One.

My arms strain as I pull my weight up until my chin touches the bar, then I let my body fall back down.

Two.

Repeat. Up, knees bent and ankles crossed. Down.

Three.

Over and over.

The repetitions continue, sweat pouring from my face, down my chest, and to the floor below me. Regulating my breathing, I work to fight the quivering now coming from my muscles that want me to stop, urging me to take a break.

There is no break. There is no stopping, not until I feel I’ve had enough.

My body can handle more, so I push, moving on to crunches, then twisting my body, my abs feeling each movement.

“Austyn,” Charlie calls from the mat in front of me.

Charlie’s an older man, but I bet he could still kick my ass if he wanted to. The man has moves. I’ve seen him in the ring before, sparring. He’s owned this gym for as long as I can remember and takes a special interest in those who visit his establishment. Good for him, not so good when you don’t want to talk, just workout until your body can’t anymore.

I should’ve gone to the clubhouse and worked out where my mom taught me years ago, but I needed different scenery. This is what I get for that.

When my feet hit the mat, I rub my hands down my short spandex workout shorts. They are red hot and more than likely have a few blisters. It’s always the sign I’ve done my work here.

“Charlie.”

“Good to see ya here.” He smiles as I walk over, grab my towel, and wipe the sweat off my face and neck.

“Nice change of pace.”

His face grows serious. I know what’s coming. Even though I hate it, I refuse to be a bitch to him.

“How ya holdin’ up?” And boom.

Placing the towel around my neck, I tell him, “Good. Every day’s getting better.”

“You need anything, you let me know.”

I must admit, I’m surprised that he dropped it so quickly. Most people would go in for the kill when they have me to themselves. Not Charlie. I respect that.

“Will do.” It’s time to get the hell out of here.

Walking out of the gym, I’m alert as I take in my surroundings just to be safe. What I’m not expecting to find is Ryker standing against the door of my car, arms and ankles crossed in front of him, sexy as hell, with his eyes on me.

Hiking my workout bag up my shoulder, I make my way toward him.

“What do I owe this honor?” I tease to lighten the mood. Considering our car conversation and him wanting to be friends, this is how I decided to play it when we saw each other again. I’d be me, but a knowing me. A controlled me. A me who won’t let her feelings get involved in any way, shape, or form. A me who has her eye on the prize.

He shrugs. “I got the short straw.”

“Huh?” I have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Bodyguard duty. But then Cruz told me it was your body I was guarding, and I was all over it.” His eyes grow dark with desire in a way I used to dream about. “The straw suddenly didn’t seem so short.”

While I do like that I have the joking, teasing Ryker back, what he says doesn’t make me happy.

I stand in front of him, wanting to roll my eyes but refrain. “Bet you say that to all the girls.”

Ryker shifts, standing to his full height, which luckily blocks the sunlight from my eyes, but unluckily makes me have to look up at him. His glasses shine in the sunlight while his muscled, tattooed arms bulge out of his black T-shirt. His jeans fit him as if they were custom-made, hanging low on his hips. All of it is hot. Too hot. Shit.

“What the hell is bodyguard duty?”

“You and me, we’re a team now.”

I blink rapidly as my chest constricts, trying to process what he’s saying. No, this wasn’t part of the deal. Ryker can’t follow me around all the time. That’ll be the same as if I lived at home, which is why I left.

“You’re shitting me.”

His gorgeous smile appears, lighting up his entire face. “Nope. Where you go, I go.”

“Don’t you have a job?” He works at Banner Automotive with the rest of the guys and has club stuff. He doesn’t have time to babysit me.

He moves his head just a touch. “You’re my job now.”

This can’t be happening.

I pull out my phone and dial my father’s number. He answers on the second ring.

“What’s this about Ryker being my bodyguard, Dad?”

When his deep laugh comes across the phone, my grip on the phone gets tighter, causing the plastic to groan.

“Said you could move out on your own. I didn’t say you wouldn’t be watched.”

“This is ridiculous.” I turn from Ryker and bite the side of my thumb. “He can’t be around me all the time, Dad.”

“It’s either that or you go on lockdown. Don’t give a fuck what you pick; choice is yours. But I’m not fuckin’ around, Austyn. You will be safe. You will be protected. You will have someone at your back at all times.” The way he firmly says each word has me paying attention. This is something he won’t budge on.

“And that has to be Ryker?”

“He told me you two were friends now.”

I spin around and pin Ryker with my eyes. He says nothing, not even moving. Jerk.

“This shouldn’t be a problem, then,” my father continues. “He’s Ravage. We’re family. He will protect you.” A pause, then a bomb drop. “Austyn, you should know, he needs to stay at your place with you.”

“No. That’s not happening.”

There’s not even a split-second of hesitation before he replies, “Then lockdown.” My father will do it in a heartbeat too. Hell, he’ll come right now where I’m standing, pick me up on his bike, and take me to the clubhouse himself. He’s putting me between a rock and a hard place. Shit.

Ryker can’t stay with Emery and I. That wasn’t in the plan.

“Do you really think it’s a good idea for him to stay with us? Why doesn’t he just go home at the end of the night?”

He scoffs. “At least you’ve warmed up to the idea of him being your bodyguard quickly. But no. Shit happens in the night, and I need someone there.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Nope. You wanted your freedom, to get back to life. You’ve made your decision, baby girl. Live with it. Bye.” The phone line goes dead. I pull it from my ear and place it in my pocket.

This isn’t happening. How am I going to go after JK if I have someone watching my every move? There’s no way.

“So, where we goin’ next?” Ryker asks.

I look for his truck or bike, but nothing is around. He had someone drop him off. Great.

“Home to shower.”

He touches my arm, sending zaps of electricity through my body. “You need help getting all soaped up, you let me know.” He winks before moving around to the side of the car and getting in.

My body flushes.

Friends, my ass.

* * *

“What’s going on?” Emery asks, setting her keys down on the table as she eyes Ryker, who is lounging on our couch, bag of chips beside him and a remote in his hand.

The afternoon hasn’t been bad, considering I spent much of the time in my bedroom, but I can’t spend my life in there.

“We have a roommate.”

Emery coughs. “What?”

“I’m her bodyguard,” Ryker says through a mouthful of chips. At least he chewed them first. “That body is mine to guard.”

I roll my eyes to the ceiling.

“Wait, Ryker is your bodyguard and staying here, with us? For how long?”

Ryker beats me to answer, which is good because I have no idea. “Until that dickhead is caught.”

Fuck.

“This is going to be interesting,” Emery says, giving me a holy-fucking-shit look. “What’s for dinner? It smells good.”

Stirring the pot of sauce, I look up from it to see that the question has piqued Ryker’s interest too. “Just pasta, hamburger, sauce, and cheese.”

“Oh, my gawd! I love that! I haven’t had it in forever,” Emery says excitedly, turning toward Ryker and continuing. “You eat this, you’ll want to marry her.”

She did not just say that. Did she just say that? I’m going to kill her. I am. Holy shit.

Ryker chuckles. “Let me be the judge of that.”

There are so many things I could say here. I could balk and make a point that, that is never going to happen. Or I could tell him that he’s not eating with us so it doesn’t matter. Or I could just call him a jackass and be done with it. I do none of those things.

If I do, it will egg him on, and my energy is too depleted to argue with him. I want to eat and go to my room, where I can get back on my computer.

The food smells great as I put the finishing touches on it, then put it on plates. “Come and get it.”

Ryker winks at me before grabbing his plate and going to the table. This is going to be a long-ass night.

Before I can find my escape, Ryker scoops his first bite. His eyes lock on mine as the appreciation for a good meal shows and so much more.

My heart beats so hard in my chest I can hear the roaring in my ears.

There is no more.

No, the only thing I have room for inside me is retribution. Ryker can’t happen.