motherfucker!” Slade was on his back, Cain’s muscular arm around his neck.
“Time to tap out, boss,” Travis said matter-of-factly as he leaned into the ring.
In a choke hold with his back to the floor, Slade heard a click-clock, click-clock coming toward him. It had taken him a few days to get used to the noise of Francesca prancing around the academy in sky-high heels.
“Why are you on the floor?” she asked, poking her head between the ropes.
Slade grunted.
Cain released his hold, stood in one quick movement, and extended his hand down to help Slade up. “Fucking head outta your ass, brother.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” Slade admitted. He had been sparring with Cain for the last half hour to prep him for an upcoming fight. At least, he was supposed to be training him. Not thinking about Jessica…again.
“What’s going on with you, Slade?” Francesca asked.
“Nothing. I’m fine. Just zoned out for a minute there.”
Cain shook his head and crawled out of the ring to get some water.
“You want to talk about it?” Francesca asked.
“Nothing to talk about.”
“Pussy,” Cain said as he gulped his water.
Slade flinched. He had known Cain for years and considered him one of his best friends. Cain wasn’t much of a talker. Actually, even that was an overstatement. Cain never spoke. But when he did, he was very blunt. So he was shocked that Cain would call him a pussy.
Slade took offense and his body stiffened. “I know my head wasn’t in the fight, but I’m not a fucking pussy. Dick.”
“Not calling you a pussy.” Cain took another swig of water. “Pussy’s on your mind.”
Wow! Cain was perceptive. “Fuck off, man,” Slade replied.
Cain shrugged. “Pussy’ll fuck with your head. Need to focus.”
“Can we please stop saying that word?” Francesca groaned.
“You wanted to take over your daddy’s gym. Language comes with the territory, sweetheart,” Slade said. “Anyway, you curse more than any of us.”
She shook her head and click-clocked back to the office. Cain stepped back into the ring.
“Ready?”
This time he was.
—
Jessica’s shift had just ended and she was anxious to be alone with Slade, who had been sitting at the bar for the last hour. It had been two days since she’d seen him and she had missed him more than she cared to admit. After her shift was over, she quickly changed clothes in the bathroom and stepped out of the Pier to a downpour.
“Wait here. I’ll go get the truck so you don’t get wet.” He took off running as Jessica sat on a bench by the entrance to the bar. She fiddled with the hem of her dress as she anticipated her evening with Slade. The wind gusted, blowing her hair against her face. At the same time, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her heart began to race. Her spine jolted and she sat straight up, hands clenched at her sides, looking left and right. She had to stop herself from running as her fight-or-flight instinct kicked in. Something was off. She felt it. Frantically brushing the hair out of her face and mouth, she looked around. Standing not five feet from her, in a darkened corner, she could have sworn she saw her worst nightmare staring at her: six feet of muscles, penetrating brown eyes, and a twitching jaw paired with dark blue jeans, a black polo shirt, and black windblown hair.
Dennis Stavros.
What the hell?
“Jess? You okay?”
She glanced at Slade, who was holding an umbrella. When she looked back to the spot where she’d seen Dennis, there was no one there. The weather was making her paranoid. There was no way it was Dennis. If it had been him, he’d have confronted them, right?
“Jess?”
She shook her head, dispelling her thoughts. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired, I guess.” She smiled up at him, and he held the umbrella as they walked the few feet to his truck.
Slade helped her into the truck, and when he closed the door to walk around to the driver’s side, she quickly looked back through her window at the dark corner. Nothing there. She stared down at her lap as they pulled away, completely lost in thought.
“You’re so quiet. You sure you’re okay?”
She looked up and noticed they were parked outside her house already. “Sorry. I guess I’m just tired. Work was crazy busy today.”
“Do you want me to go home?”
“No way, buddy. You owe me third base. You left me hot and bothered in the parking lot the other day.”
He