Chapter Ten
Mike beat a hasty retreat from the gym planning to come back down once Rin was gone to lock up. He had been so stupid last night. Soon after Tim had left him, anger had taken hold from imagining all the horrors Rin had suffered that the simple act of walking into a diner would somehow trigger that level of fear. So, he’d gone looking for a fight. Well, he’d found one, and suffered a spectacular beat down as a result.
“So that’s it? You don’t even want to know why?”
Mike groaned as Rin caught up to him and gripped his arm. Yes, he wanted to know why. He wanted to know everything about her, but he was afraid of what he would do with that knowledge. His imagination had already sent him into a rage, he couldn’t imagine what the truth would do. He didn’t want her seeing him like that. If he couldn’t conceal his anger on her behalf, she may run from him this time, and that would not only ruin all of his plans to make Rin fall in love with him, but it would flat out break his heart.
“I’m sure you had your reasons,” he shot her a weak smile, “I don’t want to pry.” Running his fingers through his hair in agitation, Mike realized they were still wrapped, and busied himself with undoing the strips so that she couldn’t see the lie on his face. His mother had always told him that he was a terrible liar.
“Your knuckles are swollen.” Rin said, her voice laced with sympathy as she took one of his hands into her own. Her thumb traced lightly back and forth over his knuckles and he couldn’t avoid her gaze any longer. He had to see.
Her eyes were so expressive. Sympathy for his pain, longing for connection – it was all there. But no fear. They may not have known each other long, but she trusted him and that knowledge was a punch straight to the gut. If she was willing to open up to him he would keep a stranglehold on his anger, even if it killed him. Hesitantly, he asked, “Do you, ah, want to tell me what happened?”
She was still holding his hand, still running her thumb over his bruised knuckles, when her other hand came up to grip his wrist in a surprisingly strong hold. She swallowed hard, her eyes filling with fear at the memory, “I smelled bears.”
Mike nodded, and carefully explained, “The Black family is here for a visit. Sebastian used to live here up until last year. He, and his mate, and his brother are here for a visit. His mate, Susan has a thing for snow.”
Rin seemed to need a moment to digest that information. She stared at his hand, at her thumb still moving over the bruises and swelling. When she spoke, it was barely a whisper, but Mike heard, and he forcefully swallowed the growl that had risen in his throat. “It was a bear that took me. Grabbed me right off the street. I still dream about him – that scent.”
She took a shuddering breath, her head lifted and those stricken eyes met his. He couldn’t help himself. He pulled her gently closer and when she came willingly, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair.
They stood like that for several minutes, and while Mike enjoyed the feel of Rin in his arms, he felt like he needed to do more than offer this small bit of comfort. “Do you want to go kick the crap out of the heavy bag?”
Rin let out a little chuckle against his chest and Mike smiled, happy he’d been able to lighten the mood.
She pulled back slightly and grinned up at him. “I think I’d like that.”
Mike took her hand and walked back toward the gym. “If I wasn’t so bruised, I’d let you beat me up.”
Rin let out a delighted laugh. “Rain check?”
He grinned. “As soon as I’m healed, you can have at me.” His relief was immense. He’d managed to keep the aggression of his protective nature leashed during the telling. Rin trusted him, had opened up to him, and was once again laughing with him. Things were progressing in exactly the right direction.
Rin may have asked him for boxing lessons, but she had more skill than she realized, Mike observed as he watched her on the mats. She had given a pretty good workout to the heavy bag, but now she was practicing some kicks that she must have learned in her early years of Karate and kept practicing despite her mother’s wishes.
“Keep that up and you’ll be ready for the UFC.”
Rin stopped, her breath coming in pants as she raised one of her wrapped hands to push some sweat-soaked strands of hair off of her face. “What’s the UFC?”
“Ultimate Fighting Championship,” Mike said with a grin. “Mixed martial arts. I think it’d be right up your alley.” Then he frowned and glanced over to one of the speakers. “What is that noise you’re listening to? Is that Taylor Swift? In my gym?”
Rin laughed. “I’ll have you know that Taylor Swift is an award winning artist. She’s an inspiration, and so much easier on the ears then that noise you call music.”
Mike’s lip twitched. “My music gets the blood pumping.” He growled with a flex of his muscles. “This is liable to put me to sleep.”
Rin let out a short bark of a laugh at his strongman routine. “Okay, this one is maybe a bit low key, but just listen-“
“Nope, na-ah, not going to happen.” He said, shaking his head, his arms crossing and uncrossing in front of him in adamant refusal. “There’s no way you’re going to convince me to start liking Taylor. Corey Taylor, sure, give me some Slipknot, but the Swift has to go.”
Rin’s expression was priceless, as if she’d just tasted something horrible. “We have got to work on your taste in music.”
Mike shook his head with a snort. “Come on, let’s cool it down with some stretches. You hungry? We can grab a bite to eat after.”
He held his breath waiting for her answer. Sure, the request had been casual, slipped into the conversation nice and easy, but he was feeling anything but. The last time he’d tried to take her out for food had ended in disaster before they’d even gotten into the diner. He wanted another chance.
Rin didn’t look opposed to the idea, but she did look down at herself and frowned. “I’m a bit gross to go out.”
Mike had to force himself to keep his tone neutral as he went through his cool down routine. Rin looked far from gross. With strands of hair clinging to her glistening skin, her workout clothes enticingly damp and stuck to her body… definitely not gross. “I’ve got a frozen pizza up at my place if you want to join me.”
Now he really held his breath. Inviting her up to his apartment was a big step for both of them: A big move forward in the plan for him, and a huge step for her considering her past trauma.
Rin, surprisingly, didn’t even hesitate as she nodded. “Sounds good.”
Mike wanted to shout his joy, jump up and down, maybe even high-five the air, but then his brain cut his enthusiasm short with one simple question: was her acquiescence too easy? The logjam of thoughts that followed left him reeling. Had his plan to take it slow and easy been a huge mistake? Had he inadvertently tossed himself into the dreaded abyss from which there was no return? Was he now, and possibly forevermore, friend zoned? With the horror of that notion riding him hard, Mike knew he needed to step up his plan.