Chapter 7
Brooke
I yawn as I jog down the road. I got up entirely too early and couldn’t fall back asleep. My thoughts keep drifting back to that night. If he would have asked me to fuck him instead of that gun, I would have done it. Is it sad that’s it been that long? It’s not that I don’t have an interest in men. I do. It’s just the kind of man that I want doesn’t exist. Aside from the fact that I spend a majority of my time locked in a female strip club, I have no life.
I jog faster, push myself harder. Something in my life is going to have to give. I don’t know what or how, but I need to actually get a life. Living vicariously through Angel isn’t going to be an option anymore. She’s moving on with her life. She’s going to college. She wants more out of her life than I do.
I make it to the gym in record time ready to get in the ring. I want to punch someone. I want to throw as many blows as I can. I want to fuck someone’s world up the way mine is.
“You’re here early,” Charles, the owner, says when I walk in. I’m out of breath from pushing myself, but I’m ready.
I nod once before I say, “I know. Needed to expel this fucking energy somehow.” He laughs, knowing me about as well as my own uncle.
I used to come here a lot with my dad. He trained here. Being a sheriff wasn’t an easy thing to do, but he did it. Right up until that bastard shot and killed him.He started bringing me here when I was little, maybe three. I would watch him spar and I quickly fell in love with it.
“Tawny is here today. She’ll spar with you.” My heart kicks up a notch when he says that.
“Nice! I’ve been waiting to spar with her,” I call out over my shoulder. I head into the locker room to get changed when I see Tawny. She’s been a fighter as long as I have. We have that in common, she and I. We both need the release and we love it.
“Hey,” she says when she notices it’s me.
“Haven’t seen you in a while,” I tell her, pulling my shirt over my head.
I am grabbing my gear out of the locker when she replies, “I’ve been out of town. I don’t know if you heard, but Rusty died.”
My heart beats faster. Rusty was her brother and a damn good man.
“I’m so sorry. No one said anything to me. What happened?” I ask. Tawny and I always got along. Her dad is a cop like mine was. We basically grew up together.
“He got a call out in Vegas. MC war. He got in the middle of it and didn’t come back out.” She drops her head when she speaks. I walk over and pull her into a hug, knowing how hard it is to lose someone.
“I wish I’d known. I’m so sorry, Tawny,” I whisper in her ear, knowing it won’t make a bit of difference.
“It’s life, right? Are you sparring with me today? I need to get out some energy, and Sherry won’t do the trick.” I laugh as I pull away from her and nod.
“Hell, she’s like using a stand-up bag. She doesn’t even fight back.”
We both laugh before heading back out into the gym. We climb in the ring when Charles calls it. As soon as he tells us to go, we go. Tawny’s body twists and turns as she dodges my punches. I go in full force. I need this as much as she does.
My fists fly at her before I throw in a kick landing in her ribs. That doesn’t stop her, though. That’s what I like about her; she won’t give into me easily. That’s what I need right now - someone who won’t back down.
We spar for about forty-five minutes, draining ourselves. After we finish our session, I climb out and head toward the locker room.
“That was amazing. Teach me!” a little blonde squeals next to me. I turn my head to look at her, her eyes gazing into mine.
“I’m not an instructor. Sorry.” I grab my towel and throw it around my neck when I notice her following me.
“I don’t care. This isn’t my usual hangout either, but here I am. Hey, you want to hang out later? There’s a party if you want to come. I’m Cherry.”
I look back over at her. She seems nice enough, although judging by the way she’s dressed in a little short tight jeans skirt and tank top that shows off her skin, she doesn’t belong around here. Her rambling is a little annoying and the fact that she’s out of place usually would intrigue me, but I’m too worn out from my session with Tawny to care today.
“I don’t really do parties, Cherry. If you want to come in on Saturdays, I’m usually here.” She smiles before she licks her lips.
“Ok, the truth is this. I was asked by a friend to follow you around. He wants to meet you,” she confesses. My steps quickly halt.
I narrow my eyes before I ask, “What friend? You’re following me? Do you realize that this is where the local cops come to work out?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, Cherry’s face falls. Her eyes widen. Yeah, didn’t see that one coming, did she!
“Are you fucking kidding me? I will fucking kill Reggie and Mouse. Those little bastards!” she roars with the fury of a lion while stomping her foot. It’s almost adorable on her little face until the last name she said hits me.
“Mouse?” I ask.
“Yeah, Mouse. That fucker. He said he saw you the other night but didn’t get to talk to you,” she rambles.
“I changed my mind. I’ll go party with you.” If Declan didn’t want me to show up at his clubhouse and Mouse does, why not go? The chance to see Declan again is outweighing the rage he might feel when he sees me walk in those gates.
Her eyes light up before she asks, “Are you into girls?” I shake my head before she shrugs. “Could have been fun to fuck with them.”
A small smile pulls across my face. I can like girls for tonight, though. Who the hell am I turn to turn her down? I’m always up for a dare or a good prank.
“Let’s do that.”