Chapter 11 #2
“Romeo is training hard every day. He’s running until he pukes, boxing until his arms are so sore he can barely lift them the next day, and putting his body through every imaginable form of training to prepare for this fight.
I think it’s fair to say that we’re all going to be in for a good showing in Las Vegas come May. I’ll be there. Will you?”
She glanced at the photos that Brinkley’s photographer had taken.
“I look so shiny,” I laughed.
“You look really good.”
“Yeah? Should you be saying that to a friend, Beans?”
“Should you be stroking my palm like some kind of sex god, Golden Boy?”
Goddamn, she was funny.
And cute.
And honest.
And kind.
And sexy.
I was so fucked. The guys knew it. And I knew it, too.
“Some kind of sex god, huh?”
“I don’t know. You’re just looking at me with those bedroom eyes, and your warm finger is tracing over my palm in a way that’s got me all… flustered.”
There was a knock on the door, and I pulled my hand away from hers, and we both straightened.
“Yeah, come in,” I called out.
It was Pinky, and he looked between us curiously. “Hey. Joey called and said he’d be here in twenty minutes and that you should prepare for a beating today.”
“Great,” I groaned. “I’ll be ready.”
“Is it all right if I’m training Demi in the other ring?”
“Yeah. Of course. She can get some inspiration.” I waggled my brows.
Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and she smiled. Pinky looked between us and cleared his throat. “Great. I’ll see you in an hour. I’ve got a client now.”
“Perfect.” She pushed to her feet. “I’ve got to place a few supply orders and change my clothes, and I’ll be back.”
“See you soon.” Pinky stepped away.
“Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to tell you about some research that I did. I found some recipes that I think would be good for you. I was going to make one tonight if you want to come over and try it.”
“Are you asking me out?” I smirked.
“I’m asking you to try some salmon. I already told you, I’m not going out with you until you tell me why you hate my family.”
“Well, I’m not going out with you until you tell me why you fainted that day in my gym.”
What the fuck was I doing?
“Then I guess we’re having salmon, friend.”
“I guess we are.” I pushed to my feet. “My workout will last several hours, so I’ll just come by when I’m done?”
“Yeah. And if you need a sparring partner, just holler.”
I rolled my eyes. “Take it down a notch, Champ. I won’t be getting into the ring with you.”
“I think you’re a little scared of me, Romeo.”
She didn’t have a fucking clue.
She terrified me.
The way she made me feel.
The way I wanted her.
All of it.
She walked out of the office, and my phone rang. My sister Tia’s name lit up my screen.
“Hey, T,” I said, as I walked toward the locker room so I could change back into my workout clothes.
My sister and I were close, and we talked a couple of times a week.
My family had taken the news of the fight better than I’d expected, aside from my mom blinking back the tears as she listened.
We talked it out over dinner and then I FaceTimed Tia and gone through it all over again.
But they understood my decision and even if they weren’t thrilled about it, they would support me.
“Hi! I just bought five copies of the magazine. My God, Ro, you’re on the cover of a freaking magazine. My roommates are all starstruck,” she said with a chuckle.
“Well, let’s see how starstruck they are after the fight.”
“You’re Romeo ‘Golden Boy’ Knight! No one works harder than you.”
“That’s all I can do, right?” I pulled my gym bag out of my locker and set it on the bench.
“Well, Brinks killed it on the article. It’s so good. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. How are classes going? Is chemistry still a fucking nightmare?” I asked, because she’d called crying about how challenging it was a few nights ago.
“Yes. I hate it. But school’s great. I can’t wait for you to come visit again.”
“Yeah. I’ll come after the fight. Right now, I need to focus on doing the work.”
“Agreed. Anything else you want to tell me?”
“About?”
“Mom thinks there’s something going on with you and Demi Crawford.”
I clearly wasn’t doing a good job of keeping this quiet.
And nothing had even fucking happened.
I knew I could say anything to Tia because she was like my mother, and they didn’t judge.
Even if they hated the women I’d dated in the past, they were always supportive.
And Demi was different, so I wasn’t surprised that they’d both push for something there.
They’d like her. What wasn’t to like? Aside from her family and her shitbag brother.
Hell, everybody liked her.
“There’s nothing going on,” I said, but there was no conviction behind my words.
She squealed, and I held the phone away from my ear.
“But… you want there to be.”
“I don’t know about that. It would be pretty awkward if I was at one of her family dinners, right? After what they did?”
“That was all Slade. And he’s a weasel. But that doesn’t mean Demi’s not great. I’ve always liked her. And her mom is really sweet, too.”
“The timing isn’t right anyway. I’ve got to focus on this fight. I don’t need any distractions.”
“Well, you can’t always pick and choose when someone walks into your life and knocks you on your ass.”
“No one has been knocked on their ass.”
But even I didn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.
Because Demi Crawford had definitely knocked me on my ass.