids and looked up to see Morris lumbering toward me. He put his hands on the edge of the bar and leaned over it so I could hear him. “You’ve got an MRI on Tuesday. Don’t worry about paying for it. If the radiologist says it’s good, Graham will sign off that he did a full evaluation and there is no reason you can’t fight. I talked to the kid from Duke’s place, name’s Joey Wright, he’s down for fighting you since its short notice for both.”

  “You’re the shit, Morris,” I said, as I reached across the bar and slapped him on the shoulder.

  He smiled real big and nodded. “Just make sure you make this all worthwhile.”

  “I will,” I promised, and then I went back to serving beer. Now though, there was a hunger burning inside of me.

  Chapter 4

  I paced back and forth in the living room. I was nervous as hell. I headed to the front window and looked out. Still no Tyson. My muscles ached like I had just gotten done with a five-round fight against a guy with steel hands and feet.

  Elizabeth had asked once again if she could be here to support me, but I didn’t want her to see this side of me. It would almost have been as bad as letting Sam see me this way. I couldn’t let my girls see me like this.

  I stopped pacing and scratched my cheek. My girls? Did I already see Elizabeth as that? Had I fallen for her so completely that I was putting her next to Sam? Those questions were scary as hell, and now wasn’t the time for me to deal with them.

  It was almost exactly a day since I watched my beautiful pills slip down the drain. I didn’t think I’d really have serious withdrawals. I mean I took no more than eight to ten pills a day, and on some days I just took a couple. Also, I weaned myself a couple weeks before each fight.

  But now it felt different. Maybe deep down my subconscious was screaming at me that this time it had to be real. It had to be for good. Maybe the pills were working on me psychologically, telling me that I needed them more than I really did. I was itching to pop a few in my mouth.

  I’d decided to phone Tyson an hour earlier. I told him I wanted help over the next two days. I needed him to help me get through. I also told him exactly how many pills I’d been taking. Over the last week I’d averaged just four or five pills a day. I wanted more, but I kind of prided myself in not continually increasing the dosage.

  I walked to the kitchen. There on the counter set two pills a few inches away from each other, and thena few more inches away a half pill. I was waiting for Tyson to arrive before I took one of the pills. I told him my plan was one today, one tomorrow evening, and half a pill on Monday afternoon, and that was it. I glanced upward at the basket on the top of my fridge. I wouldn’t tell him that I still had some pills stashed away.

  There was a knock at the door. I hustled through the living room and yanked the door open. Tyson stood there with a smile on his face, and a big plastic bag in one hand and his Xbox 360 in the other.

  “I’m going to bust you up in Gears of War 3,” he said.

  I moved to the side so he could come in. “What’s in the bag?”

  “What do you think, brother? All the Raman we can eat over the next two days and about 20 slices of cheese!”

  I laughed. “You’re a good friend, Tyson.”

  “It’s nothing. I know you’d do the same for me. I talked to my si
ster. I told her everything and she said you should be fine going about it like you plan. She said that if you’re being straight about your dosage you’ll be fine. It will suck a little bit, you might feel nauseous, might get all paranoid on me, shit like that, but you’ll be good.”

  Thirty minutes later I’d taken a pill and Tyson and I were deep into a steaming bowl of Raman noodles. I’d never eaten it with a slice of cheese, it was damn good. The Xbox was hooked up and he was giving me the run down on how to play Gears of War.

  The next thing I knew it was two in the morning and we had been blasting away for hours.

  The following day was more of the same. I took one more pill, and was becoming an expert at Gears of War. I took my last full pill at six in the evening and then begged Tyson to order pizza. Raman and cheese is only good for so long.

  On Monday morning we dragged ourselves away from Gears of War to go to the gym. We trained hard, and afterward Tyson watched as I took my last half pill.

  He stuck out his fist and we hit knuckles. “That’s it. You’re done. No more. You might get the urge a little bit, but you’re done. Never again!”

  “Damn right,” I said, and gave Tyson a hug. “I appreciate all you’ve done.”

  “What, kick your ass at Gears of War? My pleasure.” He rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait to get Gears of War 4.”

  I was scheduled for work a couple hours later. I’d had to take a couple days off, and Morris understood. He’d come through with setting me up with the MRI, and now Tyson came through by supporting me. I didn’t really deserve them, but I had some good friends. Hopefully I wouldn’t let them down.

  Chapter 5

  I was on my back in a paper-thin gown lying as still as possible. The machine hummed and clicked. It sounded like an alien through the plugs jammed in my ears. Just like the other seven or eight times I’d had an MRI, the others were paid for by the UCC, I was told beforehand that sometimes people get scared in the cylindrical machine. It was actually kind of relaxing. My knees were slightly raised with a cushion that kind of looked like a Liberator, and I felt a little sleepy.