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His dimpled grin stirs the darkness out of his pale blue eyes. “I’m all yours, darlin’.”
Damn, it’s too bad he doesn’t do it for me. Or maybe I’m too far up misery creek to know if he does or not.
Life with Rowdy seems like it might be fun. Maybe not completely drama-free, but he sure as fuck wouldn’t break my heart. But he’d also never make the universe move with a simple touch or a heated gaze. Life with Rowdy would be safe. He’d never send me a picture with his cock in another woman’s mouth.
And if he did, maybe I wouldn’t care.
Loyal. Brave. True.The words of Gabriel’s tattoo come to mind.
Fuckloyalty. I’m done. It’s about me now.
Me.
I’ll bebravefor me.
I’ll betrueto me.
He can go screw himself and that blonde ring-chaser he rode in on.
I’m D-O-N-E. Done.
ROWDY’S CHIPPERNESS IS HARD TO IGNORE. It’s kinda contagious. He’s like a dog with a new chew toy. I can nearly see his tail wagging. I open the door to the Black Ops MMA Gym, Vegas edition, and pounding rock music and the smell of sweat assault my senses. Darkboy is all smiles.
“If you like this, you’re gonna love the gym in Lyndale. Be happy Cap is sending you there instead of leaving you here.” The door closes behind us. I take a moment for my eyes to adjust to fluorescent lights compared to the blaring Las Vegas day outside. “Don’t get me wrong—” I direct him past the empty reception desk and swipe my card to enter the private training space for the fighters. “This place is great, but once I saw what Cap had in store in Lyndale, this place seems old school now.”
Rowdy’s gaze ping-pongs around the room, landing on a few hulking guys working it out on the mats. “It’s incredible. Way better than Guy’s gym, or where I started back home, in Beaumont, Texas.”
I’m glad he’s happy with what he sees. It only gets better once we get to Lyndale. Though, admittedly, I’m not ready to go back—he needs to go. I can’t keep him here as a crutch. I need to stand on my own two feet. It’s been a nice escape, but I have to figure out what I’m doing andwhereI’m doing it.
I introduce him to a few guys and step back as he gets lost in MMA talk.
“Frankie?”
No.I spin around coming face to face with Austin and sway on my feet.
“Whoa.” He catches my elbow. “You okay?”
It takes a millisecond after the dizziness disappears for my anger to rise. I’ve been with Austin for so long, I forgot for a split second I’m pissed at him. That the last time I saw him he nearly choked me out and accused me of some nasty things. That the time before was even worse. I knock his hands free. “Don’t touch me.”
He puts his hands up. “I know. I had no intention of touching you. Honest. But you looked like you were about to pass out for a second.”
“I’m fine.” I glance past him into the eyes of Rowdy, who’s scowling and moving toward us. “I’m fine,” I repeat when he stops in front of me, angling his body between me and Austin.
“You sure?” Rowdy studies my face. “You look like you might faint.”
“I turned too quickly.” I’ve been drinking more than I ever have before. I have to stop. It obviously doesn’t agree with me, and the stress of everything going on with Gabriel isn’t helping. I motion to Austin. “Rowdy, this is Austin.”
Rowdy’s brows shoot up as if to ask,TheAustin?
I give a quick nod. “Austin, this is Rowdy. He’s one of Cap’s new fighters.”
Reluctantly, they shake hands with short grunts of acknowledgment, as if they’d rather whip their dicks out and mark their territory.Fucking alpha males.
Austin is the first to break the stare-off. “Uh, Frankie, do you think we could talk?” He glances at Rowdy before returning his gaze to me. “In private?”
“Not happening.” Darkboy steps in front of me, his arms crossed, blocking me each time I try to step around him.
The surprise on Austin’s face is priceless.
