Chapter 27
twenty-seven
Valentina
I kick the bag and try to focus on training instead of letting my mind space out as I think of the events of the last week and how everything changed.
Something happened that night at the gala.
The dynamic snapped into something new.
The way his hands traced my skin, that night and every night after, his gaze locked on mine, no longer distant, but present as we made love. It felt beyond sex. At times, it felt like lovemaking and not just our bodies moving.
He doesn’t leave the bed first thing in the morning like he used to, no excuses. Just us. Sometimes, I think I’m dreaming, but then I pinch myself and prove I’m not.
Waking up with his mouth or his cock between my legs is one of my favorite parts of the day. My second favorite part is watching him make us a meal when he’s only wearing his joggers.
I wince when I lose my footing because, of course, I’m daydreaming.
I take a break and wipe the sweat from my forehead before I take a sip of my water.
I need to focus, and I can’t do that alone.
I’ve had enough of warming up. I need to find Boris to do pad work in the ring.
My eyes catch him with two people I’ve never seen before, and like I summon them, they walk in my direction.
I sense the tension before Boris even opens his mouth. “This is the boxer I told you about. Valentina.” He smiles sheepishly.
“This is her? She looks weak,” a woman says as her blue eyes size me up. She looks vaguely familiar. Her long blonde hair is in perfect side braids, and her eyebrows hitch up as her obviously enhanced lips curve in amusement. I inspect her face, but I can’t remember where I know her from.
I raise an eyebrow. Yeah, I get why she thinks I look weak. Where her body is muscled and defined, mine carries strength and resilience, toned but not defined. Nevertheless, I train my ass off here, and I don’t care about other people’s opinions.
“Naomi, what did I say? Patience. We don’t know that yet. We need to give it a try,” the newcomer, whose name I don’t know, says.
I’ve had enough of them speaking like I’m not here. “Who are you?”
The man chuckles and extends his hand to me. “Victor, and this is Naomi. We’re interested in training with you.”
I look over at Boris. Remorse fills his face, and when I try to catch his eyes, he avoids looking at me. I guess I’m alone in this.
I throw a questioning look at Victor. “Why would you want to train with me? And who exactly are you?”
“I’m Naomi’s trainer. We… I mean, Naomi is participating in this year’s amateur tournaments. She's building her reputation. We hope next year she can go pro.” He looks over at Boris, smirking. “And since you two are the same weight, we thought this would be a good fit.”
I cross my arms in front of me. “Aren’t there any other prospects for you to pick from? Why me?”
“The tournament starts next month, and I want her to train with as many other opponents as she can. Since we’re here in town for a week, I reached out to Boris and asked if he has a fighter ready for a fight.”
It’s like she can read my mind. Her voice slices straight through my thoughts. “It’s just a friendly fight.” Naomi’s blue eyes narrow, and I think I see resentment in them, but it's gone before I can be sure.
“Boris?” I call his name so he can look at me and maybe help me with whatever this is.
“I think…” He clears his throat. “I think this could work, and it would be good for you to get experience.”
I nod, even though I have a bad feeling about this. “If you say so.”
“Great.” Victor rubs his hands together. “Naomi will go change so she can warm up before we start.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Now?”
“Yes, why not? We don’t have much time.”
Naomi says nothing as she turns around and walks toward the changing room, swaying her hips.
“You should keep on warming up. Don’t cool off,” Boris says before he turns and walks toward his office, leaving me with Victor.
I try to ignore Victor staring at me, and how I want to punch him in the face because every time his eyes roam my body, a sickening crawl moves under my skin.
“So, how long have you been training?”
“Here or in general?” I pick up a rope in an attempt to get him away from me, thinking he will get a clue.
“In general. I know from Boris that you have been here for just a few months.”
“Eight years,” I say, leaving out the fact that I trained alone for most of those years.
He smiles. “You don’t look that old. You started early, I assume.”
I smile tightly. “Something like that.” He doesn’t need to know my past. I just need to stay polite enough to get this over with, even if my gut is telling me that something stinks in this whole situation.
The corners of his lips lift in a smile. “So, how old are you?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Does it matter?”
“Don’t get offended; I’m just trying to make conversation.”
“I don’t feel like talking. So, if you don’t mind, I will keep myself warm.” I don’t wait for his answer and walk to the opposite side of the room, where I can jump rope, ignore Victor, and focus on my strategy.
I slip aside and hook Naomi in the ribs as her long arm snaps a jab toward me. Her eyes narrow, and I smirk when I see her anger. This is just a start. I shouldn’t be smirking, but there is something about her I can’t figure out.
She lunges at me and lands a clean punch with her elbow in my face.
“Keep it clean. There’s no one here for the show,” Boris shouts. Naomi smirks.
I clench my jaw, feeling the burn on my cheek. A warm line of blood cuts down my face. So, she's playing dirty. I focus on my footing, letting her cheer her dirty move. If she thinks I’m going to play like her, she's going to be disappointed.
I focus on every kick, every dirty trick she throws, headbutts, shoves, and even when hit, I answer with sharper counters.
After four rounds, I’m still holding on, ignoring the look in Naomi's eyes like I’m dirt under her shoe.
I catch her sneer that matches the desperation in her eyes as she drives her shoulder into my ribs, leaving me out of breath.
I exhale sharply, keeping my ribs tight to prevent collapse.
I pivot slightly onto the hit, shrugging my shoulder to catch part of the blow.
I twist my body just enough so that my ribs don’t take the full impact.
While Naomi is still in her momentum, I roll out, cover my ribs with my elbow, and fire back with an uppercut.
Boris steps between us. His back is to me as he speaks to Victor and Naomi. “That’s it. I didn’t agree to your playing dirty and hurting my fighter.”
“Oh, don’t be mad, Boris. This is just a friendly play.”
“Next time, act like it's friendly.”
I watch as Victor’s face spreads in an evil grin. My back stiffens, and a tremor passes down my spine as I feel the eyes on me. I turn, and my eyes land on Gabriel’s tense form. His jaw is tightly closed, his eyes blazing daggers at me.
No, not at me, but behind me. My brows furrow as I turn around and try to figure out what’s going on.
“Well, is this the great Gabriel? I didn’t expect to see you here since you retired and all.” Victor’s voice drips with sarcasm.
Okay, they know each other, but obviously don’t like each other.
Boris curses, his hand curling into a fist beside him.
I glance at Naomi, who is surprisingly still and has a guilty look on her face.
I feel like I’m in a movie, looking at a scene and having no part in it.
I hop from the ring just as Gabriel reaches it, and before I can say anything, he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me to him.
“Nothing to say? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. After all, I got what I came for.”
I don’t look at Victor, my focus on Gabriel, trying to decipher his reaction and the tense grip on my waist.
He glances at me; his eyes darken when he sees my split cheek. He reaches for my chin and tilts my head to the side before focusing on Victor, who is now outside the ring. Naomi is fidgeting with her things, and Boris is nowhere to be seen.
“Why are you here? I thought I made it clear the last time I saw you not to cross my path ever again.”
Victor smirks. “I’m not here because of you.
You remember Naomi, right?” His eyes sparkle like he has something Gabriel doesn’t.
“She's getting ready for her biggest tournament, and Boris was helpful in letting her fight with Valentina since we’re in town.” He looks at me and Gabriel’s hand around my waist. “So, I heard you got married.”
Gabriel loosens his grip on my waist and gets in Victor’s face. “I will say this once and only once. STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE!”
Victor chuckles, but Gabriel ignores him as he takes my hand and leads me away from them.
“Get your things; we’re leaving.” His voice is a whisper between the grunts, bags, and other fighters.
“What’s going on, Gabriel?” I ask, confused and irritated that once again I have no idea what’s happening.
“Not now. Just grab your things.”
“No, Gabriel. I’ve had enough of secrets. We had a deal.”
“I’m not doing this here. Either you walk, or I will make you.”
I stand my ground and cross my arms in front of me. “I’m not leaving; I still have to …”
I don’t get to say anything else before I’m scooped over his shoulder and carried away.