Chapter 32
32
JONATHAN
G eoff finds me in the classroom after lessons end on Monday. He waits for the children to leave, then leans his hip against the desk, arms folded, and asks me, “How are you feeling, Teach?”
I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but there’s something about the way he asks the question that sets me on edge. Still, it’s best to be polite. I shuffle the worksheets I intend to mark tonight into a neat pile. “Oh, I’m perfectly well. Thank you.”
“No hypothermia?”
I force a laugh. “No. Thankfully.”
He’s looking at me in that disconcerting way he has. It’s too intense, too intimate, but wholly without desire. I feel like I’m being measured up. Maybe it’s because I’m without my glasses in borrowed clothes. The children were equal parts surprised and amused by how different I look. Mal stated that I looked like a mole.
“You feel up for our lesson?” Geoff asks.
With so much other disruption, it’s probably a good idea to keep the routines I can in place. “I think so. Yes.”
He smirks. “Great. I’ve been looking forward to getting you in the ring.”
“The ring? You really think I’m ready?”
“Best way to learn’s by doing. You should know that, Teach. How’s tonight? Or you too bruised up?”
I straighten my spine. Despite what he might think, I’m not quite that delicate. “No, tonight would be fine.”
I’m used to finding the foundation offices empty when I go up for our sessions, but today Adam and Meredith are at one of the desks, discussing something on the screen. They look up when I enter and I give an awkward wave. Geoff jumps up from his desk and gestures me into the gym. He’s already in his sports clothes.
Rain still lashes the windows and an icy draft comes in from somewhere. We hurry through warm-ups and stretches. Geoff seems distracted, like he’s in a rush to get the lesson over with.
I hug myself while Geoff heads to the equipment. “Everyone seems to be working late. Is something wrong?”
He tosses me a pair of gloves (which I miss) and says, “Yeah. The foundations’s running out of cash.”
“What? Because of the pandemic?”
“Yeah. And because The Beast is rubbish at marketing and keeps blocking my every attempt. He won’t even let me start a TikTok with the kids. They’d love it. Have you met a kid who doesn’t love TikTok?”
I fasten on my gloves. The warm yellow light in the room should be cozy, but it doesn’t feel that way at all. “I don’t know if that would be allowed. Legally.”
I’m not sure about the details, but I think there are rules around sharing foster children’s photos on social media.
Geoff pushes his tongue into his cheek as if biting back a retort. Eventually he says, “Situation’s different here. Maybe you should ask Beast about it, since you seem to be getting so close.”
Ah, maybe that’s where his strange energy is coming from. “We’re not getting close.”
“Sure.”
He ducks under the rope and then holds out a hand to help me up. Once we’re both standing in the ring, he checks my gloves are tight enough and nudges me into the position that we practiced, with my one foot a little forward for good balance. “Loose knees, Teach.”
“Why do you still call him Beast?”
“You got a demonstration yesterday, didn’t you? What did you do to set him off?”
The thought of confessing my transgressions to Geoff makes me feel a little ill. “I’d rather not say.”
He laughs and takes his stance opposite me. He’s close enough that he’s only a little fuzzy. “Elbows tucked in, hands by your face. Do you remember how to jab?”
I punch forward with my left arm while exhaling.
“Turn your knuckles as you punch.”
He watches as I practice jabbing a few times.
“He doesn’t mind being called Beast, you know? He likes it. Being strong, powerful, more than human.” He hops from foot to foot. “No, if you really want to get under his skin, you’ve got to make him feel weak. He can’t stand weakness. I’ll bet whatever you did yesterday, you found that out for yourself.”
Renewed shame flushes through me. I was practically standing right inside his sore spot. “Yeah, that sounds right.”
“What did you do? Come on, tell me.”
“Uh, what was the other punch? The cross?” I make an attempt, turning my hip to put strength into it and I repeat a few one-twos, switching between the jab and the cross.
Geoff watches me. From what I can see of his expression, he seems amused. “It was that embarrassing, huh? Now I really want to know. What, you walked in on him naked?”
Adam had been half dressed. But I didn’t have the chance to appreciate his wide chest or toned torso given the circumstances.
When I don’t answer, Geoff says, “Unless you’ve seen him naked already.”
I laugh. It sounds false even to me. “I haven’t.” I keep punching the air.
“But you want to. As if I don’t have eyes. You’re the blind one, Teach.” He steps in front of me and blocks my jab with his glove.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His fist flashes out and stops a centimeter from my nose. “Always guard your face.”
I bring up my gloves in a block. He punches again, but this time doesn’t stop. My skull rattles with the impact to the gloves.
“Hit me!” He doesn’t ease up.
I step backwards and nearly lose my balance.
“Watch your footing!”
He punches my gloves. It’s probably not that hard, but I feel the impact in my head and my arms.
“Hit me!”
I take another step back and strike out with my own punch, but he slips away and throws a right hook at my shoulder. He laughs. “Try again!”
I punch out. He dances away from me, his own hands up in front of his face now.
“There’s really nothing between me and Adam. You’ve got it all wrong.”
His fist flies at my face again and I barely manage to dodge the punch. “Hands up! And that’s bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit.”
“I see the way you look at him. Like you can’t wait to get down on your knees and suck his cock.”
The crudity startles me enough that I drop my guard. Another punch to my shoulder. This one hard enough to hurt all the way down my arm.
I throw up my arms to shield my face as he rains more punches down on me. “You’re being ridiculous! Why would he want me when he has you? I’m the beta remember?”
“That’s an excellent question.”
The punches ease up for just a second and I peek through my hands just as I feel the impact of his fist crashing into my gut. I gasp. This isn’t right. This isn’t a lesson anymore.
“Geoff! Stop!” I gasp. He doesn’t stop. He throws a hook at my temple that I just manage to parry before a jab comes for my jaw. As I defend the assault on my face, he goes for my stomach again. I stumble backwards, trying to get away. “Geoff! He doesn’t want me!”
“Bullshit. More bullshit.”
I’m right up against the ropes. I dodge to the side and try to punch him, but he leans back out of range. He’s got me cornered.
“I saw how he was with you yesterday. Years , I’ve known him. Years , we fucked. And I’ve never seen anything like that. So how about you stop bullshitting me.”
“He was just concerned!”
“ Bullshit! ” He roars and he slams his gloved hand into my belly again.
I double over, wheezing. “Geoff…”
“Stand up! Stand up and fight me!”
I try my best to straighten, more out of fear than anything else, and I hold my hands in front of my face in the defensive position.
“Hit me!” he demands again. He takes a few steps back, pounding his chest. “Come on! Be a man and hit me!”
“I don’t want to hit you!”
“Don’t be a pathetic beta. Hit me!”
A few things happen very quickly. The door blows open. I make an attempt at a right hook, reasoning he won’t expect that. He does, of course. And dodges away. And then he slams his fist right into my face.
I take the punch to my mouth. It has enough power that it snaps my neck back. Pain shoots across my lips. I taste blood. I scramble backwards away from him. He comes around for a hook to my jaw. It sends me into the ropes. Someone roars and I realize my eyes are pressed closed. When I open them, I find Geoff dangling. Adam has him by the neck of his Nike hooded tank. Geoff is spluttering, struggling to breathe. Adam’s face is scarlet, his neck is corded, his muscles bulge beneath his henley.
“You are done here .” He tosses Geoff aside like he weighs nothing.
Geoff hits the ropes and rights himself. He stares at Adam, panting, eyes wide. “Calm down. We were just practicing.”
“Stay the fuck away from him. If you plan to live to see tomorrow, leave now.” Before he’s even done talking, he’s turning to me. I touch my mouth and feel wetness. My fingers come away bloody.
Adam takes my chin, his touch feather light, an absurd contrast to what I just witnessed. He looks into my eyes and turns my face gently from side to side, evaluating the damage.
“It’s not that bad,” I say.
“You’re trembling.”
“Not used to getting hit. Been a few years.” I give a weak laugh. “Should have considered that before asking Geoff to teach me to box.”
He growls and helps me up. Wordlessly, he guides me under the ropes and helps me down from the ring.
We’re almost out of the room when he looks over his shoulder at the still-stunned Geoff. “You’d better not be here when we’re done.”
I think he means the gym, but Geoff asks, “You’re firing me?”
“No. But I don’t want you here . Sort it out with New York.” And then he turns away.
The house. He means for Geoff to leave the house. “It’s really not a big deal,” I splutter. “Really. You don’t have to do that.”
Adam grunts.
He takes me through to the third floor bathroom. It’s a small serviceable room with tiled floors and that same weak orange light.
I sit on the toilet seat. My lip is bleeding a lot . Much more than I would have expected. I cup my hand over my mouth and chin. It must look terrible. Adam has to tuck his elbows in as he runs water into the basin. This room is really too small for him, it’s definitely too small for both of us together. He grabs a wad of loo roll and wets it, then kneels at my side.
“Let me see?”
I remove my hand and he winces, then dabs lightly at the cut. I squeeze my eyes shut when it stings. Who was I fooling even attempting something like boxing?
“The face generally bleeds a lot,” Adam says soothingly. “Lots of blood vessels close to the surface. In the business, we’d cut ourselves on the forehead—give ourselves color, we’d call it. It looks pretty darn dramatic. But you should be fine.”
I take the wad of paper from him. “I don’t think Geoff even meant to hurt me. He was jealous.” I feel terrible for coming between them. “I’m sure if you just reassure him?—”
“— Reassure him ?”
“I know you’re angry, and he was out of control. Far too much testosterone going on. But it’s only because he cares about you.”
“Belle, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but what the hell are you talking about?”
He surely can’t be that oblivious? “Yesterday, I think when Geoff saw us together… I mean, you were holding my chin.” I glance up at him, trying to read any look of surprise on his features. “He got the wrong idea. He felt territorial. You know, the whole alpha wolf thing?”
“Territorial? Of me?”
“Yes.” Finally, he’s getting it. “So if you just assure him that I’m not a threat, problem solved. I tried to, but he didn’t believe me.”
Adam drops his head and lets forth a string of curses. “I am not his territory.”
“Poor choice of words on my part. I only meant that perhaps he takes what the two of you have a little more seriously than you do?”
He looks up at me. His eyes are a deep green in the yellow light. Like gemstones. “Just what is it you think the two of us have?”
I shift on the seat, my stomach writhing with squirmy things. Which was worse? Getting punched or this conversation? “Well… in the kitchen that time, after the article? I kind of put it together. And then Ray confirmed.”
“ What did Ray confirm?”
I concentrate hard on my lap, unable to look at his face. “Well, I saw it for myself. After the picnic. The two of you were… you have a sort of on-again, off-again thing every so often… don’t you?”
“Let me be clear.” Adam’s voice is that low growl again. “It hasn’t been on in over a decade.”
My gaze snaps to his. My heart swoops. “But, but I saw you.”
“What you saw was Geoff hitting on me.”
“Oh.”
I want to say, ‘But you went back upstairs to him that night’, ‘But you continued things where you left off,’ except clearly he didn’t. When we said goodnight, Adam went up that steep hidden staircase to his empty room and slept alone.
No one else knows I live like this.
That includes Geoff. I’m the only other person who’s been in his room.
He sighs. “Look, Geoff and I did have a… thing. But it was never serious. He made his interest clear when he first joined the promotion, but I was married at the time so that was not happening. Then, after Lloyd… well, I wasn’t going to say no to comfort. Except it was empty comfort. My grief frustrated him. He wanted more than I was able to offer and I came to realize the whole thing was unhealthy for both of us and I stopped it. He’s good at his job, but if I’d known that he was still so… I shouldn’t have hired him.” He takes the paper back from my hand and dabs at the cut again, so gentle. “This is my fault. I promised you’d be safe here.”
“No, this isn’t your fault at all.”
He takes fresh paper and carefully cleans the lower half of my face. “Bleeding seems to have stopped, but the swelling’s started. We should get some ice on this.”
I agree and he takes me down to the kitchen. Thankfully, Ray seems to have gone up to bed already. We’re alone. I sit at the table and Adam gets a pack of frozen peas and wraps it in a cloth.
“It really isn’t your fault,” I say. “You couldn’t have guessed Geoff would act that way.”
He sits beside me andpresses the peas to my face. The cold is horrible and I flinch away automatically. Adam cups my opposite cheek in his warm hand, holding me still as he tries again. I squeeze my eyes shut against the cold, but the numbness is welcome once it sets in.
He shakes his head and mutters, “Fuck. I can’t believe he’d do this. He knows you could have a fucking concussion.”
“He didn’t seem to be thinking very clearly.”
Adam grunts again.
“Are you really going to make him leave the house?”
“He’s fortunate that’s all I’m doing.”
I press my lips together. I hate that I’ve caused this. “He said the foundation isn’t doing well financially.” I watch Adam for reaction, but he just looks angry. Brow furrowed, jaw set. “Don’t you need him here?”
“He hit you.”
“I know. But, I mean, it’s boxing. I agreed to the lessons. Did he go a little overboard? Perhaps. But getting hit is part of the sport, isn’t it?”
“ Perhaps ? Belle. If you honestly want to learn to box, I’ll teach you. And I can promise you won’t come away looking like that. Worst of all, he went for your head .”
“In fairness, he went for my stomach too.”
Adam levels a dark look at me.
“All I mean is, maybe he doesn’t have to leave . We can talk this through once everyone’s calmed down.”
“What do you know about head injuries, Belle?”
“I know the brain is delicate, but he was wearing gloves.”
“So was the man who nearly killed me.”