Reaching over to the passenger seat, I shifted around inside my bag and felt for my phone while keeping my eyes on the road. I grasped it in my hand, and after a quick glance, I went to my favorites and clicked on Avery. I wanted my best friend.
Pick up…pick up…pick up… I chanted to myself. When she didn't answer the first time, I tried a second time to no avail.
I pulled up to a red light and sent her a string of text messages, bitching at her for not being there and venting at the same time.
BFF: WTF! It’s 5 a.m. That coach of yours brings more trouble than he's worth. Think of him as a crawfish—bite his head off and suck him down, then get rid of him.
That was all I got back from her. A fucking crawfish reference. Granted it was extremely early, but I had always been there for her no matter what.
With a scowl, I dropped my phone into the cup holder, hitched up my knee and drove to World Cup.
It was still pitch black when I pulled into the parking lot. Not surprising, there were no other cars here but mine. What lunatic went in to practice like they were training for the Olympics on their day off—and before dawn?
Me.
I quickly got out and punched my code into the keypad and walked inside, making sure the door shut behind me, even though it had an automatic locking mechanism.
Since there was no one else here, I brought my cell phone into the gym and started up my playlist. I always started off stretching the way Kova taught me. The man knew his shit, even if he was an asshole at times.
Okay. Most times.
"Bozhe moi. You and that horrible music of yours."
I jumped, my heart nearly exploding from me. "Jesus, Kova!" I shouted and grabbed my chest, then turned my music off. "Why can't you ever make some noise before you enter a room?"
He stopped walking and looked down at me as if I’d just asked him the dumbest question in the history of questions.
"It is my gym. I do not need to do no such thing."
"Yes, you do. One day you're going to give someone a heart attack." I stood up and fixed my shorts that had ridden up. Since I figured I'd be alone in the gym, I opted to wear a sports bra and mini shorts. Scratching my nose, I asked, "What are you doing here?"
He threaded a hand through his hair. "I am here to help you."
"But you seemed so against any extra work. Why would you even come?"
"Because you need me."
"I'm not doing my routines, so I don't need you for conditioning. I can do it myself. It's not hard."
He tilted his head toward me and his voice softened, playful even. "Yes, you do. You need me. Just admit it."
I wasn't going to be diverted. I was tired of the back and forth of our relationship, and still seething from how the previous night had ended.
"The only time I need you is during practice, you know I'm right. Plus, I'm sure Katja isn't happy about you being here after what I heard last night." I undid my ponytail and shook out my hair, then put it back up.
Kova lowered his head and stroked the dark scruff on his jaw. His eyes searched the floor. "Adrianna, I think we should—"
I put my hand up, bracing myself for what would come. "I know what you're going to say, and I don’t want to talk about it. Let's just forget it ever happened, okay? It is what it is."
The muscles in his face tightened.
"What could you possibly say anyway? Sorry for allowing Katja to suck your…your…dick in front of me? Yeah. No thanks." I let out a harsh laugh and walked away.
"Ria."
"Drop it. You should just go home, Kova. Spend time with Katja. We both know you'll just be wasting your time here when it can be better spent with your girlfriend."
He followed closely behind me. "Not likely. I want to make sure you are working the right muscles accurately. I do not want all the work I put into you to unravel because you had to go and be stubborn."
He knew all the right buttons to push. "I'm not stubborn. I'm driven. Stubborn sounds like you're referring to a child, and I don't like that."
"Then do not act like one and I will not have to," he retorted, then grabbed my elbow