AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart
My feet pound against the belt of the running machine as I hit the button to increase the speed. Sweat trickles down my back and stomach, pooling at the top of my leggings. Around me the gym is filled with Carter’s soldiers and a few of the regulars who fight at Tales. As always I’m the only woman.
Beast is nowhere to be seen.
In fact, he’s ignored this past week since he won against Clayton and whilst I’ve seen him around, other than a polite greeting and checking in to see what my plans are so that he can keep an eye on me from a distance, he’s barely spoken to me. Humiliation creeps up my spine at his rejection, but overriding that is this deep sense of loneliness.
Imisshim. I miss our banter and the friendship I thought we shared.
Gritting my teeth and ignoring the stitch in my side as I run, I turn up the music bluetoothed into my headphones and transform all the disappointment into anger, using that to fuel me. I’m not sure how long I run for, but eventually my body tells me enough is enough, and I slow down the speed gradually to a walk. What I need now is to shower and change, then head over to Hudson’s place. He’s got his brothers Max and Bryce over, as well as Cal. It’d be good to be in the company of friends instead of around Carter who can barely look at me and Beast who’s doing everything in his power to cut me out of his life as much as he can given he’s still my bodyguard.
Stepping off the treadmill, I snatch up the hand towel hanging over the handrail fixed to the wall and swipe it over my face and neck to soak up the sweat, then head towards the female changing room, which is basically my private changing room.
“Off to spar, Princess?” Dom asks me as I pass him by. He’s spotting Mark on the weights and they’re both bare chested and sweating as much as I am.
“No sparring today, or for a while actually. Beast has been busy with Carter.”
Busy avoiding me more like it.
“You know any one of us will be happy to step in. I’d be happy to spar with you now if you want?” he replies as Mark lowers the weight and sits up.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Mark asks, giving him a look.
“Forgetting what?”
“You’ve got someplace to be, right mate?”
“Shit, you’re right,” Dom says, checking his watch. He pulls a face. “Sorry, Princess.”
“This place you need to be, is that the same place that Beast’s been skulking off to all week?” I ask as casually as I can.
Dom smirks. “I fucking hope not. I know Nancy had a thing for him once but I’m hoping he isn’t balls deep in her right now.”
I raise my brows and nod. “Ah, well, have anicetime.”
Dom laughs. “Princess, I plan on having areallyfucking nice time.” He turns his attention to Mark, squeezing his shoulder. “See you at The Crib Club later?”
“TheCrib Club? Isn’t that where all the posh people go to play cards?” I ask.
“Games are certainly played there, but it ain’t just cards.” Mark says.
“So what then?” I ask, looking between the two men who are now smirking at each other. Then I get it. “Oh, it’s asexclub. Gotcha.”
Mark grins, but Dom has the decency to look a bit sheepish. “Nancy and I ain’t exclusive.”
“She knows that, does she?” I ask, amused at the way his cheeks flush. I’m pretty sure Nancy’s a big girl and doesn't need me nosing around her business, but I can’t waste the opportunity to wind Dom up a bit.
“Yep, she’s happy to share my monster cock—” Dom’s eyes widen, then he smirks, casting his gaze to someone over my shoulder. I don’t need to see him to know it’s Beast. I canfeelhis presence.
“Thefuckyou talking about with Princess?” he asks.
Mark bursts out laughing and Dom winks at me. “Alright, Beast? Wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“Yeah, I figured that,” he snaps, stepping up beside me.
I glance at him, and he purposely avoids my gaze. Arsehole.
