by Ciz, Alley
“The door was unlocked. Figured if you were sleeping here it’d be locked.”
Her groan was pained and she shot back another elbow.
“Blue," Gage cautioned, but the move cost her and he was able to pull the covers down enough to expose her face. Her brother stood in the doorway with his hand dramatically covering his eyes.
Maybe he was wishing for bleach.
She sure was, or a lobotomy maybe to erase this entire encounter from her memory.
Thank god they hadn’t gotten to the sex before he barged in. Talk about awkward.
“Why the hell are you still here?” She thrust a finger at the open door behind him. “Get. Out.”
Vince guffawed as he made his way out of the room. “Oh, man. Hope your phone’s charged, sis. You know those Coven conversations are hell on the battery.”
The jerk knew them too well.
* * *
Rocky let the door slam behind her as she stormed into her apartment cursing her brother under her breath.
“What did Vince do now?” Gemma’s voice alerted her to the fact that maybe she wasn’t promising to get retribution as quietly as she thought.
Her cousin was pouring a protein shake into a to-go cup at the counter when she stumbled to a stop to fill her in on her rude ass wake-up call.
Gem’s laughter followed her down the hall to her room.
Her phone pinged as she was pulling on her green Hulk t-shirt because she was feeling very Hulk Smash at the moment.
She expected it to be the girls, but when she looked at the screen, it wasn’t one of them.
THE BIG HAMMER: I guess I should be grateful Vince never walked in on us in bed?
THE BIG HAMMER: *GIF of Mike Tyson cracking up*
ALPHABET SOUP: We are NO LONGER best friends
THE BIG HAMMER: Oh don’t be like that Balboa
ALPHABET SOUP: It’s not funny!!! *Angry face emoji*
ALPHABET SOUP: How would you like it if Jordan walked in on you with your flavor of the month??
ALPHABET SOUP: And TECHNICALLY we were in bed, but we weren’t doing anything when he came in like a wrecking ball
ALPHABET SOUP: *GIF of Miley Cyrus swinging on a wrecking ball*
THE BIG HAMMER: 1st off. Gross *puking face emoji*
THE BIG HAMMER: 2nd, I don’t have a flavor of the month
ALPHABET SOUP: Suuuuuuurrrrrreeeee
THE BIG HAMMER: You know I was texting to see if you were ok. But if you’re gonna be like that…
ALPHABET SOUP: What a gentleman
THE BIG HAMMER: *GIF of a cowboy tipping his hat*
From The Coven’s Group Message Thread
ALPHABET SOUP: JD I need a good way to get back at Vince
MOTHER OF DRAGONS: Oooooo. You NEVER call me JD. This MUST be serious. What happened?
YOU KNOW YOU WANNA: *GIF of Jake blocking a shootout shot and the ref signaling no goal*
MOTHER OF DRAGONS: It’s early and the twins are teething. So can you clue me in on what my husband has to do with Vince?
PROTEIN PRINCESS: Vince went all sexual Soup Nazi on Rock and Gage this morning. Busting into the room on them and essentially declaring “No sex for you!”
MOTHER OF DRAGONS: Well shit
MAKES BOYS CRY: Did you at least do it after he left?
QUEEN OF SMUT: Oh man, brothers are the WORST
MOTHER OF DRAGONS: Amen *praise hands emoji*
ALPHABET SOUP: Of course we DIDN’T get to finish. My bun went without its hotdog this morning.
MAKES BOYS CRY: I thought you said he was more like a sausage
YOU KNOW YOU WANNA: Or bratwurst
ALPHABET SOUP: NOT THE POINT!!!
QUEEN OF SMUT: Uh oh. Watch it she’s channeling her inner Christian Grey
MAKES BOYS CRY: Ooo DETAILS NOW
ALPHABET SOUP: *string of squirrel emojis* *string of Dory emojis*
ALPHABET SOUP: Stay on topic
ALPHABET SOUP: Anyway… the important part is my V went without any P this morning and I’m feeling especially vindictive. So I’m reaching out to the expert
MOTHER OF DRAGONS: *GIF of girl twiddling her fingers in an evil plan*
MOTHER OF DRAGONS: I got you
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Being interrupted by his girlfriend’s brother was not something Gage had much experience with—okay, he had none—but he found it entertaining. That probably said something about him, but as he continued to grow more comfortable with the overbearing, no-boundary-having group, he basked in the feeling of finally finding his tribe.
Rocky, however, not so amused. At least if the daggers she hurled Vince’s way with her eyes before climbing into Becky’s car were anything to go by.
The oldest Steele didn’t seem bothered in the least by his sister’s ire. Or maybe he had no sense of self-preservation given the moment the cars were parked at The Steele Maker he instantly threw an arm around her shoulders and practically held her in a headlock for the walk inside.
Needing a moment to compose himself as the events from last night hit him, he hung back, feigning looking in his gym bag for something, while he got his emotions in check.
He still had no idea how to deal with Vic Steele, knowing he tried to have a hand in ending the first real relationship Gage had had in twenty-seven years. Professionally, he had the utmost respect for the man, but personally he kind of wanted to punch the guy in the face.
Rocky wasn’t some high school girl trying to run away with a drop-out. She was twenty-four, a college graduate, had a job she did better than anyone else he had ever met and he was a disciplined and financially-responsible man.
As his coach, he could respect Vic’s main concern that his training could be affected, but as a father, he was falling down on the job. Gage could admit he had some similar concerns when he first contemplated starting a relationship with Rocky, a woman that was so closely tied to his career, but they remained professional during training hours.
Working with her actually had him training harder every day, his macho, competitive side pushing to the forefront to prove himself to his woman.
He spotted Rocky wrapping Vince’s hands as he made his way inside the gym and toward the locker rooms in the back. He stripped off his hoodie, stowed his bag and brought his own blue wraps—in honor of her—with him to the floor.
“Man, we gotta get you some new wraps,” Vince said, holding up his own hands covered in Superman symbols.
“I like blue,” he said, handing off the wraps to Rocky and sharing a secret smile with her.
“Eww. Don’t be going all mushy in front of me.” Vince mimed gagging while Rocky let the material unroll to the matted floor.
“Well, we wouldn’t have to be mushy with each other if someone didn’t barge in on our sexy time,” she tossed out.
“La, la, la, la, la.” Vince plugged his ears with his fingers. “No. Nope. Nah-uh. I don’t want to hear it. Gross.”
“I swear, Sean is more mature than you some days,” she said as she finished wrapping one hand and started on the other.
“Don’t be a hater, sis.”
They were still laughing when Vic Steele strode up to them, cutting off any further conversation.
“Okay, enough chitchat. You two”—he pointed a finger at Gage and Vince—“go warm up with the speed bags. And you”—he narrowed his eyes at Rocky, and Gage's hackles rose at his tone—“go work with Nick and Damon.”
“What?” she asked. He was never that specific on who she worked with or when during the day.
“Did I stutter, Raquel?”
Vic’s harsh words even had Vince sucking in a breath beside him. Gage’s hands clenched in to fists at the compulsion to defend his woman.
“No.” He could feel the effort Rocky made to keep her own tone civil. “I’m just confused why you want me to work with Nick and Damon. I’ve been almost exclusively working with Vin and Gage for the last week.”
“Not anymore.”
“Why not?” She folded her arms over her chest, mirroring her father’s stance.
“Unless Gage is injured, you are officially off his training plan.”
“Excuse me?” Her voice rose a few octaves.
“I’ve had enough of your attitude, young lady.”
“Attitude?” Hurt started to bleed into her words.
Vic Steele was currently trying to overtake The Cutter as his least favorite person.
“I may not have been able to put a stop to this”—Vic’s fingers bounced between Gage and Rocky—“but you are strictly forbidden from working together, unless there is an injury to treat.”
“Forbidden?”
“Stop with the dramatics, Raquel.”
She was seething and he wanted nothing more than to reach out, wrap his arms around her and hold her until she felt better. Given the current conversation, he knew that would never fly and kept his arms down by his sides.
“The subject is not up for debate. Now get to work, all of you.”
Decree made, Vic Steele turned on his heel, walking away and leaving three stupefied people in his wake.
* * *
Not even Rocky’s Boston boys were able to expel the driving need to hit something from her. Hours later, she was still angry about her father treating her like a child, blatantly disrespecting her role as a member of The Steele Maker staff.
She couldn’t even look at him right now.
All her life, she had been daddy’s little girl. The only time they had ever really argued was when she wanted to leave the gym to work for the Blizzards. For days, they went back and forth until she finally gave in, turning down her dream job and stepping into the role she currently had full-time.
But this? Everything else paled in comparison to the rage she felt bubbling under her skin.
No matter what her father said, her eyes tracked for the millionth time to where Vince and Gage were sparring, analyzing the way each man moved as they did. At least it looked like her brother had finally kicked the last of his tells.
Gage had his hands hooked behind Vince’s neck, holding him in place while he drove his knee up and into Vince’s side.
She frowned the longer she watched. Gage’s gait was off. It was minute, barely perceptible, but it was there. She may have been strictly forbidden from working with him, but it was her job to keep the fighters, all of them, healthy and something was up.
“What’s with the face, Rock?” Nick asked as he and Damon relaxed out of their fighting stance, noticing her distraction.
She hesitated, not wanting to seem stupid given the current situation.
“Spit it out, Alphabet Soup. You’re giving yourself wrinkles.” Damon, always the charmer. It wasn’t true, but it was enough to break her from her haze.
“I’m not sure.” She paused, eyeing the pair across the gym again. “I feel like there’s something wonky going on with Gage. He’s off.”
Shaking it off, she blew out a breath and turned back to the pair she was supposed to be focusing on.
Nick’s expression turned serious in a way it so rarely did. “If you think something’s up then it probably is.”
“This is true.” Damon agreed with a nod. “No one spots injuries better than you, Rock.”
“Fact. There have been times I swear you caught them before they happened.”
Intellectually, she knew the guys respected her position at the gym and had most likely made similar comments before, but it was like she was hearing them for the first time.
What changed?
Gage. Gage James happened. He entered her life, knocking down more than just the walls surrounding her heart.
Emboldened by what the guys said, knowing it wasn’t going to go over well but not giving a fuck, she headed in their direction. No matter what her father thought, she wasn’t the type to let her personal relationships prevent her from doing the best job possible.
“Raquel.” The use of her legal name said more about her father’s current feelings than the gravelly way he spoke it did.
She spoke through gritted teeth as she choked down her feelings. “Something is off with Gage.”
The sigh her father let out was worthy of a soap opera. “Raquel.” Again with the legal name. “This is why you can’t work with him. Taking hits is all a part MMA. You’re too close to this.”
“Dad.” Her tone turned frosty. “I don’t need you to explain how MMA works. I grew up on the sport. And that’s not what I am talking about here.”
She waved her hand at the duo circling each other. “He’s moving different. Something’s up.”
If her father was the type to roll his eyes, they'd be back in his brain if the scoff he let out was any indication.
“Gage,” he barked, bringing a stop to the sparring session. “Are you hurt?”
“What?” A v formed between his brows as he ran one of his wrapped hands over his buzzed hair.
“Your girlfriend is concerned you’re injured.”
He said the word girlfriend the same way most people spoke about Nazis.
You cannot hit him. He is your father. He may be acting like an ass right now, but you cannot hit him.
GAGE REMINDED HIMSELF it would be bad for his career if he throat-punched his coach, but the struggle was real. Listening to Vic essentially talk down to Rocky in front of him did not sit well at all.
Neither did the fact that he was about to be forced into lying.
It came as no surprise Rocky once again picked up on him favoring his hip. He'd tweaked it earlier and with each passing minute, the pain only increased. He was usually better at compartmentalizing it, but he was already on overload trying to navigate the family drama happening inside the gym.
The ironic thing was Vic was the catalyst to everything he accused Rocky of potentially being.
Personal reasons aside, the last thing the situation needed was his injury becoming public knowledge. And yet he didn’t want to give weight to Vic’s obvious attempt at a brush-off.
He was stuck between a rock and a hard place—no pun intended.
“I came down a little funny earlier, but it already feels back to normal.”
There, that was perfect. An admittance to validate Rocky’s concerns, while downplaying the severity of the actual injury.
“See, Raquel. I told you that you were overreacting.”
Okay, he didn’t like that response.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he cut in while steam practically poured from Rocky’s ears. “On my first day, you yourself told me not to try and hide an injury from Rocky. It may not be an injury, per se, but she did still pick up on something being off. I think it just goes to show how right you were about her skills.”
The tension lines around Rocky’s stormy eyes eased at his words. She mouthed thank you to him and when Vic wasn’t looking, he sent her a wink.
This situation was not ideal, but he would find a way to fix it. He had a feeling he would have to help bridge the gap between father and daughter for that to be possible.
He was up to the challenge. He would do anything for his Blue.
Chapter Thirty
It wasn’t until the end of the week—one of the worst weeks on record—that their schedules finally lined up for them to have dinner with Wyatt and Beth. Rocky knew Gage’s cousin in passing, as he and a few other firemen worked out at The Steele Maker, but not on a personal level.
She followed Gage as he let himself inside the cute ranch-style home, obviously as close with his cousin as she was with her own friends. She couldn’t help but notice how much different she felt about dinner with his family versus hers. It probably helped no one inside the house had demanded they break up, but tomato tomahto.
A woman she assumed was Beth, as she looked about ready to pop, came around the corner with a beaming smile on her face. “Dumbass,” she said, pulling Gage into as close of a hug as her belly would allow.
“Pita,” he returned affectionately.
Beth released Gage, belly bumping against Rocky as they hugged also. “And you must be the girlfriend.”
“I am,” she answered with a smile of her own. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Beth stepped back, looking her up and down before treating her to a knowing grin. “I always knew whatever girl with the magic vagina who could make this knucklehead”—she punched Gage in the arm—“want to date would have to be gorgeous, and I was right. You’re a babe.”
She snickered, unsure how to respond to someone talking about her lady parts within a minute of meeting her.
“You’ll have to forgive my wife.” Wyatt stepped into the room, pulling Beth to his side and greeting his cousin with some sort of complicated bro handshake. “The pregnancy brain has basically removed her verbal filter.”
“Pff. From what I can remember, she never had a filter.”
“It’s not nice to pick on a pregnant woman, Gage Elliot,” Beth scolded as she led them out to a three-season porch where there was an impressive spread of chicken kabobs, grilled vegetables, and roasted potatoes set out.
“Middle-named, huh?” Rocky giggled. “You must be in trouble.”
“Both these two suck, not having whole first names,” Beth complained, making a v with her index and middle fingers to indicate both James men. “If I’m pissed or annoyed at them, what am I am supposed to say? Wyatt-athon and Gage-topher?” She shook her head. “I think not.”
Rocky buried her face behind her hand as she tried to get her peals of laughter under control. This chick would fit in perfectly with the girls. She would have to keep her in mind the next time they all got together.