Chapter 8 #2
We grabbed the ropes again and went through the second round. I was pushing myself harder than I intended too and I felt my edges curling at my temples and sweating rolling down my spine.
By the time round six rolled around, his tank top was soaked through and his breathing was rough. But he never stopped. Not once. When the final burpee of round eight hit, Remy dropped to the floor and rolled onto his back staring up at the ceiling.
“Shit…” he breathed.
Tia looked down at him, impressed. “Well damn. Good job, Remy. Most men tap out at round four.”
I stepped over to him, looking down, hands on my hips. “You alive, handsome?”
He lifted a finger weakly, eyes closed. “Barely.” Then he opened them to look at me, sweat dripping down his temple but that same smile still there. “But I didn’t quit.”
I smiled. No, he didn’t, and that made me like him a little more. I squatted down and he sat up. I reached out and wiped the sweat from his face. "You did good. I'm impressed."
"Thank you, beautiful. So, dinner…you pick the time and I handle everything else?" he confirmed.
I simply nodded. "Yeah. I'll check my calendar when we leave."
He let out a relieved sigh and stood up. Tia handed us fresh towels, and we wiped off and said our good-byes.
"Can I walk you to your car?" he asked taking a deep sip of his water.
"Sure." I led him out to the parking lot. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?" I asked as we walked side by side.
"I'm gonna head home, take a quick shower and head to the restaurant." He glanced over at me. "If you're free, you should stop by. Bring a friend if you'd like. Dinners on me of course."
I smiled, smoothing the loose strands of hair away from my face. "I would love too but I'm busy. Thank you though."
We walked a few more steps in comfortable silence before I clicked my key fob, my car lights flashing. "This is me." I pointed.
"I got it, beautiful." Remy stepped ahead, opening my door.
"Thank you." I paused halfway inside, one hand resting on the door as I looked back at him. "And thanks for having an open mind today. Tia is hard but she'll get you together."
He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I see that. I think I may have to hire her. I haven't had a workout like that in a long time."
I was about to respond when a black Dodge Charger bumping heavy bass pulled into the lot and right into the empty parking spot two spots down from me.
"Ay, GG!" I heard my name from the open window.
My stomach dropped. I knew that voice and that car.
Remy looked at me in question, brows pulling together slightly. I sighed and looked away. The driver's door opened and out hopped none other than one of my clients who me and Ronnie used to dance for.
"Fuck," I mumbled under my breath.
Syrus came over, that cocky ass smile on his face with his gym bag in his hand. With complete disregard for the situation, he locked eyes with me. "What's up, baby? You changed your number or something? I tried to hit you up?"
I did change it for reasons such as this. Too many of my old clients had my number.
"Hey Sy," I greeted calmly ignoring his question.
I could feel Remy's eyes on me.
Syrus stopped in front of us. He looked Remy up and down, sizing him up. "This the reason why? This your new nigga or something?" he asked boldly.
The disrespect in his tone made my jaw tighten. "Syrus—" I started.
"You don’t need to worry about that," Remy interjected, looking him up and down as well.
My brows raised, impressed at his directness.
Syrus smirked. "GG, talk to ya' mans before he ends up leaking in this parking lot."
My stomach dropped again.
"Who the fuck are you?" Remy snapped.
Syrus lifted his shirt flashing the butt of his gun. "The nigga who 'bout to send you home in a minute if you don’t watch your tone, muhfucka."
Shit. This could go bad in seconds. Syrus didn't bluff. His crazy ass would absolutely shoot Remy.
I moved from behind the door and stood in between them both, hands raised. "Sy, please. You ain't gotta do all that. We're good." My voice was steady, but my heart was beating loud as hell.
Syrus looked at me, then back at Remy, his jaw flexing. "This nigga lucky you and me cool." He focused his attention back on me, cocky grin back on his face. "You got my number, sexy. You or Ronnie holla at me. I got some money for y'all to make." With that, he walked off towards the gym.
Heavy silence hung between us. I could practically feel the heat rolling off Remy. I turned slowly to face him. His face was set in stone, eyes flashing in anger. He for damn sure was going to want an explanation. The truth was knocking now…and it was time to let it in.
"Sorry about that," I said softly. "You alright?"
He glanced back towards the gym, then back at me. "Who was that—your ex or something? What is he trying to pay you for?"
I exhaled sharply. "He's not my ex." I shook my head. "He was a client of mine."
Remy's brows furrowed. "A client? In what way?"
I licked my lips, pausing. "Me and my best friend used to dance at his parties."
His frown deepened. "So…you're a stripper?"
"I was—" I sighed again. "But I'm not anymore which is why I got a new number."
His voice dropped and he stepped in closer. "So what do you do now, Gianna?"
I held his searing gaze. "I do sex work, Remy," I replied simply.
His mouth parted and he blinked rapidly like his brain was trying to process if I really said what I said.
"Hold on…you're a prostitute?" he asked.
I flinched at the judgmental tone in that last word. My first instinct was to just get in my car and drive away. I rolled my lips together, fingers curling at my sides. "I don't like that word."
His head reared back. "But… you are?"
"I'm a sex worker—yes," I replied, my guard now fully up. "I work at a brothel in Nye County." I shrugged. "I planned to tell you, but I guess now that's it out in the open…there it is."
He stared at me in stunned silence. "But you look so…clean. And normal."
I snorted a laugh. "Are you assuming that all sex workers are dirty?"
He shook his head quickly. "I didn't mean it like that," he rushed to explain. "I just—that's crazy." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I just wasn’t expecting this."
I nodded once, more to myself than him, that familiar wall sliding into place.
"I know it's a lot to take in, Remy. I get your apprehension.
" I reached for my car door, fingers wrapping around the handle.
"You're a great guy," I added, softer now—but distant.
"But I'm clearly not the woman for you."
I knew how this worked, and I wasn’t going to give him a chance to drop me and hurt my feelings. "Rather than ghosting each other, let's do a clean break." I had said those words several times before but at least this time I wasn’t being disrespected.
He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Gianna."
I rolled my eyes, but there wasn’t any real attitude behind it. I expected nothing else. "Don't be. It is what it is."
I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I slid into my seat pulling the door shut. I didn't even buckle up, just pulled off. I didn’t look back, but a few seconds into the drive, my grip on the steering wheel tightened, fingers pressing into the leather as my vision blurred just slightly.
That sting in my nose crept up out of nowhere. I swallowed hard, blinking it away. I was annoyed. At myself, the situation, and the fact that this one felt different. I let out a slow breath, shaking my head as I drove, trying to push it down the same way I always did.
I wanted to get to know him—but that was my mistake.
And now…another one bites the dust.