Synopsis
In the debut of Ashley Suzanne’s
blistering-hot Fight or Flight series—perfect for fans of Monica Murphy
and J. Lynn—two sparring partners put their hearts on the line and push
their bodies to the edge.
Rian Fields is done being a punching bag. When Rian was thirteen, her
only friend walked out on her, leaving Rian alone to mourn when she
lost her mother three years later. Then he came back into her life
senior year, igniting new desires—and breaking her trust permanently
when he enlisted in the army. Now Rian has finally found an outlet for
her rage against the world: mixed martial arts. But just as she’s
learning the ropes, Garrett Rhodes turns her life inside-out one more
time.
As much they hurt each other, Garrett never got over Rian. So when he
gets the call that she’s in jail, he bails her out, no questions asked.
The years have toughened her. Made her harder. Sexier. All she needs to
make it as an MMA fighter is the right coach, and Garrett’s man enough
to train her. He just has to go toe-to-toe with “Raven,” the fearless
woman who takes control in the ring . . . without falling for Rian, the
vulnerable girl who still drives him crazy.
Excerpt
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a
woman, you’re gonna wanna get in our next contender’s pants. . . . Show
some love for our hometown legend, the Switch Hitter!” I snort at the
name, expecting to walk out and see a fighter carrying a baseball bat.
What do ya know? No bat in sight. Extra reinforcements might not have
been a bad idea since I’m on fire and ready to bust the bricks off this
clown.
Waiting for the emcee to call my name, I
think of all the crazy things in my life that have led me to this
point. I’ve experienced more than any one person should by the age of
twenty-one—few happy moments surrounded by almost constant anguish.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
“Being escorted to the cage by the most
badass entourage I’ve seen tonight, all the way from Corbin, Kentucky .
. . the newest fighter this side of the Mississippi . . . the Raven!”
At least my name makes sense. Ravens are known for being alone, having
no problem flying solo. That’s what I’ve done for the past four years
anyway.
After my announcement, the crowd erupts
into cheers that I can hear loud and clear, even over the song
streaming out of my earbuds. Bouncing back and forth on the balls of my
feet, I crane my neck side to side, examining the mass of people. It’s
a good-sized crowd for this venue. I sometimes wonder if these guys
come to watch the fights for the love of the sport or because they like
to see the ring girls walking around, barely dressed, carrying signs
indicating the round. Oh well, they paid their cover, and that money,
if all goes according to plan, will be in my pocket later tonight.
With my coaches leading the way, I
follow, bobbing my head to “Down with the Sickness” by Disturbed,
mentally preparing myself. I run over everything I’ve been taught over
the last year—how to get out of a submission hold, finding
opportunities to take my opponent down, remembering not to be a cocky
asshole.
It took a lot of convincing for Zan to
let me fight tonight. He’s not the kind father figure he portrays
himself to be. He says he loves and supports his “children,” but deep
down he’d rather I not get in that cage. I know damn well if I blow my
first match, it’s going to be a long time, if ever, until he puts me on
another card.
“You ready for this?” Zan asks, pulling
out one of my earbuds.
Smirking, I eye up my competition that’s
already inside the cage—a small, tiny thing that doesn’t look to have
much muscle mass. I got this. Standing on the opposite side of the mat
surrounded by coaches, glancing in my direction, the slightest tinge of
fear flashes across those brown eyes, similar to mine. Physically, I’m
not very intimidating—weighing in at an average weight for my class
with an average stature to match—but the menace written across my face
is an entirely different thing.
Since my first introduction into the
world of mixed martial arts, it’s all I can think about. It may be
cliché, but I live, breathe, and sleep MMA. It’s the one place I have
control. Nobody can take a match from me unless I allow them to, and my
opponent isn’t going to walk away with anything . . . except maybe
disappointment, since I’m taking the purse. I already know I want it
more; I can taste the victory and it’s going to be as sweet as I
imagine it to be.
Stepping into the steel cage, I shrug my
midnight blue robe off, right into the hands of my coach. Wearing
standard MMA gear and my hair pulled back tight, I walk straight to the
official, who checks my taped hands. Once cleared, I step back to Zan,
who pops my mouth guard in for me, pats me on the shoulder, and
whispers in my ear, “It’s only you two.
If you want it, make it happen. If not, we can leave right now.”
“Don’t worry, Z. I wouldn’t bring you
all the way here to disappoint you.”
Zan and the other coaches walk out of
the cage and the door slams shut, leaving only me, my opponent, and the
official inside. I meet them in the middle, and the ref goes over the
standard rules for the fight. My opponent and I nod and bump fists, and
the bell dings, indicating round one is under way.
Pacing myself and testing Switch
Hitter’s skills, I toss a few jabs in the direction of my opponent,
gauging for reaction, if any. Without even flinching, my advances are
shut down and every punch is dodged while some are tossed in my
direction as well. None land, and Switch Hitter never breaks a sweat. I
may have to reevaluate my plan. Weight class isn’t everything in the
MMA world. Sometimes the smallest contender can be the biggest fighter.
This isn’t going to be as clean as I thought.
It doesn’t take long before Switch
Hitter makes a dive for my lower half and I feel hands wrapped around
my legs. I try my hardest to center myself to stay on my feet, but I’ve
been hit in just the right spot and gravity is an impossible opponent.
I position my body to flip and mount, like I’ve been taught, but I’m
not quick enough.
Before I know it, a strong forearm,
stronger than I assumed, is wrapping around my neck, pulling back to
cut off my air supply. Rear naked choke, shit. Taking a few deep
breaths, I try to calm my overheated, exhausted body and find a way to
maneuver out of this situation. From the corner of my eye, I see Zan
signaling me to tap. Not yet. If I’m going to go down, the officials
are gonna have to call a medic in here—quitting isn’t an option.
Dangerous or not, it’s how I’ve been taught.
The phrase that’s been drilled into me
for months dances around in my head. Don’t let the fight consume you.
Well, I’m consumed and I’m not giving
up. I’ll figure a way out. I always have, I always will.
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Author Info
Ashley Suzanne has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a
youngster, she was always creating stories and talking to her imaginary
friends. Thankfully, her parents also carried this love of fiction, and
helped her grow into the bestselling author she is today. When Ashley
isn’t coming up with her next story, you’ll most likely find her on the
couch, telling her husband all about her new book boyfriend, or
spending quality time with her two gremlins . . . er, adorable children.
Author Links:
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Cassie
Ryan (aka Tina Gerow) started her career writing steamy paranormal
romance under another pen name. However, when one of her critique
partners suggested she try her hand at contemporary romance, she gave
it a shot—and Cassie Ryan was officially born. She lives in Phoenix,
Arizona, and besides being a write-a-holic, is a frequent speaker on
several writing and motivational topics.
Marissa
Clarke lives in Texas, where the everything is bigger, especially the
mosquitoes.