Training the SECRET (Corrigan & Co #6) (14 page)

“Can I have my kiss
now, please?”

“You can have
anything you want.”

“Even a pony? Because
I really wanted a pony when I was little. I might still want one
now.”

“I’ll buy you a
pony.”

“A kiss will be more
than fine.”

I lean down and kiss
her. Once, and then again. As I go for a third one, she pulls back.
“Sorry, I know you only asked for one.”

“Oh, I want way more
than one. But I also want to get you home and soak those muscles you
worked too hard for me today.”

“How did you know I
was doing it for you?”

“I was hoping?” she
asks it more than says it, making me pull her back into my arms.

“Let’s just be
clear then. Yes, I worked my ass off for you today. Just like I’m
going to do every other day until the fight. I’m going to get into
that cage, and do my damnedest to win
for
you
, and then when it’s over, I’m going to try and be
a better man. For both of us.”

“Thank you. For
training and fighting. The better man shit is just
that—bullshit—because you’re one of the best men I know. I
don’t need you to be better, I just want you to stay mine.”

“Well, that’s a
given.”

“Glad that’s
settled so we can leave. Grab your stuff.”

“You’re adorable
when you’re bossy.”

“And sexy. Don’t
forget how turned on you get when I’m bossy.”

“I said sometimes,”
he tells me as we get in the car.

“Only because you’re
too alpha to admit more than that.”

“I’m not
disagreeing with that statement.”

“Ha. Point to me.”

“I have to let you
have one every once in a while.”

“In your dreams,
Soldier. In your dreams.”

“Nah. In those,
you’re never right. I’m the alpha extreme, and you hang on my
every word, looking to serve me however I may need you.”

“Liar.”

“Are you a dream
reader now? Analyzing me in my sleep?”

“No. Just remembering
how hard you came last night after I told you what to do to me.”

“Most of my dreams
really do have me playing Master Alpha.”

“Most, but not all?”
she asks, and I shake my head. “Good. Just for the record, I’m
never
calling you
‘Master.” Like seriously, never gonna happen.”

“I honestly didn’t
think you would,” I tell her as I open her car door, and take her
hand in mine.

She pulls me to a stop,
and looks at me. She’s biting her lip a little and I hate that
she’s nervous around me. I wait for her to say what she needs to
because I want her to know that she can.

“You can tell me what
to do more, or you know, be bossier. I can take it.”

Holy fucking hell, am I
a lucky man. “I’d love to say that I don’t want that, but God
if the thought of telling you to bend over and spread your legs
doesn’t do it for me, I’m not a man.”

“Plenty of men don’t
need to be in control, and in fact like giving up control to a
woman.”

“Most definitely, and
that’s great for them. I don’t begrudge anyone their kink. And
you already know how turned on I was last night. On a daily basis, I
just can’t be that guy, though. It’s not in my nature. Any time
you want to take the reins, they’re yours. But not
every
time.”

“I guess we should
have had this conversation sooner,” she says as she starts our bath
in one of the downstairs bathrooms. “Because while I don’t need
to always be in charge, I don’t want you to be either.”

“There’s no need
for a conversation, Angel. We can share whenever you want. You don’t
even have to tell me. Just say what you want, and it’s yours. I
thought you knew that by now,” I tell her as I finish taking off my
clothes and slide into the tub.

“What if it’s not
what you want?” she asks, joining me.

“We compromise. We’ll
be doing a lot of that for the next 100 years or so. In and out of
bed.”

“Umm, I don’t think
people live that long.”

“Maybe not now, but
the A-Team, or someone almost as smart will probably figure that out
before we get too old.”

“True.”

“Let’s just enjoy
this soak, and then I’ll cook you dinner before we cuddle.”

“I can cook. You had
a crazy workout today.”

“I promised to take
care of you tonight. Dinner is included. No arguments.”

“Thank you. I really
mean it. Thank you for everything.”

“Don’t thank me
until after we deal with Brent. It’s my fault he’s here, and I
intend to make him see the error of his ways, or make him see the
door.”

“Let’s just hope
he’s come to his senses. Aiden told Ellie that he hasn’t found
anything yet.”

“I know. I already
called Scott and bitched his ass out for recommending the asshole, so
he’s on it, too.”

“We’ll get this all
sorted out, you’ll fight, and then we can go home.”

“That’s the plan.”

Which I know will
probably not go exactly like we want it to, but I’m hoping for at
least a partially good outcome. Which still may be too optimistic,
but I’ve got to have some hope, and even somefaith in us both.
Because the only other option is to walk away from her, and I’m not
strong enough for that.

Nate

Jade and I are waiting
for Brent in the office at the gym. Aiden and Ellie are downstairs,
but we thought it would be best if just the two of us had this
conversation with him. Neither one of us knows what to expect, but
we’re both hoping for another apology, and some kind of promise
that he’s come to his senses. Because without that, he’s gone,
and we’re stuck here. I love Jade, and I’ll stay here as long as
she needs me to, but I want to take her home.

The door opens, and
Jade squeezes my hand. I know she talked to her therapist, and while
neither of them could figure out why Brent is a trigger for her, the
doctor told her to be careful around him because he obviously is.
Since she’s never going to be alone with him again as long as I
have a say in it, careful isn’t going to be an issue.

Brent seems a little
nervous—but still cocky—as he walks in. He looks down at our
linked hands, and I see his jaw clench. If he starts any shit again,
it’s going to get ugly. I’m going to sit back and let her lead
again, but I
will
hurt the bastard if he steps out of line.

“What do you need to
hear, Jade?”

“Seriously? You don’t
know what you need to say?”

“I already apologized
yesterday.”

“If you were sincere,
you’d have done it again the moment you walked in.”

“I’m not going to
get on my knees for you unless it’s in a different context,” he
says with a smirk.

I’m off the couch
before I can even think about it. Jade pulls on my hand and when I
look at her she shakes her head. “He’s not worth it. Let him say
what he wants, and then he can get the fuck out.” I sit back down,
and glare at him, wanting to punch him more than I’ve ever wanted
to hit another person in my life.

“Out? You need me.”

“Not if you’re
going to be disrespectful towards me, I don’t. You told me once
that you expected me to act professionally. I expect the same from
you.”

“Yet you have your
boyfriend
in here
with you.”

“After yesterday, I
will never be alone with you in a room. For any reason.”

“I wouldn’t kiss
you again—unless you wanted me to.”

“I will never want
that, Brent. You need to understand and accept that.”

“You’re that sure?”

“Yes.”

“Then I am again
sorry for yesterday, and can assure you that it won’t happen
again.”

“I accept your
apology, and you can keep your job here.”

“Great. The two of
you can clear out so I can get back to work. Missing most of
yesterday put me behind on some things.”

“After you tell us
who Nate is fighting, you can do whatever you need to.”

“I said that I would
tell you next week.”

“As your boss, I’m
telling you that I want to know now.”

“You’re pulling the
boss card?”

“That card is always
pulled. Just because I’ve let you ignore it doesn’t mean it’s
not in play.”

“His training is
going well, so why does it matter who he’ll be fighting?”

“It matters because
you won’t tell us,” I say.

“What if I refuse? I
just don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Again, you know
where the door is,” Jade tells him. I can see that she’s not
going to back down, and he should realize it, too. “Please use it
if you need to.”

“Fine. You’re
fighting your old friend, Alberto Rujas.”

My mouth drops open,
and my throat goes dry. This can’t be happening. I can’t fight
Al. I
can’t
. I got
out of our old life, but he’s still in it. I left him behind, and I
won’t fight to win against him. I can’t do that to him. I just
simply
can’t.

“I won’t win
against him.”

“Of course you will.
You’re a better fighter,” Brent says.

“But I won’t.”

A knowing smile comes
over his face. “You’re going to throw a fight for an old friend,
even if it means that your girl will lose me as a manager? You’re
choosing him over her?”

“It’s not like
that.” And it isn’t. There is no choice for me. I love Jade, but
I know what will happen to Al if he loses. I won’t be the cause of
that.

“Then please
enlighten us. What is it like?”

“I don’t answer to
you, Brent. It’s none of your business.”

“It’s Jade’s
business you’re putting in jeopardy.”

He’s right, and we
all know it. I can’t do this, though. I just can’t. I knew this
fight would bring up old demons, but not the demon herself. The
thought of fighting Al, of
beating
Al so he’s at her mercy, is more than I can take. But so is
disappointing Jade. There is no easy solution here, and something
tells me that Brent knows that.

“You know don’t
you?”

“Know what?” he
asks, and I see it in his eyes. Bastard.

“You know about my
past.”

“Of course I do. You
don’t run in my circles without knowing.”

“So you set this all
upon purpose. You did this to try and destroy me. Do you think she’ll
go to you for comfort once she knows? Is that what you’re hoping
for?”

“Partly, yes. You’re
vile and disgusting. She should know that.”

“That’s enough. If
you ever talk to him like that again, it will be me you have to deal
with,” Jade says, standing up and in front of me.

“Letting your
girlfriend defend you sounds about right.”

“I have to get out of
here.”

“You’re going to
miss training because your feelings are hurt? I always knew you were
weak.”

“It’s weak to
pretend that you don’t have fears and insecurities, it’s not weak
to embrace them. I learned that a long time ago, and one day you
will, too. Hopefully before it’s too late.”

“Where are you
going?” Jade asks me.

“Just somewhere to
clear my head.”

“Call me, okay?”

“I will. I love you,
Angel.”

“I love you too,
Soldier.” I lean down and kiss her, trying to let her know that I
hate to disappoint her. “You’re not letting me down. No matter
what you choose to do, I’ll always support you.”

* * *

Jade

It’s been two days
since Nate walked out of the gym. He calls me at least once a day to
let me know he’s alive. From the sound of things, I can tell that
he’s
barely
surviving, and I don’t know what to do. I’ve told him that it’s
okay if he wants to quit the match, or let his friend win, but that
seems to make him even more upset. I’m not sure how to get through
to him, and I’m also not sure what’s going to happen with the
gym.

We’ve been carrying
on like it’s business as usual, but everyone has noticed that Nate
is gone. People think he’s left me. I’ve actually been hit on by
a few of the fighters, and the women who come in here all give me
pitying—or smug—looks. I can admit that it hurts a little to know
that all these people think I couldn’t keep his interest, but I’ll
never tell him that. He would come back. I know in my heart that he
would, and I love him too much to make him do that.

I need to know what
Brent knows, but I can’t ask him. Or rather, I won’t. I know he
wants me to, so he can lord it over Nate. I kind of hate him for it,
but I have to admit that he’s doing a great job where the gym is
concerned. I can ignore him, and I won’t see him much after the
fight. I won’t ask him what I need to know, though. There’s
someone else I can ask, though. I want Nate to tell me, but I’m
realizing that he simply can’t.

I feel a little like a
traitor as I dial Heath’s cell, and I also feel like this will
somehow come back to bite me in the ass, but I need to know. He
answers on the third ring. “Hey, Jade.”

“Hi.”

“What’s up?”

“I need to ask you
something.”

“About your dad? He’s
doing great, and the ladies here are all awesome.”

“No. It’s about
Nate.”

There’s silence on
the other end of the line. I don’t think he’s going to say
anything. “You should ask him, Jade.”

“I would if I could.”

“Communication is an
important part of any relationship. If you can’t talk, then maybe
you should walk.”

“Nice rhyme. But
seriously, and you cannot tell my dad this, when Brent told us who
Nate’s fighting, he freaked out and left. He calls me, so I know
he’s physically okay, but something’s wrong. I don’t want to
ask Brent, so I’m asking you.”

“Who’s he
fighting?”

“Alberto Rujas.”

“Shit. That’s bad,
Jade. Really bad. What did Nate say before he left?”