It was the next morning before Tammy got to talk to Zack. She found him in the shop, after Gunner left to go into Tennessee for training with Raymond. Zack was working on his bike. He had learned young how to take apart a motor and put it back together, and by the time he was sixteen years old, he wouldn’t let anyone else touch his bike. He had on a white t-shirt with grease all over it and jeans with holes in the knees. His long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and he was wearing a pair of safety goggles that surprisingly added to his sex appeal. Tammy didn’t want him any longer. She could barely stand him, but there was no denying that he was sex on a stick personified.

Zack looked up as she approached him, and grinned. He had a spot of grease on the side of his face that only made his white teeth look whiter. Tammy glared at him and folded her arms across the front of her shirt so he would stop looking at her tits and focus on her face. “Hey, sexy. What’s up?”

She shook her head at him. “Stop calling me things like that. I’m not yours anymore, Zack, and neither of us want me to be, so knock it off.”

“You’re the one that ended it.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’m not here to rehash all of that.”

“What are you here for? You want to ream me out about taking your little boyfriend on a ride yesterday?”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

He grinned again, put his wrench down, and took a sip of the water he had sitting on his toolbox. “Could have fooled me, from the sounds coming out of your room last night.”

“You’re a pig.” He threw his head back and laughed. Then he oinked at her. She wanted to pick up one of the heavy wrenches and hit him in the head with it. Trying to keep her composure she said, “What was your end game yesterday, Zack? Why did you take Gunner with you?”

Zack straddled a stool sitting close to him and crossed his long legs at the ankles out in front of him. “You can deny that he’s your boyfriend all you want, Tammy, but that kid has it for you bad. He has it for you so bad that I’d be willing to bet when all this is over, he goes straight back to Texas and asks my dad for a shot at becoming a prospect.”

“He has other plans. But even if he didn’t, what’s it to you?”

“Come on, Tams. You hate that club as much as I do. They’re animals. They have no fucking clue how to function in society. None of them, and that includes my father and my mother. I was just schooling the boy. I was showing him what life would be like every day in Texas if he’s taking orders from my dad.”

“How does that make any sense? You left because you hated your father and you hated the things he did, and you joined up with another club just like his. Who are you to ‘school’ anyone?”

Zack looked serious for the first time since Tamara had seen him this visit. “What I do for this club is nowhere near what my father wanted me to do for his. If I use violence, it’s to save my own ass, or one of my brothers, period. We rarely have to use force because most of what we do is up here.” He pointed at his head. “My father loves nothing more than having the power of death and destruction at his fingertips, and that boy needs to know what he’s getting into. I took him with me yesterday because I knew that show of force could easily turn violent, but most of my runs are nothing like that.”

“So if this is true,” Tamara said, and sadly, she knew what he was saying about Swinger was, “why do you care? You don’t even like Gunner.”

Zack stood and picked his wrench up. “Gunner’s not the one I’m worried about.”

“You’re saying you want to discourage him from being with me?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “No Tams. I’m saying I want you and him, if he’s what you want, to get as far away from those assholes in Texas as fast as you can. I think this stuff going on with your family being targeted is coming from the inside. Anything that goes on inside that club goes through my father first. If you’re on Swinger’s hit list, you’re going to die, Tams. You, Tommy, and Randall. Stay out of Texas. Go east with your boyfriend. That’s what I’m trying to say, and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.” He turned back toward the bike as Tammy stood there with his words playing in her head. Was he right? Did Swinger put the hit on her family? Was that why he wanted to set Gunner up and take him down too? It made sense, but she didn’t want to believe it, because if she did, she had to admit that Zack was right, and if they were on Swinger’s list, they were already as good as dead.

* * *

“You let them beat the shit out of you while you’re trying too hard to knock them out. You’re wearing yourself down when you should be doing the opposite.”

“I’m trying.”

“You’re not trying hard enough. You’re never going to make it through the first fight.”

“Your negativity does wonders for my self-confidence.”

“You want me to lie to you? Fine, you’re amazing. You’re going to win all four fights and ride off into the sunset with your pretty lady over there.”

Gunner looked across the gym at Tammy. Raymond’s young trainer was helping her work out. She’d been acting strangely the past few days, not letting him out of her sight. She insisted on coming along to his workouts, and her excuse had been that she wanted to get into shape. Gunner was afraid if she got into any better shape, his dick might fall off from overuse. He already couldn’t look at her naked, or touch her, without it springing to life. “What do you want me to do, Ray?”

“Oh, you want my negative opinion, do you?”

“Shit, Ray. I want to win this fucking tournament, that’s what I want. I want to win and get on with my life.”

“Then maybe I should put the pretty girl in the ring with you and have the boys go at her.” Gunner stood up straighter, instantly on edge. “You don’t like that idea?”

“Leave her out of it.”

“I have to find some way to get you motivated.”

“I’m motivated.”

“No. A motivated fighter would listen to his trainer and you’re not listening to me. You have the offensive down. You know how to land a punch, but you still don’t know how to dodge one. It’s only days until the tournament, and at this rate you’ll get knocked out in the first round of the first match.”

“I’m listening, Ray. Tell me what I need to do.”

“I’ve been telling you. You can’t let them wear you down. If you’re not going to be able to knock his ass out in the first round, then you’re going to have to wear him down. Then, you go after him when he’s weak…when he’s had enough…and you fight like an animal until he’s done. You also need to eat clean this week, and I want you to come in early the rest of the week for strength and conditioning. The fight is on Saturday. We’ll work out Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and you’ll have Friday off to rest up. When I say rest, that’s what I mean. No extracurricular activities.” He looked at Tammy again and said, “No matter how pretty she might be. Do you understand, Gunner?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I hope so. I will be pissed if you get knocked out in the first five minutes.”

Gunner laughed. “Yeah, that might piss me off a little too.”

“Get out of here. We’re done for now. Hit the shower—you stink.” Raymond stalked away. Gunner was getting used to his berating. He would typically come back at the next session a little less of an asshole. He understood they were getting close, and his head hadn’t actually been on his training. He picked up his water and doused himself with it before drinking down the last few swallows, and then, still breathing hard from the beating he’d just taken, he grabbed his towel and started heading for the showers. He blew a kiss at Tammy as he walked by and got a wink from her in return.

When he got to the locker room, he stripped down and stepped under the warm spray of the shower. With his eyes closed he savored the feeling of the warm water cascading down across his sore body. He didn’t even open his eyes when he heard someone come in. He just assumed it was Tammy’s trainer since they were the only ones left in the building. It was only when he heard her clear her throat that he opened them. She was standing there glistening with sweat, in her stretchy yellow tank and black yoga pants, and his cock was instantly alive.

“Hey. I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here.”

She smiled. “You want me to leave?”

“No. Hell no. But there’s a good chance someone could walk in.”

“Raymond’s in his office and Paul took off already. We’re the only ones left here.” Gunner grinned.

“Well, in that case, you look like you could use a shower.”

He stood underneath the warm spray and watched as she peeled off her sweaty clothes. God, he loved everything about her. Her body was perfect, like she’d been sculpted out of clay. What part of it she thought needed working out was not apparent to him at all.

Once she was nude, she stepped onto the tile floor and under the warm water with Gunner, pressing her slick body up against his and making his cock throb. Gunner reached up and pushed the soap dispenser, dispensing a large amount into his hand. Then he rubbed his hands together and before he touched Tammy, she did the same. He turned her so that her back was against the wall, and started soaping her body at her neck. She reached up and put her soapy hands on his shoulders. Her hard nipples were pressed into his chest as she ran her slick hands over the aching muscles in his shoulders, neck, and arms. While he let his hands work their way down her arms, he brought his head down and covered her mouth with his. He delved his tongue into her mouth as far as it would go, and slid his soapy hands down her back. He felt her nipping gently at his lips and tongue as his hands slid down and cupped her cheeks. He massaged the soap into them while they kissed and she moaned into his mouth.

He felt her shiver as he ran a finger down the center of her ass and between her legs. He could feel the difference between her wet skin and the thick, creamy wetness between her thighs. She stepped to the side, opening her legs for him further, giving him access to her pussy. He used one of his fingers to stroke her swollen clit and she reached down with her slippery hands and took his cock between them. She stroked it to the rhythm of his finger strumming her clit. He began to groan into their kiss. He loved the way her hands felt on his hard cock. “Jesus, baby. Rinse off and let’s move to the bench over there. I need to be inside of you.”

Tammy didn’t say a word. She let go of his cock and rinsed the soap off her sexy body. He did the same and turned off the water before grabbing a towel and leading her over to a wooden bench anchored to the wall.

Gunner put the towel down on the bench and sat down, pulling Tammy down into his lap. He kissed and nibbled on her neck and caressed her breasts. She arched her back and closed her eyes. The sounds she was making told him that she was enjoying the sensations. He moved his hands down her slim waist to her round butt and stood up with her, only to deposit her butt down on the bench. He got down on the cold tile on his knees and picked up her legs, draping them over his shoulders, and he buried his face between her legs, nuzzling her wet lips with his face. He stuck his tongue out and tasted her, groaning at how sweet she was. He licked her from top to bottom, pausing each time to flick her clit. Then he slipped a finger inside of her and took her clit in between his lips and held it there while he moved his finger in and out of her. Tammy was pressing her feet into his back and gripping onto his head as she moaned sexily. He licked and sucked and fingered her until she arched her back as far as she could and cried out in climax. She rocked her body against his face until she calmed down, then took his face in her hands for a passionate kiss. She pushed him back and reached for his cock. Gunner pulled back and smiled at her.

“I can’t take it tonight, baby. If you touch me with your hands or your mouth, I’m going to come. You’re too damned sexy. I need to be inside of you.”

“Fuck me then,” she said with a wicked smile. Gunner stood up and picked her up roughly. Then he sat back down with her in his lap, facing away from him. Tammy lifted her hips and took his cock in her hand. She gave it a few strokes, sending jolts of electricity shooting through his body all the way up into his brain. About the time he thought he might explode, she pressed her feet into the floor and lifted so she could press his cock against her warm, wet tunnel, and then she impaled herself on him. They both groaned as he bottomed out inside of her, and sat there still for a few seconds just enjoying the thrilling sensations. Finally, when he was afraid he might come just like that, he took hold of her hips and started moving her up and down. She used her feet to press into the tile and bounce herself up and down on him.

Gunner leaned forward and sucked and bit at her neck while she rode him. The sensation of being buried inside of her infected every fiber of his body. Tammy screamed out in another orgasm and Gunner slid his hands up and held onto her tits as she came. When she began to shake and quiver all over, he lifted her off him and stood them both up. He turned her to face the wall and brought her hands up to brace her before entering her again from behind. He drove himself back up into her, and it only took about three thrusts before he felt his balls tighten and then explode. He rocked into her several more times before reluctantly pulling back and letting his cock slip out of her. He turned her around and held onto her as her body shook. After he kissed her again he said, “Maybe we should take a real shower now?”

She laughed and said, “Yeah, before Ray locks us in.”