Page 10 of Throttle Therapy

“I’m sure.But if it makes you feel better, anytime the doors are unlocked, one of the Warriors is here, if not more than one.How about we put that as the only restriction.She has to make sure there’s at least one Warrior here any time she is.And if she wants to come after hours, then that’s up to you.I won’t issue her a key card, you can bring her in with yours if you want.And I’ll talk to Savannah about some kind of maternity class.”Roadkill shook his head.When they’d opened the place, the last thing he’d expected was to be planning to invite a dozen or more pregnant women in several times a week.

But business was business and if it would help his president’s woman, he’d do it even if they had to run it at a loss.

Hex stared at him for what seemed like forever before nodding.“You’re right.As much as I hate it.You’re right.”He sighed.“Talk to your yoga instructor.I’ll talk to Elle and see if I can get her to see my side of it.”

“She’ll understand, as long as your reasonable.If you start trying to carry her everywhere she goes and cutting up her food, so she doesn’t choke?Well, then you’re on your own.She’ll have your balls in short order.”

“She already has them, all she has to do is ask,” Hex muttered as he pushed himself to his feet.

Roadkill was sure he hadn’t intended anyone to hear that.Not wanting to push his president any farther, he chose to keep his mouth shut on that one.

Chapter Six

“Makegoodchoices!”Jennacalled after Lacey as her sister bailed out of the car and headed into the school.Jenna took a deep breath and let it out.She could only hope she was doing the right thing as she pulled her car out of the pick up line and headed for the gym.She had a couple of hours before her shift, so she might as well get some time in.She’d intended to start yesterday, but Mason had called her into help with a delivery.She needed every extra dollar, so she’d take him up on the offer of extra hours.

I’ll never lose the weight if I don’t do the work,she reminded herself.And it wasn’t just so she could make better money.

She’d spent a lot of time thinking about it last night, while she’d helped Lacey with her math.

If Jenna had better muscle tone, then being on her feet, moving as much as she did at work, would be easier.She could finish a shift without wanting to fall across her bed and sleep for two weeks.At least that was her hope.

She’d packed a bag while Lacey had showered this morning, and she was going to start making time at the gym a habit.She pulled up in front of Savage Iron and stared at the huge glass wall that made up the front of the building, or at least the first floor.

What if I do something stupid and embarrass myself?A montage of images flashed through her head.She saw herself falling off some kind of climbing machine.Her arms tangled in the wires from one of the machines with cables and pulleys.Her body being flung from a treadmill.Every single image came with the sound of men laughing at her.

Jenna pushed the thoughts away and opened the car door.So what if she made a mistake, or ten.She had been telling Lacey that you don’t learn without making mistakes.It was time to practice what she preached.

With a sigh, she opened the car door, fetched her bag from the trunk, and went inside.It was time to see how bad she sucked.If she had her way, she’d at least get a good handle on what she was supposed to be doing before she brought Lacey with her.

Then again, maybe it would do her sister good to see her fall down and get back up and try again, literally.She’d already been there when Jenna had picked up her life and continued on after Mama’s death.Though, Jenna could admit, they’d both been so lost in grief, she didn’t know if Lacey had been aware of some of the shit Jenna had been forced to do in order to keep her sister with her.Parts of her were glad.She wanted Lacey to grow up as normally as she could, but at the same time, they were orphans, or at least as far as either of them knew.

Jenna’s father had left before she had more than the vaguest memories of him and Mama had never shared who Lacey’s father was.As far as either of them were concerned, they had no one else.And while it was hard sometimes, they were okay with it.As long as it was just the two of them, they never had to worry about anyone else letting them down.

“Good morning, Jenna,” Roadkill said as she stepped in the front door.“Let me know when you’re ready to start and I’ll be ready.I’m going to call the prospect up to cover the desk.”

Jenna didn’t say anything, just nodded as she headed to the locker room to change.Her stomach churned, but she did her best to ignore it as she made her way past all the machines that half-way scared her.

After she changed, she put her bag in one of the lockers, then took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders before heading back to the main room.There, she found Roadkill still at the front desk, going over some software she didn’t recognize with a young man who looked closer to Lacey’s age than hers.She stepped close but didn’t say anything as she didn’t want to interrupt what he was doing.

“Jenna, why didn’t you say something?”Roadkill asked when he noticed her.

“I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“I’m just showing him how things work.He’ll pick it up in a few days.Jenna, this is Bobby Lee.Bobby Lee, Jenna.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” the kid said with a nod.Jenna blinked.She wasn’t sure she’d ever been ma’amed.She wasn’t entirely sure she liked it.

“Come on.Let’s get started.First thing we’ll do is warm up.Stretches, a little walking, that kind of thing, to warm your muscles up before the real workout.It helps to prevent injuries.And it will give me a chance to ask a few questions so I can tailor your workout to meet your goals.”

She frowned but followed him.

“What do you mean?”she asked.

He led her to a flat area where there were thin mats spread out.She assumed it was where they did things like boxing and MMA type sparing, but she hadn’t asked.Now, he led her there and waved her to join him as he sat flat on his butt on the mat.

Unlike when she’d first come in, what, day before yesterday?He wasn’t wearing jeans and boots.Today he wore a pair of dark gray sweats, running shoes and a loose t-shirt.He looked far more ready to workout than the first day.Then she would have sworn he looked ready to throw someone over his shoulder and haul them out than to join them on the floor.

He showed her how to do a couple of stretches.