"Stepan, I didn't mean to?—”
"We're good, Kaz." He claps me on the shoulder as he walks past. "We're good."
I stand on the mat until he disappears into the showers, letting the rest of my anger fizzle out. Then I strip down and hit the showers. The water is hot and it beats against my neck and shoulders where the tension from the sparring session has settled into knots. I really let him get to me, and after being distracted and off my game too. None of this is good for me, and Roman's warning about not letting Zora get in my head keeps repeating through my thoughts.
I think it's impossible to be seeing someone you're really into and not let them get into your thoughts. It's sort of the way ofthings. But I've always been able to handle myself. I just need to remind myself a few times a day what's important and make sure I control my thoughts when I need to focus. I can do this. It's not that big of a deal, really.
I step out of the shower and see Stepan at his locker already half dressed for his day. A towel hangs around my waist as I walk back to my locker and pull my bag out. My phone drops to the floor when I pull out my jeans and I see the screen lit up with a text from Zora that I missed while sparring, so I pick it up and swipe right to read it.
Zora: 11:22 AM: I was just thinking about you. When do I get to see you again?
I sit down on the bench and read it twice with a grin on my face, trying to hide it from my cousin. God, it makes my entire day change when she messages me. I'm really falling for her hard.
Kazimir: 11:48 AM: Sorry, I was sparring with my cousin… How about tonight?
I hit send and lay the phone down but leave the screen open so I can see those three little dots as she starts to respond immediately like she's been waiting for me.
Zora: 11:48 AM: Tonight more than works. What did you have in mind?
I pull my shirt off the hook in the locker and tug it over my head, then pick the phone back up. I think about it for a second. The card starts at nine, and Rostik's fighting third on the bill. Honestly, I don't want to wait that long, and I don't think she does either, but work comes first. I have to consciously remind myself that.
Kazimir: 11:49 AM: This might sound crazy, but I have a fight card tonight for work. Would you want to come with me?
I haven't told her what I do for a living yet, but she'll learn soon enough. It would be a good way to test her out. These fights are tame, not a lot of heavy betting at them. And the location is on someone else's turf so if she tells someone, no sweat off my back. It's the perfect way to ease her into this.
Zora: 11:49 AM: You want to bring me to a fight?
Kazimir: 11:50 AM: I want you next to me. The fights just happen to be where I'll be… You've heard of the underground fight rings, right?
I set the phone on the bench and stand up to pull on my boxers and jeans, buttoning them and reaching for my boots. The phone buzzes against the wood before I've got the first one laced and I look down at it with a grin.
Zora: 11:50 AM: That's a smooth answer, Kaz.
Kazimir: 11:50 AM: I have my moments.
I take a minute to finish lacing both boots and pick the phone up again, leaning back against the locker with one foot up on the bench. So she didn’t balk at the idea of going to a fight, which means she definitely heard of the underground fighting. And since she knows I run a gym, she's probably already made some assumptions. See, Stepan has no clue what he's talking about. I don't need any vetting for this woman. We just need time to help her adjust to what we do.
Zora: 11:52 AM: What time should I be ready?
Kazimir: 11:52 AM: I'll pick you up around 8. Wear something comfortable. Oh, and it gets loud.
Zora: 11:53 AM: I can handle loud.
I'm mid typing, concocting a humorous response, when she sends another message before I finish my thought.
Zora: 11:54 AM: See you at 8 then. Don't be late.
I read that last one and sit there for a second with the phone warm in my hand and the grin still stuck on my face. Then I shove the phone in my pocket and grab my bag off the floor and stand up, and that's when I catch Stepan in the doorway staring at me with an ice pack pressed to his temple.
"Let me guess. She texted you?" He doesn’t look playful now. He looks skeptical again, and it reminds me how good it felt to whack him so hard.
"Maybe she did."
"Your face is doing that thing again. The one where you look like a teenager who got asked to prom." He adjusts the ice pack and winces. "What'd she say?"
"She asked to see me. I invited her to the fights tonight."
Stepan lowers the ice pack. "You're bringing her to the fights?" His face screws up into a scowl before it darkens.
