Undisputed by A.S. Teague Read Free Book Online

to my feet.
    Brock grabs my good arm. “Are you okay?” he slurs, concern written all over his face.
    Nodding, I tell him, “I think I sprained my wrist.”
    A flurry of motion to my left catches my attention, as Jake charges once again. Dropping my arm, Brock turns and buries his shoulder in Jake’s stomach, sending him flying. Jake lands on the bar, and Brock instantly jumps on him.
    Crawling out of the way, I scream at them to stop. Mindy materializes beside me and pulls me away from the melee. I’m still screaming when another guy almost as big as Brock grabs him around the waist and pulls him away from Jake.
    As soon as Jake scrambles free of his grasp, he snatches a beer bottle off the bar and launches it at my suitor’s head.
    As quickly as it began, bouncers break it up and Jake is tossed out of the club. Grabbing my purse, I follow Mindy out of the bar. I search for Brock, but he’s nowhere to be found.
    I’m disappointed in the way the evening has ended, but I say nothing as I allow Mindy to lead me toward our cars.
    Pulling out of the parking lot, I look back at the club one last time. As I round the corner, the bouncer Mindy knew throws Brock and his friend out. I slam on my brakes, intent on going back but deciding better of it.
    Talking to him tonight was so much fun, but his aggression and violence freaked me out. I continue to watch him interact with his buddy in my rearview mirror.
    From way his friend’s hands are swinging wildly, it looks as though they’re arguing about something. After a few minutes of their back-and-forth exchange, his friend places a phone to his ear.
    Moments later, a cab pulls up and the friend shoves him in the back seat before scrambling in after him.
    Shoulders sagging, I take one last longing look at the most interesting man I’ve ever met before I put the car in gear and head home.

 
    A fter getting out of the shower the next morning, I turn the TV on, immediately caught off guard by the sound of my name coming out of the news anchor’s mouth. My head is killing me, and I have to turn the volume down as she begins her segment.
    “Mixed Martial Arts superstar Breccan Carlisle seems to be enjoying his latest victory in the cage. But is he enjoying it too much? Our sources have told us that Carlisle was at Club Raw until the wee hours of the morning before being thrown out amidst what is best described as a barroom brawl. No word yet on whether any charges will be filed against him for the damages done to the club. Management says they are reviewing security tapes and will make their decision later in the day.”
    The screen flashes to several pictures of me, clearly intoxicated, being dragged out of the club by Tripp, several angry-looking bouncers on our heels.
    I rack my brain, trying to remember exactly what went down that resulted in my being kicked out.
    “Tripp! Hey, man. What happened while we were out last night? I just saw myself on the news, and…let’s just say it wasn’t anything flattering,” I say as my best friend walks in to the kitchen, rubbing his face.
    I need at least a whole pot of coffee and about ten aspirin. I’m rummaging through the cabinet, looking for anything clean I can pour my coffee into, when Tripp starts laughing. Only his laugh is devoid of any actual humor.
    “You got drunk. That’s what happened. What else is there to say, man? Pretty much the usual. You ordered liquor, drank more than any human should be allowed, then decided you needed to get laid and went off to pick up some chick. I don’t know for sure, but I assume you tried to pick up another guy’s chick, and when he called you out on it, a brawl ensued.”
    I blink, desperately trying to remember any of what he just told me. “I met a chick. I remember now. I think. What was her name?” I’m thinking out loud.
    Tripp throws his arms out to the sides. “I don’t fucking know. You meet a lot of chicks. Apparently, this one’s name was ‘already taken’