Defense first, and then a punching and kicking combination while we move around the ring. I’m not taking it easy today like I did the other day. I should probably only hit at seventy-five percent, but I don’t really have the time to baby my arm into this. K needs to see a good fight, which means I’m bound to get hurt, even if I am going to let Brawler win. And really, “let” him win is just a turn of phrase. He can kick my ass.
Probably. Maybe. I don’t know. It would be a toss-up. But for the purpose of this fight, he’s beating me.
After five rounds, each one with a different challenging combination, sweat drips from my face in rivulets and hits my chest and back. I take off the thin sweatshirt I’d put on over my shirt and wipe my face with it, tossing it over the side of the ring. I pause when I notice Johnny and Jiko are still standing just outside the ropes. I thought they’d be long gone, dealing with Candy shit.
Johnny’s gaze is pure hunger while Jiko’s looks appreciative, but not in the kind that makes me feel as if I’m about to get jumped. Johnny’s, however, screams that at me, sending a chill down my spine. He really did give me all those orgasms the night before, and it was fucking amazing. Not that I want there to be a competition between him and the guys, but a competition about how many orgasms they can give me sounds like the one to have if, you know, that was going to happen. We could all race to the finish line. Again. And again. And again.
“Easy, killer,” Finn whispers in my ear as he hands me a water bottle. “Your eye fuck game is on point. Jax and I are going to get sent away again.”
I elbow him in the ribs and smirk, but I shake those thoughts off anyway. “Right. I’m ready. Let’s go again.”
Jiko jumps onto the ring, leaning over the ropes before we can start the next round. “I’ll hold pads for her.”
I eye him warily.
Below us, Johnny chuckles. “Just can’t stay away, can you, Jik?”
Jax and Finn look to Johnny and when Johnny shrugs, Jax hands the pads over with a deep smirk on his face. I hope that means he thinks I’m going to take his ass down. I’d hate it to mean something else since he is my coach, after all.
Jiko enters through the ropes and shrugs his suit coat off. He rolls the sleeves of his white button-down up and kicks his shoes off. He grabs the thai pads, shoving his hands through and getting into position like he’s done this before.
Okay...
“Cross, cross, cross, uppercut,” he orders.
Finn rings the ring-side bell, and we start. I don’t hold back, and Jiko doesn’t either. He gives me just enough pressure back with the pads that I know he’s done this before, and he’s quite good at it too.
When the round is up, Jiko straightens, and several droplets of sweat form in his hairline. “You’re good, Kyla. I’ll give you that.”
“You don’t have to give me anything,” I throw back.
He holds his hands up in surrender, the black thai pads still surrounding them. “Just a figure of speech.” He hands the pads to Jax and walks past me to pick up his discarded stuff. He walks backward toward the ropes. “Can’t wait to catch your fight on Friday.”
His gaze lingers on me, and I stop to watch him leave the ring, wondering what the hell that was all about until Jax calls out, “Heads up.” I look up in time to find a water bottle careening toward my face. I catch it with my gloves on and then have to re-catch it as it slips through, but eventually, I tear my gloves off and am able to suck down some refreshing cold water.
When I peek back, Jiko and Johnny are gone. Unease crawls over me. I still don’t like this Jiko guy. Since Johnny seems to trust him, I hope I’m wrong.
27
Clearly, training doesn’t erase the feelings I have about Jiko Cardinale because as soon as we get in the car, I grumble, “I don’t like that guy.”
“Finn?” Magnum asks, brows pulling together.
“No,” I tell him. It’s not surprising where his mind went, considering Jiko and Johnny have been gone for a couple of hours, but I haven’t been able to let it go. There’s just something about him