Chapter 14 #2
With my muscles burning and sweat dripping down my back, I almost ignore the ringing of my phone, but I pull it out of my pocket and answer the call when I realize it’s from the boutique where Brook and I enjoyed tasting each other in the dressing room.
A woman answers in a shaky, uncertain voice.
“Hello, Mr. Ricco?”
“This is he,” I respond.
“I apologize for interrupting your day, but we forgot a few of your items last week, so I’m here to deliver them, except…”
Alarm spears through me as a man yells in the background.
“I’ve checked the address, and this is the right building, but I’m not sure I should be here. Ms. Lynn isn’t answering her phone, so—” the woman says.
“Text me the address. Now,” I demand before ending the call and veering off the track.
Too worried to wait on the elevator, I take the stairs down to my floor, grab my wallet and keys, and punch the elevator button. The doors open without hesitation. I dart inside and jam my thumb against the button for the parking garage.
My phone pings with an incoming text. I glance at the strange address as I pull up Brook’s contact information.
She doesn’t answer my call. I try again. No answer.
I lose track of how many traffic violations I commit on the way, but I pull up to the old brick two-story building within a few minutes. Despite the sketchy surroundings, the door opens with ease.
The courier stands in the tiny foyer. The ritzy bag in her hand stands out amidst the faded linoleum and stained walls.
Iron clinks against iron. The smell of sweat and rubber invades my nose. A woman screams from deeper in the building.
Brook.
I dart down the hallway and skid around the corner only to slide to a halt a millimeter before I trip over the thick blue mats covering the floor. A group of women swing their attention to me.
I freeze as shock and fear rolls through them, each one reacting so strongly ice condenses in my veins. Everyone except my little rabbit. Anger narrows her glare as she spins around and stalks through the class from the far corner with aggressiveness in every move.
“Hey, bozo, I already told you; no men allowed in here during—”
She stops and her eyes widen when she realizes who I am. For a moment, she stares at me as though unable to process my arrival in this world she kept hidden from me, and I belatedly realize it’s after five o’clock on a Saturday.
This is why she demanded time off.
I don’t know exactly what this is, but when a devious smile tilts her lips, I prepare myself to figure out very soon.
“Ladies, this is Matteo Ricco, my boss and boyfriend.” My heart leaps at her declaration, and by the triumphant glint in her eyes, I know I’ll do anything for her even though I should slowly back out of the room.
“He’ll be our first live dummy. Give me a minute to get him padded up, then you can give him all you got. ”
She’s evil. I love it.
I love her.
She resolves the issue with the courier by taking the bag and setting it against the wall before motioning me over to her.
“I voluntold you and I’m not sorry about it. You told me you’d leave me alone all weekend,” she says through gritted teeth.
“I misunderstood the situation and overreacted. Look at me, little rabbit. I’m not exactly dressed to impress,” I say.
Hunger brightens her eyes as she gives me a once-over. She drops into a squat and straps a training pad around my shin.
“Every inch of you is impressive, you fucking jerk. If these ladies weren’t recovering from men like you, I’d be tearing them to pieces for looking at you,” she mumbles as she fastens a pad to my other shin.
She stands and speaks quietly as she fits another pad to my forearm.
“This is a self-defense class. Do not lift your hands higher than their heads and no grabbing without clear communication beforehand. Understand?”
Her tone brooks no argument. I nod as she straps my other forearm.
“Be their punching bag for an hour or two, then maybe I’ll forgive you for interrupting,” she says.
I bend my knees so she can drape a harness over my shoulders.
“I wouldn’t do this for anyone but you, little rabbit,” I murmur.
A hint of softness lurks in her eyes despite her scoff.
“Liar.” She tightens the chest pad and tests it with a few vicious tugs before slapping the center. “You have a bleeding heart hidden way down deep in there somewhere. Now shut up and let me beat on you like I’ve always wanted to.”
Excitement and dread pound through me. I’ve never seen this side of her before.
I’m obsessed.
She grabs the side strap of the harness and pulls me behind her as she crosses to the far side of the mats. I follow without resistance.
“First up is Audrey. She’s the mastermind behind this class, so it’s only fair she gets first dibs,” Brook says.
A redhead with bright green eyes and dark freckles on her pale face steps up to me.
She doesn’t pull her punches. None of them do.
Especially not my vicious little rabbit.
Fuck, I should have taken her more seriously, because she was right.
Rabbits kick.
Hard.