“Right.” I unwrap my sandwich. “Always weird.”
For the first time since I walked into the café, he grins. “Maybe a little.”
“I knew it.” I take a bite of my food and smile right back at him. Being with him is always so easy.
“But it’s not the sun-shade thing that makes you weird. It’s the air-conditioning thing.”
I roll my eyes.
“You know blasting the cold air in your car with the windows down kinda defeats the purpose.”
“I disagree. It’s air conditioning. I’m conditioning the air around me, so if it’s cold outside, I like to feel the brisk air on my face, but I don’t like being cold so—”
“You turn on the heat.”
I shrug. “Right. And vice versa.”
“Weird,” he mumbles before taking another bite of his food.
“So how’s work?”
He frowns. “Why?”
“What do you mean why? I’m catching up on your life, making conversation. You know, the thing friends do when they hang out.”
He blinks then goes back to focusing on his sandwich. “It’s good.”
“That’s it? Just good?”
“Great… I guess.” Finished with his food, he balls up his trash and moves it to the edge of the table. “You never did tell me how your mom took the piercing.”
“Good enough, I mean she kinda freaked at first, but then once it sunk in she was cool. It took a little longer for Blake to come to terms with it.”
“Yeah, I know.”
My eyes dart to his. “What…did he…oh my God, Kill, did he give you shit about it?”
He shrugs one shoulder and drops back into his seat. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
I bury my face into my hands, completely humiliated. “Oh God, that’s so embarrassing. I’m sorry.”
“Like I said, I handled it.”
“I didn’t mean to tell him you were there. It just slipped out, and then he went off about why you didn’t stop me, and I said it’s none of his fucking business—”
“You said that?” His eyebrows rise and a hint of a grin ticks his lips.
“Not exactly, but basically.”
His grin widens, and a deep chuckle filters from his lips. “I was gonna say I would’ve paid to have been there when you told Blake it’s none of his fucking business.”
I laugh and agree. That would not have gone over well.
He smiles sadly. “From the looks of it, I guess Cliff approves.”
I study him and a tension strings tight between us, as if a million unspoken words hover in the space between our lips. Mesmerized by the depth of his stare, I’m incapable of looking away.
“Yes,” I whisper.
He nods and breaks eye contact. “That’s good, Ax. I’m… I’m happy for you.”
An odd feeling comes over me at those words, because I’m always desperate for his approval, but for the first time, in this case, I don’t want it.
Seven
Killian
“Get in and out! In and out!” Rex’s shouted instructions are called from outside the cage.
I step in, throw a left, pivot out.
“There it is!” He claps. “Again!”
Wade’s eyes are focused on me, gloved hands raised. He blinks to clear the sweat from his vision. I know because I’m doing the same.
I step in. Body shot. Pull back.
Wade lands a kick to my ribs.
“Shit.” I grab his ankle just in time to take him to the ground.
“Nice!” Rex yells. “Half guard!”
I use the weight of my body to wrap my leg around his. He struggles as I secure half guard. He braces my hip, making so I can’t get a tighter hold? then thrusts up. His hands get between us.
“No! Lock ’em down!”
We go back and forth, him gaining an inch, me getting it back. We’re breathing heavily and fatigue makes me clumsy. He takes advantage and locks me in a guillotine choke.
“Dammit, Kill!” Rex yells just as I sag and tap.
“Fuck, boy!” Wade jumps off me, grinning. “You’re one strong son of a bitch!”
I roll to my back, trying to catch my breath. “Not strong enough.” I spit out my mouth guard and stare at the ceiling.
Rex’s face comes into view as he leans over me. I expect to see him scowling, but his pierced lip is pulled into a wide grin. “That was some impressive shit, Kill.” He holds out his hand. “Get your ass up.”
I allow him to pull me to my feet where Wade wraps his arm around my neck. “You’re going to destroy the competition in England, bro.” He slaps my back.
Fuck. Not this again.
It’s been three weeks since I got the offer to go to London, and I haven’t told the guys I’m not taking the offer yet. They seem to leave me alone when I say I haven’t decided yet. But I find the surest way to stay clear of their shit is to just keep my mouth shut altogether.
Wade lifts his water bottle to his lips before looking to Rex. “Dude, can you imagine getting your first fight overseas at twenty-one?”
Rex studies me with a knowing expression. “No, I can’t. It’s the opportunity of a fuckin’ lifetime.”