“And did he?” Imogen rushes out.
A smile crosses my lips as I think about just how damn brave he is. “Yeah,” I tell them. “He did.”
“Whoa,” Cami says. “He hasn’t even told Jace about it.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I think I’m the only one.”
I see the curiosity in their eyes, but this is one story I’m not about to spill, after all, it’s not my story to tell.
“So, how did it go from story time to screwing?” Izzy questions.
I can’t help but laugh. “I honestly have no idea,” I tell them. “One minute, I was switching the sugar and salt labels back, the next, he was slamming me up against the wall.”
“Wow,” Izzy sighs. “That’s so hot.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “It really was.”
“So, what now?” Imogen asks. “Is it just sex? Because I can’t be the only one who has noticed that he follows after you like a lost puppy.”
“That’s what I said,” Charli says. “He can’t keep his hands off you.”
“I don’t know,” I tell them. “He’s so closed off when talking about emotion and feelings. I have no idea where I stand.”
“Well, what do you want?” Rylee asks. “Do you like him?”
A flush takes over my cheeks and I don’t even have to answer her question. The answer is crystal clear in my expression. “Woohoo,” Charli cheers. “I love it.”
“What the hell is going on out here?” Xander grunts as he walks out the door with the boys following behind.
Each of our lips gets zipped as we refuse to spill any of the details, but by the way Luke’s eyes curiously narrow on mine, he already knows what’s been discussed out here, though, we are girls, what did he expect we were going to talk about?
He walks right up to me, lifts me off the couch and takes my seat before sitting me on his lap. I can’t help but loop my arm over his shoulder and get myself comfortable.
“Alright, what gives?” Jace grunts as he sits between Cami and Rylee and looks up at Luke, apparently asking the very question that we’ve all been wondering. “Are you guys just fucking, or are you together?”
Everyone around us instantly falls into silence as Jace asks the million dollar question. My mouth drops open as my head whips around to face Luke. I’m completely lost for words and have no idea how to react without getting myself in some sort of trouble, so I don’t dare say a word. I’m not prepared to ruin what we’ve got going right now.
Apparently, Luke doesn’t have those same issues as he raises his hand and places it on my lower back. “Yeah,” he tells Jace as though it’s a well known fact. “We’re together.”
“Ummm…. What?” I grunt.
His eyes sparkle as he watches me and a smirk crosses those delicious lips. “Don’t act like you don’t want it.”
“I’m not acting like anything,” I tell him. “I’m just busy dying of shock.”
He rolls his eyes and he suddenly becomes serious as his hand on my lower back slides up until it’s curled around the back of my neck. He pulls me in and gently kisses me. He pulls back slightly but keeps me close so we can talk in private. “I don’t know what it is about you, Lex, but you make me feel alive again, and there’s no way in hell that I’m about to give that up.”
I search his eyes as my chest starts to ache with emotion. “Are you sure?” I question. “You know I’m all kinds of fucked up.”
“Babe, if you’re fucked up then I’m already dead,” he tells me. “You’re fucking beautiful.”
I press my lips to his. “You’re not dead.”
He shakes his head ever so slightly. “No,” he agrees. “Not anymore.”
I swear, my heart explodes.
This man has completely captured me. I’m his. Mind. Body. Soul.
As the girls cheer and applaud for us in an overdramatic display of affection for our new relationship. I can’t help but chuckle against his lips.
“The boys are going to give me shit for this,” he tells me.
“Yeah, well, I only just narrowly avoided describing your junk.”
A grin splits his face in two. “Describe away, babe. I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”
I roll my eyes and lean back against him before turning back to our friends. This moment is nothing short of perfection. Not only have I made myself a home and new friends, but I’ve got a family.
My heart has never been so full.
All my life I’ve been searching for a happiness that I didn’t understand until right now. It’s like a pure joy that completely overwhelms me. A smile sits permanently on my face as I think back over the time I’ve been in this town. I find myself singing along to my music, grinning every time I hear a lyric that resonates with how I’m feeling.
Life is just great. Pure bliss.
The girls laugh and top up drinks as the guys grunt and groan while doing whatever it is that guys do when Izzy flies to her feet with her phone in her hand. “Oh, my God, she laughs. “I just saw the funniest thing on YouTube.”
Luke lets out a knowing groan as Jace dives for the phone.
I’ve heard about Izzy and her love for YouTube. Apparently, whenever she finds something ridiculous, it turns into a fight between Cole and Imogen who thinks the other can’t do it or is too pussy to try, and then it somehow gets turned into teams.
Which is exactly how we end up playing the most epic and dangerous version of slip n slide I’ve ever seen, only we’ve renamed it slip n fly, so it’s no surprise that after the girls have had one turn each, the guys forbid us from having another go.
It’s deathly cold, but that didn’t stop a single one of us from sliding down the house on the slip n slide mat, starting at the roof and flying off the edge before landing with a splash in the pool.
Chapter 18
Luke
I stand between two punching bags, shouting out orders for the two fighters pounding into them on either side of me.
“Come on, Rock,” I yell. “You’re lacking. Don’t let Alec beat you to the finish line,” I add, indicating to the fighter on my left.
Sweat drips down both their faces, but with my encouragement, Rock picks up his pace.
These guys have some big fights coming up, and if they want to make a splash in the industry and let the world know exactly who they are, then they’re going to have it step it up a bit.
“Right, drop down in three, two, one,” I say.
They know the routine by now and instantly drop to the ground. They push themselves through a grueling fifty, fast paced push ups before flying back to their feet and laying into the worn leather of the punching bag.
I shout out a few different combinations for them to bust out and just as I knew they would, they work their asses off with them.
“Alright guys,” I say as we near the end. “You’re almost there. One minute. Hit it.”
With that, they force their fists into the leather in a rapid progression for one minute straight. It may sound easy, but the force these guys are using drains every last ounce of energy out of them.
They’re in full-time training like many of the guys that come here, but these two have got to be at the top. They’re going to make it, just like Cole did, and just like Xander is now.
I have to admit, having Xander training here really helps these guys to push themselves. Every kid in this place idolizes him, and to be honest, it’s pretty incredible to watch. A lot of these guys don’t come from much and I love that at Rebels Advocate we can give them a future. Something to work towards, and for some of them, even a career that could span the rest of their lives.
The boys groan and clench their teeth as they work right up until the very last second. Their bodies are telling them to stop, but the determination in their eyes tells me they are giving it their absolute all.
“Time’s up,” I finally tell them.
Rock drops to the ground and his arms fall beside him like jelly, while Alec falls into the punching
bag, barely holding himself up.
“Good job, guys,” I tell them. “Why don’t you go cool down, grab some lunch, and be back in an hour to hit the ring.”
“Yes, boss,” Rock says, though he doesn’t move a muscle.
I smirk down at him, proud of their efforts today. I clap Alec on the shoulder before turning away and leaving them be. They deserve a few minutes to find their feet before getting up and getting on with it.
As I’m walking back across the gym, I watch in interest as Jace slams his way through the door. A heavy scowl sits on his face and from the way he clenches his jaw, he looks furious.
Curiosity shoots through me and I go to make my way to him. Usually, when he looks like this, something has happened with Cami, only this time, he turns that ferocious glare on me.
Oh shit.
I stop on the spot and try to make a mental list of all the things he could have the shits about as he storms towards me, but I got nothing. I thought everything was all good at the moment. I mean, I don’t think I’ve pissed him off lately.
“Hey,” I say as he reaches me. “What’s up?”
“What’s up?” he mimics before bringing his hands up and slamming me in the shoulders, forcing me back a step.
“What the fuck is your problem?” I grunt.
He pushes me again. “You’re covered in fucking scars,” he states.
Shit.
When I don’t deny it, he runs at me. It happens so fast I hardly have a second to react. He shoulder charges into my stomach and he throws me down to the ground. My back slams against the ground with a loud thud and I hear everything around us come to a stop.
Jace tries to beat into me while I try my best to get the upper hand, the only problem is that our skills are so evenly matched that it just goes on and on while the people in the gym ignore us, knowing we like to sort out our own shit. “Will you stop, already?” I grunt.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” he demands.
“We’ve been over this.”
“For fuck’s sake,” he demands, finally pushing back off me and getting to his feet. He lets out a breath before his eyes meet mine once again.
I get up off the ground and take a step towards him.
He shakes his head and the look of betrayal in his eyes kills me. He turns and walks away which is when I realize, it’s time.
I look back at Cole and Caden across the gym who have been watching the whole scene unfold before them. I give them a nod, letting them know that everything is ok here, and follow after Jace.
I get to his closed office door and barge my way in. He flies out of his chair as he sees me but I don’t utter a word. I grab the hem of my shirt and rip it off before I have a chance to change my mind.
Jace instantly stops yelling at me as his eyes rake over my scars. I turn around and give him a good look at the back before pulling my shirt back on. He stands there motionless and I know he doesn’t know what the fuck to say.
I nod to his chair and he does as he’s told and sits his stubborn ass down. “You see now why I didn’t want to tell you.”
“It’s worse than I thought, isn’t it?”
I nod my head. “Yeah, man,” I tell him. “So much worse.”
With that, I take a seat in his office and give him all the gruesome details. I don’t skip a damn thing and allow him to get the full story. His head hangs as I describe the way Jonesy’s body decomposed and the stench that went with it. He flinches as I tell him every last detail of the way I’d pass out, only to be woken by electrocution.
I explain the way the knife would slice through my skin so slowly I wanted to die.
I tell him how I would have to watch Ben scream as they tore his nails out with pliers.
I tell him how I would pray to whatever God was up there that death would come as I couldn’t take a single moment more.
Jace sits in silence as I recap the torture I endure at their hands. “How’d you get out?” he finally asks, allowing us to move on.
“Ben was sobbing and begging for them to kill him. They were about to do it until they had the bright idea of making me do it,” I explain. “I was unchained and handed a gun with only one bullet in it. A gun was held to my head and I was told to shoot him, if not, they’d kill me and then him.”
I don’t need to say much more than that. Jace knows I would have taken my chance. I’ve been in plenty of war zones with him to know that I don’t let a chance pass me by.
“You killed them?” he questions.
I nod my head. “Every last one of those bastards.”
“What happened after that?” he questions.
“Ben and I got out of there. We walked for a few hours until we collapsed on a road. We were too dehydrated to go much further and our injuries were slowing us down. We stayed on the side of the road for the night, having no fucking idea where we were. We were like sitting ducks, anyone could have come by and found us. I could see lights approaching, but I didn’t have the energy to get up and defend us. When they got out of the car and I saw their fatigues, I’ve never been so happy.”
“We were taken back to base and they did their best to fix us up, but we were both flown out and hospitalized for a few weeks before being released. I came straight home after that.”
“You were in the hospital for a few weeks and you couldn’t tell me. I would have gone.”
“I didn’t want you to see me like that, hell, I didn’t want anyone to see me. I was fucking ashamed of myself. You would have done exactly the same thing had it been you in my position.”
He goes to argue before closing his mouth. I see the understanding in his eyes, which is when he finally lets it go. He lets out a deep sigh. “You’re right. I’m glad your home,” he finally tells me.
“I know, man,” I tell him.
I get up to leave but stop when he rises out of his seat as well, he walks around his desk and pulls me into a tight hug. He claps his hand on my back and I finally feel completely at ease. Telling Lex about Iraq was one thing, but finally opening up to Jace allows me to completely move on. “Had you not come home,” Jace tells me as he releases me from his hug. “I would have gone over there and killed them for you.”
A smirk rips across my face. “Thanks,” I tell him before walking out the door and heading down to my office.
I sit there for a while before deciding to get out of here early. I only have one group session this afternoon which Caden will be able to cover. I don’t know what it is but I feel as though I need some time to myself, so I get up, grab my shit and head for the door.
I nod to Jace as I walk past his open door so he doesn’t worry and get out of there.
I get in my truck without a plan of what I’m going to do for the rest of the day, so I just drive.
I eventually find myself in the parking lot of the new Rebels Advocate in the city. I sit back in my truck and have a good look as the workmen walk in and out as they prepare it for an incredible future.
I can’t help but get out and have a closer look, after all, we are paying these guys. The first thing I notice is the massive sign sitting just inside the door which will eventually be hung outside, just above the door, declaring this place as Rebels Advocate.
I get chills just from seeing it. This is unreal. Building the first club was like a dream come true, but building the second club, that tells me we’ve made it.
I walk deeper into the building and check out the front check-in area. It still has a bit of work to go, but so far so good. I continue on as there’s much cooler stuff for me to be checking out.
As I walk past the entry, I’m reminded with just how big this place is. I mean, it must be at least three times the size of the other one. There’ll be space for at least four or five rings, and a hell of a lot of equipment. Hell, we’re putting three studio rooms in here for group and private sessions.
I walk down the corridor and check out the change facilities and make sure everything is coming together nicel
y. I find myself taking photos of all the changes from the last time we saw this place and sending them to the boys. They instantly reply, wanting more and requesting photos of specific areas, so I happily oblige.
So far, everything that was here before has completely been stripped, even a few of the internal walls to open it right up. All the exterior windows have been replaced and the floors are going in today.
Starting in the new week, it’ll most likely be painted and as soon as that’s done, we can start bringing shit in. There’ll still be a shitload of work to get done once the place is physically together. We’ll have to have a kick-ass security system installed, computer systems and software.
Offices will need to be set up and staff are going to have to be interviewed and hired.
It’s going to look amazing and it’ll be the place to be. Every aspiring fighter and every professional one will want to be here.
I can’t fucking wait.
Feeling good about everything here, I get back in my truck and head home. It’s only about two in the afternoon when I pull up and as usual, I find myself gravitating towards the gorgeous little spitfire next door.
“Hey,” I call out as I walk through the door.
“Forget how to knock?” she calls back from deep inside her home.
I walk further and find her in the bathroom, on her hands and knees, chipping away at the old bathroom tiles that don’t really want to be leaving their home. I walk straight in and lift her off the ground. I put her down on the bathroom sink and instantly claim her lips.
She kisses me back and gives me that sweet little moan that I’ve come to adore. “I’ve got work to do,” she tells me.
“Uh huh,” I murmur as my lips travel down her neck.
Her body starts to melt into mine, but I know her better. She’s far too stubborn to let me have my way with her just now. “You know,” she starts. “The only way you’re going to get laid is if you crawl up a chicken’s ass and wait.”
I chuckle as I pull back and look at her with a growing smirk. “Where the fuck do you come up with this shit?”
Luke: Rebels Advocate (Book 3) Page 13