Fighter's Heart

Scene 6

Jase

"Shadow me?" I ask in disbelief. "As in, follow me around? Go everywhere I go?"

Lena nods, tilting her head, a cascade of dark red hair spilling over her shoulders. It's beautiful, like liquid magma. I want to glide my fingers through the silky length, wrap it around my hands and pull it so her throat is bared to me. I admit to being fascinated by necks. They're the human body's most vulnerable point, with the jugular vein running just beneath the surface of the skin. Touching someone's neck is powerful. It can bring pain, or pleasure. I should know. After all, I'm famous for choking people into submission. But when women are in my bed, pain is the last thing they experience.

"That's the general idea, yeah," she says, unaware of the dirty thoughts swirling through my mind. "If you won't talk to me, it's the best way for me to get a feel for who you are."

I snort. "What do you care who I am?"

"I care because I'm paid to."

Ouch. Kitten has claws.

I can't see how her shadowing me is going to help, and having her nearby will distract me from training, but I consider the idea anyway. She probably thinks I live it up, snort coke out of groupies' navels and have orgies in my backyard. If she sees how boring I am, perhaps she'll leave me alone and do whatever it is she needs to tick off her bullshit boxes.

Really, there isn't much to know about me. I train, eat, sleep, and hang with my brothers. When I need to let loose, I call one of my casual hook-ups for a quick fuck. The girls I spend time with know the drill. Fighting comes first. We can be friends, but we're not ever going to be more. That suits them nicely, too. Who'd want to be the girlfriend of a professional MMA fighter? We're never around, have no time for anyone, and women throw themselves at us whenever we go out in public.

"Fine," I agree, and her brows hike up. "You can follow me back to the gym." As soon as she gets a load of the grungy, über-masculine place where I train, she'll want out. And if she doesn't, at least she'll provide some entertainment for the guys.

She stands. "Thanks."

I stand too, and the top of her head only reaches my chin. "You won't be thanking me soon. You're gonna be bored out of your mind."

For the first time today, she gives me a genuine smile. "Don't talk like you know me, fighter boy. I might surprise you."

"I hope you do." But I doubt it. "I'm parked out front. Is your ride nearby?"

She shakes her head. "I shouldn't be surprised you managed to get a prime park. Someone probably cleared it especially for you. Perks of the job, huh?"

Palms on the table, I lean forward. "I'm just that scary. All it takes is one look and everyone gets out of my way."

Her lips twitch. If I didn't know better, I'd think I amused her.

"I'm in a building nearby," she says. "I'll meet you there."

"You have the address?"

"Google. Duh."

Here I was thinking she'd looked me up. As if. She can't make her disdain any clearer. I gesture for her to precede me into the hall, then glance at her ass as she walks two steps ahead of me. It's heart-shaped and perky. Exactly the kind of ass I like. If only it didn't come attached to such a smart-mouthed package.

* * *

The parking lot at the gym is nearly empty this time of day, and though I hear music and thuds inside, no one else is around out here. Nick has left, having better things to do than babysit me, and I lean on the hood of my Camaro, ankles crossed, arms folded over my chest to combat the chill in the air.