Chapter 12
I waited for what seemed like forever for everyone to leave. When I saw Rey, I waved like a stupid idiot. I’ve gotten used to his moods. One minute, he burns me up, and the next, he douses the flame, turning me to ashes. I was relieved when I saw he was done and picked up his keys.
I slammed the exit door and ran toward the locker room before he could see me when he turned around. I hide behind the tiled wall by the entrance of the locker room, so the sensors from the lights wouldn’t go off. When I asked Javier to use the bathroom, he checked to see if anyone was inside the locker room. I didn’t know they had showers. Like an idiot, I spent the last week trying to find a place to shower, but I came up empty. This was my only shot until I could save enough for an apartment.
When I hear the echo of the front door lock, I rush to an empty corner locker where I stuffed a small bag. The showers have dividers for some privacy. They do not have doors, but they are better than the shelter.
The lights shut off if it doesn’t sense movement in a specific area. I choose the last stall, and the entrance lights shut off after three minutes.
I take a deep breath, place my bag on the hook, and turn on the shower. After I remove my clothes, I step into the spray. The warm water feels like heaven. For the first time in almost two weeks, I shaved every part of my body I couldn’t in a public bathroom. The most I could do was my armpits. Funny how you take things for granted. Who knows if I can do this tomorrow without getting caught. The water is hot, and I close my eyes and smile for the first time in a couple of days. Not the fake smile I give everyone to hide my desperation. The worst part of being alone is knowing everyone is watching you. Waiting for the cracks to show to take advantage.
Sometimes people take the little things for granted. A hot shower, a bed, a heater, and air-conditioning. I stick my tongue out, feeling the warm water. The scent of soap on my clean skin. There are nights when it feels like I’ve been stranded on an island without water to bathe. Cold that seeps deep in my bones in need of warmth.
I wash, shave, and try not to think about getting caught, but then, a sob breaks free from my chest. The wall I’ve been trying to keep holding up so no one can see how alone I feel crumbles. How much I want to crawl up and lay on a bed and go to sleep without worrying that someone might break my car window and attack me.
After five minutes, I blow my nose and wash my face again, not wanting to push my luck in case someone comes back.
I take the razor and shift my leg to shave the back of my knees. Getting to that spot is a pain, so I usually leave it for last. I’m finishing my second knee when I hear a noise and freeze.
Footsteps.
My hands begin to shake. My heart is beating so hard in my chest. My pulse hammers in my ears.
Oh my God. Shit!
Someone is in here. Rey was the last person to leave, and I didn’t see anyone else with him. You didn’t check, Aria. I was so focused on Rey, who is always the last person to leave the gym, that I didn’t think there was someone else.
I shut the water off. I move slowly and reach to grab the towel I left on the outer hook, but I can’t get it without step‐ ping out of the stall.
Another shower turns on, the spray hammering against the tiles. Fear runs down my spine. Oh my God.
I try to remain still so the light above me will turn off, but it doesn’t.
I remember the razor in my hand, but it slips from my fingers and falls to the floor.
In one swift move, I snatch the towel off the hook and freeze.
Rey stands about three stalls down with his eyes open wide. I. Want. To. Just. Die. I move one arm over my chest in a lame attempt to cover my breasts, my other hand over my private parts, pushing my legs together, but it’s stupid because the towel falls on the wet floor. Dammit.
Now, I’m trying to cover myself with my hands while Rey watches me completely naked. My lungs feel like they are starved of oxygen. He is big… everywhere.
He arches a brow. I’m embarrassed that I was caught staring. He turns, giving me a side view of his perfect ass. I bend my knees slowly, push my thighs together, and pick up the towel. It’s heavy, drenched from the shower water, creating a puddle at my feet and most likely covered in germs.
My only option is to get a shirt from my bag to dry off.
When he turns back around, my eyes fall on his massive cock between his thighs.
When he moves, I screech, “What are you doing!”
I step back and almost slip when he moves to the side, opens a metal door, and reaches inside a silver box resembling a mini fridge. I don’t wait to see what he is trying to get or do and open the towel wide like a screen to block his view of my naked body.
“I’m waiting for you to leave,” I tremble. “You’re freaking me out!” I say, raising my voice, but he ignores me. “Why don’t you answer me!”
Nothing.
I tear my gaze and measure the distance between where I am and the exit to the locker room, where my bag sits with my clothes and car key. I would have to make a run for it around him. It doesn’t help that I’m naked. I quickly weigh my options. If I run, I could slip and fall. I don’t stand a chance. He can knock me out with a flick of his finger and no effort. He can do anything he wants right now, but there isn’t much I can do to stop it.
He doesn’t seem like the type, but I wouldn’t know. A series of shivers runs over my skin from the cold.
A tap on my left hand pulls me away from my thoughts. “What?”
He pushes a folded towel toward me and looks away. I sigh in relief and grab the soft white towel. Thank God. I wrap it around my naked body as fast as I can.
He gives me his back. My eyes drop to his muscular ass as he grabs another towel and wraps it around his waist. I stare at the tattoos on his skin. Skulls, angels, and a pair of gloves with flowers.
He turns around.
“Thank you. I appreciate you giving me a fresh towel.” He blinks. I swallow, trying not to stare at his naked chest, and continue, “I’m sorry for being in here. I?—”
He runs his fingers through his hair, causing his biceps to flex. My eyes trail over different shades of ink.
When my eyes reach his face, his jaw is set, his expression blank, and I just want the ground to open and swallow me whole.
He points at the exit, but I shake my head. “I’ll get dressed, and I’ll leave after you. I-I’m sorry for yelling, but…”
There is nothing I can say. I’m not supposed to be in here .
He points again, but I shake my head. Annoyed, he rolls his eyes.
I’m fired. I know I am.
He walks toward the locker room and removes his towel, drying himself while his ass muscles flex before he disappears around the corner.
I wait a minute before walking out to get dressed. He’s probably waiting for me in the office to fire me, but he isn’t. He’s standing by my bag on the bench, dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie with his arms crossed over his chest.
I blink back my tears when reality sets in, but I can’t help it. They fall down my cheeks. I’m back to square one. I have to find another job.
He straightens. My pride has me looking away. I should scream for him to get out, but I don’t. I’m tired. He did the honorable thing and gave me a towel to cover up. He could call the police and say I trespassed after hours. He has every right to be here, and I don’t.
When he steps closer, I stiffen and lower my head in defeat. His thumb slowly wipes the tears sliding down my cheeks, causing small tingles in his wake. He lifts my chin with an index finger, and my eyes slowly meet his in a silent plea. Please don’t fire me . I know it’s futile to voice it. He won’t respond to anything I say. Hell, he tries to avoid me as much as possible. I tried too hard not to mess this up. To work hard. Not to arrive late and leave later than expected. I want to go above and beyond what I was hired to do, but it’s too late. I crossed a line. A line you can’t come back from. Similar to a thief. Not to be trusted.
I grab my stuff, walk to a bathroom stall, quickly get dressed, and walk out. I’m not surprised he is waiting for me to escort me out like I was shoplifting.
He points toward me and then to the door. I grip the strap on my bag, knowing what comes next, and follow him out.
He walks into the office. The light turns on, and he moves behind the desk and sits.
He avoids my gaze and scans the office. Everything is organized and labeled, clean and dusted before I left. The shirts that were in boxes on the floor are neatly folded and placed by size on a black shelf.
I sit in front of the desk and sag my shoulders in defeat.
There is no room for my pride right now.
You can do this, Ari. Let him fire you and leave gracefully. He didn’t make a pass at me. He didn’t act like a creep. I’m sure he has seen countless women naked, and I’m nothing special.
He was gentle and respectful.
I was confused when he placed his thumb on my cheek, wiping my tears away, but I knew it was because he felt sorry for what he had to do.
He leans forward and slides a paper from the notepad near the keyboard toward me. “Here’s my phone number.”
My eyebrows pinch in confusion. “You want me to call you?” I ask.
He rolls his eyes, slides the paper back, grabs a pen, writes something else below it, and slides it back again.
Is this a joke? Why can’t he just tell me what he wants to say?
“Text me,” I read aloud. He nods, waving his phone.
I lean back, slide my phone out of my bag, and enter his number as a thought enters my head. He wants to have it documented by text that I was trespassing after hours and found using the facilities without permission. It’s the only thing that would make sense. There are no witnesses, and it could be hearsay.
There are cameras in the office and the main gym, but not in the locker rooms, for obvious reasons .
This is it. I should be as professional as I can under the circumstances. I’m not going to tell him why I needed to trespass and take a shower. I’m past humiliating myself further.
Ari: Mr. Vicente,
Thank you for the opportunity, and I’m sorry.
Ari
He looks at the screen, waiting for my text to come through. I don’t wait for him to read it and walk out.
What is the point? I’m fired.
I have to find a safe spot to park for the night. It’s too late to get something to eat. The shelter isn’t an option. The gas station locks up the main doors. The twenty-four-hour diner is too expensive for me right now. I adjust the beanie over my damp hair, bracing myself for the cold air.
I pop the trunk, open my suitcase, and grab three sweaters because I can’t even afford a blanket. A decent one costs thirty dollars, and the dollar store doesn’t carry them. I zip my suitcase and feel my phone ding with an incoming text.
Rey: There is nothing to apologize for. I didn’t know you would be in there, and I’m sorry if I frightened you. Where are you headed? I’ll follow you to make sure you get home safe. Please call me Rey.
I sit in the car and stare at the text in disbelief. I read the text twice to ensure the cold didn’t mess with my eyes.
He isn’t firing me.
I look through the rearview mirror to see Rey walk over to a black Range Rover with black letters spaced out on the hood that read K I N G, where I think Rover should go.
Ari: You’re not firing me?
Rey: Why would I fire you? You had the entire office cleaned on the first day. No, I’m not firing you.
Ari: But I snuck into the locker room to shower without permission.
Rey: I don’t see the problem. I mean, yeah, it’s kind of weird for a woman to want to use the shower in a men’s boxing gym, but I’m not judging.
The light from the phone lights up his face, and I see his mouth form a grin.
Another text comes through.
Rey: Why do you stare at me like that?
He looks up and sees me watching through my rearview mirror because I don’t have my windows tinted. I think about his question for a second. It’s hard not to stare at him. He is a mystery—a gorgeous mystery. When he walks into a room, you feel the power emanating from him, and he doesn’t have to say a word to anyone.
But I play it off.
Ari: Why don’t you talk to me? And for the record, I don’t stare at you. You don’t look at me, so how would you know if I stare at you?
He tilts his head back and laughs as he reads the text.
Rey: What does it look like we’re doing? I’m talking to you right now.
Ari: Is this your way of testing me?
He laughs again, and I notice that he texts fast. His fingers fly over the keyboard of his smartphone.
Rey: Trust me, I’ve never had to test a woman.
Ari: Cocky much?
I regret the text as soon as I hit send.
Rey: Hey, you asked. So will you tell me where you’re staying so I can follow you home, or will we be here for the rest of the night?
Shit. He can’t know that I’m homeless and that I live in my car. I look up and see that he’s waiting.
Ari: That’s ok. You don’t have to do that. I appreciate the offer, but I’m sure you have to be up early.
Rey: It’s no trouble. I’ll feel better knowing you got home safe. Javier said you’re staying on campus.
I hate to turn down his offer and seem unappreciative, but I don’t know what to do. I hate myself for lying to Javier, but I can’t tell anyone.
Ari: It’s ok, Rey. Have a good night.
Before he could argue the point further and make me feel even worse than I already did for lying, I dropped the phone in the passenger seat and turned the car on, wincing at the horrible noise. I pull out and drive off .
After a few minutes, I sigh in relief when he doesn’t follow me.
Not having the time to look for another spot to park, I pull into the park’s deserted parking lot and park under the same ancient tree. I check the locks and look around. When I see no one around, I grab the sweaters and hold them up to the vent, blowing hot air.
After a few minutes of warming the sweater, I pull it on and remove the beanie to dry my hair. It’s the only way to dry my hair until my paycheck hits my bank account, and I can buy a hair-dryer and car adapter. After getting it as dry as possible, I shut the car off. Pushing the seat back as far as it can go, I turn off the engine and curl into the driver’s seat.
I check my phone. It has a full charge to last me through the night, and I set my alarm for class in the morning.
I charge my phone in class or during my break in the library and at work at the boxing gym. I have a car charger, but I would have to leave my car running all night. My car doesn’t have the feature of charging your device without the car being on.
My phone vibrates with an incoming text, and I grab it from the cup holder, hoping it isn’t Jimmy. He texts me at night with the same requests. That we are not over. To go home. I was tempted to block him but didn’t know what he was up to. I thought he would let it go after a while. His practice runs while I’m at school. I don’t think he will want to risk being penalized for missing practice.
When I open the text, I’m surprised to see that it’s Rey.
Rey: Ari ?
The reminder of what happened earlier sinks into my mind. The fear of losing is the only good thing I have going for me besides school and my job. The embarrassment of him seeing me nude in the shower, followed by the fear of being alone with a man I don’t know. The pity in his eyes.
Ari: Yes, Rey.
Rey: Are you home?
I close my eyes when the tears cast down my face after I press send. Hating myself for trying to keep up with a lie. For some reason, I hate lying to him.
Ari: Yes. I made it. Thank you for asking, Rey.
It was nice of him to care if I got home safely. It could have been worse. At least he let me keep my job.
My phone pings again. I open my eyes, and a tear drops on the screen. I wipe the screen with my thumb.
Rey: Ari?
Ari: Yes, Rey.
Rey: Can you turn around and unlock the door?
My stomach drops. I shift in my seat, stunned to see him standing outside the driver’s side window.
He followed me.
I have no excuse to give him for why I’m parked and sleeping in my car right now. I can’t push him away because I need the job working at the gym. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have .
I unlock the door with nervous fingers. He pulls the handle. The door widens, but I look away, not wanting him to see me cry. I see him hold his hand out from the corner of my eyes.
I look over my shoulder. I can’t see his face clearly from the tears in my eyes, but I take his outstretched hand. It’s strong and firm when he pulls me gently out of the car. I cross my arms over my chest tight like I’m wearing a straitjacket when the cold wind hits my warm skin.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
After a few seconds, he still doesn’t respond. I look up, and our eyes meet. He gestures for me to step aside but doesn’t wait for me to move. He manages to slide inside the car with his big body and hands me my phone, backpack, sweater that fell to the floorboard, and charger. He then takes my keys out of the ignition. He glances in the back seat, gets out, shuts the door, and locks it.
“What are you doing?” I ask again, but as always, he doesn’t answer. He uses my key to open my trunk and grabs my suitcase. I move in front of him. “What are you doing with my suitcase?”
He ignores me, grabs my hand, and pulls me gently across the parking lot to his Range Rover. He opens the passenger door and places my suitcase in the back. Not wanting to fight him because I’m tired and cold, I slide into the most luxurious car I have ever been inside. It smells like expensive cologne with a hint of cedar.
He turns my chin to face him and does the same thing he did in the locker room. He wipes the wet tears off my cheek with his thumb. My eyes find his. Our gazes hold for a few seconds before he reaches over me and grabs the seat belt to buckle me in.
“Where are you taking me?”
He blinks. I sigh, lay my head back on the headrest, and watch him. He takes a deep breath, looks at his phone, and texts me.
My phone pings. I scrunch my brows in confusion. I pick up my phone and read.
Rey: I don’t understand what you are saying.
What does he mean? I’m right here.
I look up, but he’s staring at his phone. Is this a joke? I text him.
Ari: I’m talking to you. Do you understand what I’m saying?
Rey: I’m deaf, Aria.
Deaf? What does he mean, deaf? I’ve seen him interact with Javier, and he wears headphones. How is he deaf?
I look up, and he waits. He can’t be. How is that possible?
Ari: What do you mean you’re deaf?
Rey: It means I can’t hear what you are saying. I can pick up most things from your lips. I have progressive hearing loss.
I know what deaf means. That’s not really what I’m asking, but…
Ari: Why didn’t you tell me?
I’ve been talking to him like an idiot, and the whole time, he couldn’t hear me.
Rey: It’s not like I go around with a sign that says I’m deaf. I can read your lips. I’m pretty good at it since I used to be able to hear.
I feel like a total ass. I’ve judged him this whole time for not introducing himself when he walked into the office. Guilt claws at my chest. How could I have missed it? I feel like such an ass.
Ari: Do you know what I just said?
Rey: All I picked up on was, “Where are you taking me?”
I look over at him, and he gives me a half shrug.
Ari: I’m sorry. I’m embarrassed about everything that has happened tonight.
He gives me a sympathetic expression, nods, and then types back.
Rey: Don’t be. You had a valid reason.
He smiles. I admire his full lips and strong hands as they hold the phone, and his thumbs fly across the keyboard.
Rey: Are you in this situation because of your ex-boyfriend?
My brows pinch. How does he know about Jimmy? Of course… Javier.
Ari: Javier told you .
He nods.
Rey: He did. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you sleep in your car. It’s not safe. You can stay with me and Javier. I have a spare room you can use until you get on your feet. I won’t charge you rent or anything.
I shake my head. No way can I stay in a house with two professional fighters. Not to mention that both are my bosses.
Ari: I appreciate it, Rey, but I can’t work for you and not pay rent. It feels like I’m taking advantage of you and Javier.
Rey: Ari, I’m not going to leave you here. I can’t. It’s no trouble. I have plenty of spare bedrooms. It would be nice to have company. Javier will be mad if I don’t insist you stay with us.
I have two options: I can stay alone in the parking lot and freeze to death once the temperature drops, or I can take his offer until I find an apartment.
I glance at him after I hit send.
Ari: Okay. Only until I have saved enough to find my own place. It shouldn’t take long. Are you sure Javier will be okay with me staying at your house? Will your girlfriend or Javier be upset?
He smiles and then laughs. Flutters swirl in my stomach. It’s a nice laugh. Deep and genuine.
Rey: We’ve never had a female besides our mother live with us. After I won my first fight, I bought myself a place. Javier decided to live with me and I bought a nice home for my mom. We have lived together ever since. My mother lives an hour away, next door to my aunt.
I’m not sure if I should feel nervous or relieved.