Chapter 37
It’s the second week that I’ve taken her to school, and I want to make sure she is safe. I know I’m being overprotective, but I can’t take any chances.
I wait until she is in the office before working with the guys.
I’m getting to know some new faces. I will train them after Javier and my personal team teach them the basic skills and some more advanced skills.
I don’t say much for obvious reasons, but I hate the twenty questions they throw at me when they think I can hear but act like I’m ignoring them. It’s getting harder to deal with when I interact with people every day.
I catch some of the new guys glancing occasionally toward the office. I grind my teeth, trying to hide my anger. I get that Aria is attractive. She’s beautiful.
I’m okay with an appreciative glance here and there.
Most of the older guys have gotten to know Ari, and they value her help. She organizes everything in the office and on the floor. Everything is clean and where it needs to be.
I’m showing one of the more seasoned fighters how to southpaw when I notice they are distracted.
I stop and snap my fingers to get their attention. They look over at me, and I widen my eyes.
I see one gesture with his thumb toward Ari from the corner of my eye. Ben walks up and motions his hand over his neck, shaking his head disapprovingly at the guy.
Javier gives me a side glance and then glances at Ari. She is oblivious to what is happening, concentrating on getting the dirty towels in the washing machine and transferring the ones already washed to the dryer. Her leggings fit like a glove over her legs and perky ass. The Sweat Box T-shirt falls off her shoulder. Her hair is in two braids, and she looks good enough to eat.
Javier: I suggest you do something about the guys regarding Ari. Now I understand what you meant about the rule of not bringing chicks to the gym. But this is Ari, Rey. She ignores them. She doesn’t look this way, but you need to do something.
Rey: What did this asshole in the ring say to you.
I watch Javier briefly close his eyes before he sends me a text.
Javier: He said he was going to ask Ari out. I told him she had a boyfriend, but he said she wasn’t married.
I look up and give him a smile. Anger brimming to the surface.
Rey: I have to make a point.
Javier looks up from his phone and raises his eyebrows. I call out, “Ari!”
Her head snaps up, and she looks over at me, and I curl my finger for her to come over. The guys stop talking when she walks over with her cute little braids to the edge of the boxing ring.
She gives me a small smile, and I hold my hand to pull her up.
I ignore the knowing looks the guys give her.
I pull her against me and slide my hands to her waist. She smiles.
I bend and rub my nose against hers. She cups my face, and I lift her so she can wrap her legs around my waist.
Her eyes are locked on mine, and she passionately kisses my lips.
“I love you,” I tell her, not caring if I sound weird, and watch her face blush.
“I love you, too,” she responds sweetly with her lips.
I turn her around so her back is against my front and help her down from the ring.
When I turn around, all the guys look everywhere but at me. “She’s mine,” I growl.
The fighter I was teaching holds up his hands in mock surrender. I remember his name now. It’s Marco. He says something, and I think it was my bad or sorry.
I don’t want your apology, Marco. I want everyone to understand that Ari is mine.
She isn’t off-limits. She is mine, and what is mine doesn’t belong to anyone else.
It’s not her fault. She doesn’t do anything to attract attention on purpose because all her attention is on her job, school, and hopefully me.