Fight Like A Girl (Part One) (5 page)

I realized then that I wasn’t afraid of the
asshole in black. He might have threatened my life, but I was
stronger than some jerk who wanted to intimidate me. No matter what
happened, I wasn’t backing out of my next fight, or any after that.
I wouldn’t be pushed around. In fact, if my hands hadn’t been all
jacked up, I probably would have taken a swing or two at the
guy.

“You should probably go home after we bandage
up your hands. You need a day or two to heal before you start
training again,” Kingston explained when we were about half a mile
from the gym.

I wasn’t excited about the idea of not
training, especially so close to my first fight, but I knew he was
right. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

“Rest up tonight and you can come into the
gym tomorrow afternoon and do some leg work,” he amended.

Thank God.
“Thanks. I don’t even know
what I would do if I had to sit at home all day by myself.”

He gave me a half smile, one corner of his
mouth lifting and creating the most adorable dimple. My breath
caught. I was captivated by him, even though I certainly didn’t
want to be. Attraction was one of those things that was hard to
control, and even harder to fight. I wanted nothing more than for
the two of us to end up back in bed together.

I had to shake my head to clear it and force
my feet to keep walking. Despite our unplanned kiss earlier, I
still needed to keep my distance. He was far too dangerous – to my
heart and my career. After one night with him, all I could think
about was getting him back into bed. I definitely needed some space
from him. Maybe I’d forget about how good in the sack he was.

“Something funny?” he asked.

I tried to get rid of my ridiculous smile,
but I doubted I succeeded. “I was just thinking that I’m pretty
clumsy.”
Nice cover
.

He let out a low laugh. “I can see that.” He
shined that half smile on me again, only he added a seductive wink
to it and my hormones went into overdrive.

I barely managed to look away from him, he
was so hot. I tried my best to keep it together for the remainder
of our walk, but only just barely.

At the gym, Kingston explained to everyone
what happened while Freddie bandaged my hands. The story was simple
enough, but something in the way Freddie looked at me suggested he
knew there was more to the story. He didn’t say a word, though; he
just wrapped my hands up and told me to go home and get some
rest.

“You probably need someone to walk you home,”
Kingston suggested, and although I didn’t disagree, I also didn’t
want him to walk me. I was fully aware of where that would
lead.

It seemed Freddie did, too. “I’ll walk
you.”

Kingston looked less than enthusiastic, but I
was grateful. Even if it meant I’d have to have an awkward
conversation with Freddie, I didn’t care, so long as I didn’t have
to be alone with Kingston. I knew myself well enough to know I
couldn’t be trusted alone with him. He was too hot, too good a
kisser. I just needed to be away from him.

Freddie and I walked side by side toward my
apartment. Awkward didn’t even begin to describe the way I
felt.

“Why are you sleeping with him?” he asked
after a full three minutes of silence.

I sighed. “It wasn’t on purpose. We met at a
bar last night and things sort of happened. I never imagined Jeff
would get arrested or that you’d find Kingston of all people to
train me.”

Freddie nodded. “I get it, kiddo, but take
care of yourself. I know you’re an adult, but you can’t trust too
many people in this city.”

I took his warning to heart. “I generally
don’t trust anyone, you know that.”

“That’s what worries me, Max. You haven’t
been able to trust anyone since your dad left. He loved you,
though, whether you want to admit it or not.”

I turned to him. “He loved me, huh? Is that
why he left me? Is that why he chose to save himself rather than go
through the court system? How could he possibly have loved me?
Actions speak louder than words.”

“You have every right to feel that way,” he
said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “But I’m telling you, as a
friend, don’t think the worst of him. Sometimes the only way to
protect someone is get as far away from them as you can.”

“What the hell does that even mean? I’ve had
enough speaking in riddles, Freddie. My place is only around the
block. I think I can make it from here.” With that, I sprinted to
my building, never bothering to check if he followed me.

It didn’t matter. Dad was long gone and not
coming back, but the way Freddie spoke, it was as if he knew
something more. I tried not to let it bother me. I dropped my bag
on a chair and then made my way to the bathroom. I needed a shower.
My phone went off with a text.

Wynter: Any plans tonight?

I didn’t want to hang out with anyone, but I
thought maybe a girl’s night in wouldn’t be so terrible.

Max: I’m staying in. Grab a movie and come
over?

I didn’t wait for a reply. Wynter was nothing
if not predictable. She would be at the apartment before I was done
with my shower.

I set the temperature and let the water
cascade over me, careful not to get my bandages wet. I found the
task beyond impossible and finally pulled off the gauze, tossing it
in the sink beside the shower. I’d take care of it later. I gently
rinsed my hands, thankful the blood had stopped. The cuts weren’t
too deep, and I tried to wash my hair. Even though it was painful,
I managed to get out the dirt and sweat that knotted my blonde
locks.

With the shower spray pelting my body, I let
myself cry for the first time in years. I couldn’t imagine what the
guy who threatened me wanted, or what he was trying to prove, but
he scared me. I wasn’t the girl who got scared, the girl who
knuckled under pressure. I was stronger than that. But the emotions
running rampant through my body clouded my normally tough exterior
and made me vulnerable.

I knew things would sort themselves out,
eventually. I wasn’t made to be afraid my entire life. I forced
myself to take several deep breaths of the steamy air, clearing my
mind. I felt somewhat better, too. I turned off the water and
wrapped myself in a plush towel. My towels were the one thing in my
life I indulged in, spending fifteen dollars on each one. I didn’t
have a lot of extra money, but it was worth it to me to spend good
money on towels.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, taking in
my red, puffy eyes. I was stronger than some girl who cried in the
shower.
Buck up, girl
, I thought to myself. I was a
fighter.

“Max, are you done yet? I’ve got Chinese food
and a movie!” Wynter called from my living room.

I smiled at the mirror, glad she didn’t take
forever. “I’ll be right out,” I yelled back. I went into my
bedroom, pulled on some yoga pants and a tank top and then met her
in the kitchen. “It smells good.”

“Of course it does,” she scoffed. “Do you
want a glass of wine?”

I nodded, accepting the glass of pinot she
handed me. I took a long swig and let it pool in belly, enjoying
the taste.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Nope. But let’s get our plates and we can
talk about it,” I replied.

She handed me a plate rounded over with food.
“I’m all over it.”

I laughed at her but made my way to the
couch, sitting cross-legged on the cushion. I set my wine on the
coffee table and waited for her. Wynter set her plate and glass of
wine on the table and then went back into the kitchen to grab the
bottle.

“Alright,” she said once she was settled on
the couch. “Tell me everything.”

“Right.” I had no idea where to start. Had it
really been less than twenty-four hours since I’d seen her last? It
felt like weeks had passed. “So, I went over to the table where
Caleb and Kingston were sitting.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks for sending Caleb to bug me
all night! He was such an arrogant asshole,” she commented.

“Well, I thought I was doing you a favor. He
was cute!”

She sighed. “Yeah, but just a little too full
of himself for my tastes.”

“I get it,” I said, sipping my wine.

Wynter raised a brow at me. “Did you go home
alone, then?”

“Not exactly,” I said, shrugging.

“Oh, come on. Tell me everything,” she
insisted, shoving a forkful of rice into her mouth.

So I did. I told her about Kingston, how
incredible in bed he was, and how I never expected to see him
again. I told her about Jeff’s arrest and Freddie promising to find
me someone to train with. And then I told her about Kingston
showing up in my life again, and how difficult it was to see him
and not jump his bones. Lastly, I told her about the guy who
threatened me.

“He warned you not to fight?” She was
shocked.

“I know… It’s been a very surreal twenty-four
hours.”

She laughed. “You could say that. Are you
going to fight?”

The thing I loved most about Wynter was her
ability to know not to push. When it came to makeup and how I
dressed, I’d let her have her way. But when it came to my career…
No one made those decisions but me. The problem was, I didn’t know
what the hell to do this time.

“I have no idea. My gut tells me to do it,
because I’m not the type to get worried by some asshole who can’t
even show me his face, but on the other hand…”

“You could lose the fight, or worse,” she
finished for me.

“Exactly.” I set my plate down on the table,
having lost my appetite. “So what do I do?”

“You’re asking me for advice about your
career?” She looked incredulous.

I nodded. “I don’t have anyone else,
Wyn.”

“You’re wrong. You have Freddie, and now you
have Kingston, too. And even if Kingston thinks he has another
chance of sleeping with you again, he’s not going to give you poor
advice when it comes to your own well-being.”

She was right, but I was still hesitant. I
hadn’t fully trusted a man since my father’s disappearance, and
letting someone in was terrifying.

“At the very least, don’t go out alone,” she
suggested.

I stared into my glass. “Yeah.” I chugged the
remaining liquid and poured myself some more.

Two hours later, after a ridiculously cliché
rom-com movie and an entire bottle of wine, Wynter and I were both
buzzed.

“That movie sucked,” I complained, trying to
pour a few more drops of pinot into my glass. “I hate romance.”

“You know,” she replied, taking the bottle
out of my hand. “You wouldn’t hate romance if you let yourself have
some once in a while.”

“Hey! I have romance.”

She let out a loud, boisterous laugh. “You?
Romance? I don’t think so. You are far too independent and
self-reliant for romance. It’s okay, Max. I know why you are the
way you are. But men find you intimidating. Not to mention, you
could probably kick their asses. Also intimidating.” She waggled
her brows at me until we both laughed.

“Seriously, though, Max,” she said when the
laughter died down. “What are you going to do?”

I took a deep breath. “I’m not sure,” I
answered her honestly.

“Well, whatever you do, don’t be afraid to
trust Kingston. I think he has your best interests at heart.”

I gave her a small smile and clicked off the
TV. I gathered our dishes and brought them to the kitchen, all but
dropping them in the sink. When the buzzer sounded, my heart
stopped. I turned to look at Wynter and her eyes were wide.

I forced myself to stay calm and clicked the
button for the intercom. “Who is it?”

“Hey, Max, it’s King,” he said, his deep
voice resonating through the speaker.

My heart didn’t slow its pace, although the
fast beating was no longer in fear. I wanted Kingston to come
upstairs, to take me to bed, and never let me leave.

“Max,” Wynter said to me. “Are you going to
let him up?”

“Yeah,” I said, pressing the button for
entry. “Come on up.”

“Is that a good idea?”

I grinned. “Nope. But I’ll never be able to
open myself up to romance if I don’t let anyone in,” I said, using
her own words against her.

“Fine,” she said, slipping her shoes on.
“Just be safe, okay? And tell him about what happened today.”

I shook my head at her.

“Dammit, Max! Don’t make me tell him,” she
threatened, tapping her foot against the hardwood floor.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Fine,” I agreed
through clenched teeth.

A knock at the door drew both our eyes to the
front entrance.

“Hey.”

The three of us stood there awkwardly.
Kingston was still in the hallway and Wynter and I were standing in
the entry of my apartment. If ever there was a time where awkward
wasn’t an awkward enough word, we were living it.

Finally, Wynter found her voice. “You must be
Kingston. I’m her best friend, Wynter. I’m so glad Max found
someone to train her. I never really thought Jeff was good enough,”
she said as she shook Kingston’s hand.

He smiled at her. “It’s so nice to meet
you.”

“Well, Max,” she said, turning to me. “I’m
going to head home. Text me tomorrow, okay?” She hugged me and then
turned to Kingston again. When she hugged him and whispered
something in his ear, I rolled my eyes. She was far too protective
of me. “See you later,” she said, trading places with Kingston and
closing the door behind her.

I ignored him and went into the kitchen in
search of more wine. All I had was a six pack of beer, so I pulled
two out and tossed one to Kingston.

“You shouldn’t be drinking so soon before a
fight,” he said, popping the tab on his can.

I opened my can and lifted it to my lips, a
wry smile on my lips. “Oops.” I took a long swig from the can and
closed my eyes, enjoying the taste.