Grayson
Protect what’s yours.
Something deep within him stood at attention in response. It was violent. He understood immediately that this was the feeling every Dom would get when signing up for the secondary fights, or stepping into the room, and stepping into the ring.
It wouldn’t be just fighting; it would be fighting for their subs. He suddenly wanted to make this happen. He wanted her to fight for him, but he wanted to fight for her even more.
The desire to pummel someone’s face in order to keep them away from her was fast and ruthless. His hands clenched in response and his heart rate double-timed in his head. Counting his breaths, he calmed himself down.
Still looking at him, she seemed to gauge his response and nodded.
“Exactly. Now go away.”
He opened his mouth to argue when she looked at him with desperate eyes. He felt her look like a quick shot to his spleen. She spoke more quietly.
“Please. Just give me a little.”
Lexi turned back to the treadmill, tucked in headphones, and ramped up the speed.
He strode away, irritated at being brushed away all over again. Did this woman have to have the last word on everything? It was very un-submissive of her. He tossed his water bottle down and frowned at the echo it made, bouncing the wall to hit the floor again.
The layers he’d worn to combat the chill of the morning felt suffocating.
He wasn’t going to worry about her, he assured himself.
It was normal to be a little concerned about the panic attack, but it was nothing more than he’d have for any of his employees going through a rough time.
He was impressed she was so open about having a panic attack, but he wasn’t thrilled with her attitude.
He’s the one who helped her, for God’s sake.
He hung up his sweatshirt and the waffle thermal under it, staying in his sleeveless tank and sweatpants to pick up a jump rope. Even if the visit didn’t amount to anything else, he figured there were always worse ways to spend his time than working out.
Across the floor from him, Lexi jogged on, increasing her speed every minute, until she was full out sprinting, arms pumping. What the hell had she meant, she didn’t want to die again? He was so focused on her he didn’t notice Eddie next to him until he also started jumping rope.
“She called me last night, asked me to come in early.”
Grayson intentionally tore his gaze off Lexi and focused on some middle distance. He wondered how close her and Eddie’s relationship was.
Eddie continued, “Said she needed my help with something important, some decision she had to make. And that I had to put some guy through the paces in the ring. I take it that’s you?”
Grayson didn’t respond, but met Eddie’s eyes and nodded once. Apparently, he was sparring today. He was unprepared for Eddie’s laugh; a deep, booming baritone he felt in his chest. It felt instinctual to smile, but he lost his count jumping rope.
“I’m sorry in advance, man. First for me, then for her.”
It seemed his Jamaican accent came through stronger when he was relaxed.
“What do you mean, for her?”
Eddie waited a few rounds, and all they heard was the slap of rubber on the floor. Gray counted back in, and kept his eyes on Lexi.
“I’ll tell you a little. She’s tough, our girl.”
Gray internally winced at Lexi being referred to as ‘our’, but waited for him to go on.
“She doesn’t fight men, as a general rule.
Too much risk of getting pinned. But she wants to go a couple rounds with you after you and I go at it.
She really wants to see what you can do.
But I tell you now she doesn’t like to be pinned.
A hold is okay, a leg lock or an armbar is fine.
She won’t let you get her in a chokehold, I’m not worried about that. But I suggest you don’t pin her.”
“Or what, you’ll come after me?”
Gray knew he sounded snide, but he didn’t care.
What a weird way to prep someone for sparring, he thought.
Telling them what not to do. It was standard for him to do the opposite of whatever anyone had ever told him to do, so Grayson figured Eddie was wasting his breath, and even making it worse. Now all he wanted to do was pin Lexi.
Eddie stopped jumping rope to look at Grayson.
“She’s a woman. She’s smaller than us. Maybe you’re one of those guys used to being in charge of women, eh?”
Gray’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing as he slowed his jump. He knew what plenty of people thought about the lifestyle; that Dominant men were always narcissistic or abusive; maybe both. He’d had to learn to let it go, and he did. Mostly. Eddie nodded.
“That’s what I thought. I have fought here for six years.
I train men and women, I fight both men and women, and I.
Do. Not. Pin. Her. I did it once, and I have seen it once.
If you do, I won’t need to come after you.
Because she will.” He smiled. “And then I might, just for fun.” Eddie folded up his jump rope and hung it back on the hook behind them.
Hanging up his own rope, Grayson turned to look at her, still jogging but at a slower pace than her sprint. She ran steadily, with her gaze fixed ahead. He knew panic attacks came in many forms, and she obviously used exercise to combat hers. He had to admire her for it.
As well as her graceful gait, and her breasts that strained against her sports bra, and her long neck he could almost wrap with one hand… taking a deep breath, he turned away to go find a drink. She wasn’t his; wasn’t going to be. What the hell had she meant, die again?