Chapter Two
I was able to convince Paul to take it easy for that one day. The day after I left him sleeping and went back to my apartment to get ready for work. I was just about to leave when he called.
“Hey, why’d you leave without me?”
“You were sleeping. I didn’t want to wake you. I have to go to work.”
“I know. I want to go with you.”
“To the gym? No way!”
“Really…Mom?”
“Come on, I laid next to you most of the day yesterday and all night last night. Every time you move, you wince. Breathing looks painful. The last thing you need to do is work out.”
“No it’s the first thing I need to do. You think I can lie around for a week and then beat a champion? You’re a trainer, you know better than that.”
“You can’t beat him if you don’t take care of yourself…”
“I’ll just see you there…”
“Oh stop it! I’ll be right there, but I want it on the record that I object.”
“Objection overruled,” he said. I hung up shaking my head. He was hot, sexy, kind, gentle…and stubborn as hell.
He was waiting outside for me when I got to his apartment. He got into the car without making a face or sucking air, but I knew he was concentrating on being stoic just to get me off his back. As we drove to the gym I said, “Did you take your pain pills?”
“Yeah. I didn’t take the muscle relaxants. I don’t want to fall asleep in the ring.”
“Probably a good idea. Who are you working out with today?”
“Sam…and you?”
I was afraid he was going to say that. I usually didn’t mind helping him at all but I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to handle watching him in pain. I didn’t say that though, he knew how I felt. “Okay,” I said. “What are you working on?”
“Kick-boxing,” he said.
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” he told me as we pulled into the lot in front of the gym. “Trent’s game is all wrestling. He won National division wrestling tournaments before he started cage fighting. I do not want to take this fight to the ground until it’s because he’s unconscious.”
“Great,” I said, forcing a smile that we both knew was fake. We walked in together and as he headed for the back I said, “Go ahead and get started with Sam, I’m going to clock in and take care of some paperwork I’m behind on first.” He winked at me and in spite of myself I felt that twinge of lust in my nether regions. He was just so damned hot. I walked over to the counter and said, “Hi Victoria.”
“Hey there,” she said. She glanced in Paul’s direction and said, “You two look cozy.”
I could feel myself blush. “We’re doing alright.” It killed them all that I wouldn’t talk about my personal stuff like everyone else around here.
She made a face and said, “Greg told me about that creep Mitch attacking Paul yesterday. I can’t believe what he did to you wasn’t enough to keep him in jail. Paul looks okay though, that’s good.”
“Yeah, he looks good. He wouldn’t go to the hospital though so who knows? As far as the cops go, I don’t know why they don’t want to admit there could be a bad seed in their midst. I think they want to keep trying to give him the benefit of the doubt because he’s a cop. It’s ridiculous. Hopefully they’ll keep him this time.”
“I hope so too,” she said. I went into the back office and took care of some billing I needed to do for my private clients. I was really appreciative of my amazing bosses lately. The drama of my life…or Mom’s and Paul’s lives had gotten in the way of work a lot. When I finished, I left the invoices for Greg to sign and then I headed for the back where Paul and Sam were. Sam had him on the bag instead of in the ring. That made me feel better. The bag wasn’t going to fight back and accidentally kick him in the sore ribs. I stood back and watched for a minute. As I walked in he was moving his right leg around in a roundhouse. His form was off a little…I thought it had to be because of the pain. When he connected with the bag I saw him wince and heard a little “Oomph!”
I went over closer and said, “Hey, are you doing okay?”
He was sweating more than usual for what would normally be a light work-out for him, but he said, “Yep, I’m fine.” I didn’t say anything; I just stood back and watched him and Sam for a few minutes. After the kick he dropped to his feet with another strangled sound but he kept moving. He moved in close to the bag and pulled back his right arm for a roundhouse punch.
“Tuck your chin,” Sam told him. Paul did and then he unleashed a flurry of roundhouse punches onto the bag. His form was good, but every time his fist connected with the bag, he would suck in a breath between his teeth. He was in a lot of pain whether he would admit it or not. “Arc it!” Sam told him. “Fist to shoulder, make it hard for him to block.”
“Watch the other hand too,” I told him. “Use it to block your junk because he’s coming in with a front kick after a few of those punches connect.”
He snorted and in a breathless voice he said, “You weren’t supposed to be funny.”
“I was dead serious,” I told him.
“My junk?”
“We’re in mixed company, what should I call it…your package?”
He laughed out loud that time and then said, “Shit! Stop Jess, it hurts.”
“Why don’t you take a break,” I told him.
“I’m alright,” he said. “I want to practice the spinning-back kick, Sam.”
“Okay, slow motion one the first time. Step forward…you’re too far back; close in on your target. Now spin backwards so you’re facing away from him. At the same time look over your shoulder at your target, now lift your knee to your chest…yeah that’s it…higher….”
“Fuck,” I heard Paul breathe out almost silently. Sweat was dripping off his forehead now. I started to tell him again that he should take a break, but he gave me a look that said it was a moot point. “Okay Sam, here it goes.”
He repeated the steps and after he lifted his leg Sam told him, “Now drive the heel of your foot back into him. You want to aim for his gut.”
Paul landed the kick in the center of the bag. He was thrown forward slightly and this time his strangled cry was an all-out cry. I winced and so did Sam.
“Damn it Paul, take a break.”
Through his still gritted teeth he said, “No.”
I looked at Sam, rolled my eyes and said, “Good luck, I can’t watch this.”
I grabbed my water and went out front. The gym was crowded and I needed some air so I went outside. I paced back and forth, frustrated. I wanted to kick Paul’s ass for being so damned stubborn. He should have gone to the hospital and he shouldn’t be here today. But hell if he’ll listen to me.
“Hey there, who pissed in your cheerios?” It was Justin the marathon runner. I smiled at him and he said, “That’s better. You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I told him. “I’m pissed and frustrated, but fine.”
“What happened? That creep Mitch isn’t bothering you again, is he?”
“Not me specifically,” I told him. “Yesterday they let him out of jail though and in the morning he attacked Paul with a crow bar. It was at a gas station and it was a whole big mess…the police almost arrested Paul because he ended up kicking Mitch’s chicken-shit ass. Luckily there was a video…”
“Damn, that sucks. I’m sorry. Is Paul okay?”
“He’s in there,” I said, gesturing towards the gym.
“Hmm, let me guess…you don’t think he should be working out yet?”
“He got beat with a crowbar for crying out loud. He’s as sore as hell and he refused to go to the hospital. He could have broken bones for all we know. Yet he’s still in there going full-bore on a bag because he has a big fight coming up. What if he permanently hurts something?”
“Athletes are a stubborn lot,” he said with a grin.
“You think? Athletes…and men. The combination is lethal. A woman would take care of herself.”
He smiled but he was smart enough to leave that one alone. “I can try and talk to him if you want. I had to sit out on one of the biggest marathons of my life because of a torn ACL once. It sucked, hard.”
“Thanks,” I told him, “But he won’t listen to me or Sam, I don’t think he’s going to listen to anyone. He’s going to do what Paul wants to do, period.”
“Is that creep Mitch at least back in jail where he needs to be?”
“Yeah…at least as far as I know, they took him in after he got out of the hospital yesterday. The cop I talked to on the phone last night said he doubted that they’d grant bail to him again after committing assault the first time he was let out.”
“Well that’s good news anyways. When’s his big fight?”
“A week from today,” I told him. “I seriously doubt he’s going to be healed by then.”
“He’s not going to consider postponing that, I assume.”
“I shudder to think of what he might do to someone who even dared to suggest it,” I said, only half-joking.
“Hey Jessie!” I looked over towards the voice. It was Victor running towards me and Marie following along behind hi holding a big Tupperware bowl.
“Hey Victor! How are you?”
“I’m good. Is Uncle Paul okay?”
“He’s a stubborn old…” Victor grinned and I ruffled his hair. “He’s good. He’s too tough to be kept down. He’s in the back with Sam, go tell him to take a break,” I told him. He ran in and I looked over at Marie. As I did, I realized that she and Justin were looking at each other appreciatively. “Hi Marie,” I said. She tore her eyes from Justin and looked at me.
“Hi Jessie. How are you?”
“I’m good. Your brother on the other hand is a stubborn ass.”
She laughed and said, “Do you have any new information?” she glanced back towards Justin.
“Oh hey, I’m sorry. Justin, this is Marie Delport. She’s Paul’s sister…but don’t hold that against her.”
Justin chuckled and then looked at Marie and smiled. The smile she gave him back was dazzling. I could almost hear them click. “It’s nice to meet you,” Justin told her, putting out his hand.
“Nice to meet you too, Justin,” she said. She shifted the Tupperware bowl to her left hand and shook his with her right. They locked eyes again and I realized they’d all but forgotten I was there.
I cleared my throat and said, “What’s in the bowl?”
Marie acted like she hadn’t remembered it was there. She looked down at it and said, “Oh, lunch…for Paul…and you too, Jessie if you want some. It’s baked chicken and steamed rice and vegetables. I just feel so damned bad about what Mitch did…to both of you…”
“Hey, stop that,” I said. I glanced at Justin, he was politely trying not to listen in. “Not your fault, remember?”
“I remember,” she said. “I just have to keep telling myself that. I’m going to take this on it to him.”
“Good,” I said with a smile, “Then maybe he’ll take a break to eat at least. I’ll be in in a few.”
“It was nice meeting you Justin,” she told him again with another beautiful smile.
“You too,” he said, his smile just as bright. When she’d stepped inside he looked at my face and said, “What?”
I laughed. “Nothing…but just so you know, she’s single.”
He grinned, “And beautiful,” he said.
“Yeah, and that.”