Free Tapout (The Submission Fighter Book 3) by Sophia Hampton

in air, as she turned her back on the stadium’s door and the sound of the crowd chanting Micah’s name. “No. I can find it.”
     

Chapter 8: Return Tickets
     
    The stadium slowly slipped out of Alice’s sight, as her driver made the turn back on the interstate. The flashing neon lights and the noise of the venue drifted away as rain began to slowly fall on the car’s tinted windows.
     
    Alice sat back in the leather seats unsure what her reaction to being nearly kicked out of her boyfriend’s semifinal fight should be. On one hand, she felt robbed of the opportunity, but on the other, she could not help but feel some kind of guilt for not being there. She could not have anticipated that her showing up in a gorgeous gown and some stellar jewelry was going to create a media circus. Really, if she showed up in anything, Alice figured, she would still be attracting those goons. Had Lucy really made a big deal of it? And what would the press say when they notice that Alice did not return to watch the match after slipping out the back VIP area?
     
    More importantly, what would Micah say? He wanted her to be there. He put in the effort to have her dress the part of his woman, to make her feel wanted and loved. Yet, here she was in the back of the car, completely unaware of what was going on in the ring. Her mind raced, as she struggled to think of the scenarios that were about to play out when he returned to the hotel to find her there.
     
    Alice was rolling down the divider of the limo to ask her driver if he knew how to get the sports radio stations so she could follow along with the match when she heard her phone buzz inside her handbag. Scanning the number in her memory, her heart leapt a bit as she fumbled to press the receive button.
     
    Her voice was anxiously shaky. “Hello, this is Alice…”
     
    “Ms. Cross? Detective Crighton. We need you to come to the police station immediately. There have been some developments.” The way he elongated the word developments somehow made Alice even more hopeful that this was the call she had spent months praying for now.
     
    “Um, well, I'm actually in Chicago right now. I was planning on being here till at least Tuesday.” That is, if Micah actually wins his match tonight and makes it to the final round. “But I can fly back if necessary.”
     
    Alice waited as the detective pondered what her course of action should be. He typically didn’t care if he inconvenienced anyone, but this case was hot and nearly solved. The only thing he needed was for his one witness to make the final call. His voice was firm and sterile, as he said, “Yes, I think that’s best. I’m here until two o’clock in the morning and from noon through ten o’clock tomorrow night. I'll expect you unless I hear from you.”
     
    She heard the man hang up, as she was left to try to decide what to do next. She could return to her hotel and wait for Micah’s approval to leave, or she could just forge ahead and cut her losses. If she left tonight, she could at least avoid Micah’s potential anger over her not being at the match.
     
    Alice looked down at her phone and, with resolve, started composing a text. She would need to keep it short, sweet, but urgent. He probably wouldn’t understand either way, but she had to try: I am so sorry for leaving the match. Got a call from police. New developments with case. Wants me to go back to Steubenville tonight. Call me ASAP. Headed to airport NOW.
     
    She then gave instructions to the driver as she called the card left in her bag for the concierge to deliver Micah a message. In case Micah missed her text messages, she wanted to be sure that he knew where she had gone when he returned to the hotel to find it empty. Everything else, her bags, her clothing, her belongings, could wait for another time. All that mattered to Alice was getting back home as soon as possible.
     
    The last flight out to Steubenville was at nine thirty that night. As she