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“He’ll be here. I bet he never misses a day,” Millie tried to cheer me up with her words while her eyes caressed over the muscular form of Carter.
He was a handsome man and if I hadn’t become obsessed with Stryker, I might have taken a second look. Carter was full of boyish charm around Millie. His light brown hair fell casually on his forehead, giving him a rakish look, but I had to laugh at their size difference. Carter looked to be around six-foot-three or so, close to Stryker’s height, but Millie was only five-foot-two. At least I was a bit closer to Stryker’s height at five-foot-eight.
Carter’s hazel eyes followed Millie around the gym, and his tongue would wet his lips when Millie bent to grab her towel from the floor.
It was amusing and they were both as bad as the other. I wondered when Carter would make the first move. I knew that Millie wouldn’t. She loved to be chased, and had often told me it made for hotter and sweatier sex once she’d been captured.
Leaving Millie to her thoughts and her flirting, I started the treadmill and built up to a fast walk. I’d no wish to run, but I could handle a brisk pace while watching the others in the gym through the mirrored wall. I was supposed to be making notes and talking to other fighters, but Patrick had told me that they’d been warned to keep their distance from Millie and me. I knew that he didn’t take my writing seriously, but I sure as hell did. Even Carter had been evasive when I’d asked questions about routine and fighting.
It didn’t make sense.
I was here to research and yet everyone had been told to keep their distance. Patrick was a jealous man and when he’d first told me, I’d thought it was because he didn’t want me near other men, but I wasn’t sure anymore. Who knew what he was up to. I’d rather not know.
My body started to warm along with my thirst for water. With a glance to my right, I spotted his coach standing next to the water dispenser. I grabbed the bars of the treadmill in surprise to keep on my feet. I slowed the speed until I started to cool down, quicker than usual, and stepped from the machine. Grabbing a towel, I walked toward him and smiled as I filled a plastic cup with the cool water.
He held my gaze as I took a long sip from the cup, and once it was empty, I tossed it into the trash.
Stryker’s coach made me uncomfortable but I refused to move away because of it and refused to be the first to look away.
He smirked and held his wrinkled hand out to me. “Coach.”
I returned his handshake. “Evie.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Evie.”
“Likewise, Coach.” Then the thought struck. “Would you be willing to answer some questions for me about the fighters?”
His gaze darkened. “Depends on who you’re asking about?”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the doors into the gym opened and silence descended.
My eyes flickered to the right, but I already knew who it would be. His eyes met mine and held for mere seconds before he glanced at Coach then back to me. My heart pounded and as he took a step in my direction, he glanced again at Coach before he halted mid-step. I made to go to him, but Coach grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t…if anyone finds out about whatever is going on between you two, it will bring a lot of trouble down on him. Please keep to your side of the gym. I need to keep him safe.”
Funny choice of words.
Coach let go of my wrist with my nod of acceptance, but his words didn’t make sense.
Stryker looked to be in his twenties, and was undefeated in the ring or cage, so how could Coach keep him safe? He looked to be in his eighties and frail…as though a puff of wind would blow him over. I was surprised that he coached the fighters because he didn’t seem like one.
I glanced at Stryker and realized he’d moved to his own designated space while I’d been watching Coach.
“You didn’t answer my question?” I quickly asked as he started to move away.
He paused and glanced over his shoulder, his gaze flirting around the gym before he answered. “I’m not sure they’ll allow it.” He shrugged and moved over to Stryker who had been glaring at his coach while we talked.
I couldn’t help the tears of frustration that hovered on my lashes. I was so sure that he’d agree; it was almost as though he was afraid. But of what?
Rapidly blinking to hide my distress, I couldn’t stop myself from casting one last glance at Stryker. He looked angry and I realized he was still watching me. Coach said something to him and the look Stryker gave me was lethal, as though he blamed me for something.
With one final glance, I turned on my heel and smacked straight into Carter.
“What’s the hurry?” He grabbed my arms to keep me on my feet, and frowned. “Are you okay?” He glanced over my head, his frown deepened as he quickly dropped his hands. “Let’s go and I’ll show you and Millie how to use the weights.”
I pulled myself together, smiling at Carter. He hadn’t put the tears in my eyes and he’d only ever been nice to Millie and me, although I suspected that he had an ulterior motive with Millie.
Following him to the weight area, I chuckled at the mischievous look on Millie’s face as Carter collected some weights from the stand. Her eyes were fixed on his nicely toned ass. Smirking, I nudged her. “I totally agree.”
