Breaking Beast (Pounding Hearts)

by Izzy Sweet

  A moment later the car roars down the street. To my relief it’s a red muscle car, not Travis and his friends.

  I press a hand to my chest and take a few seconds to catch my breath.

  If I have any more scares like that tonight I swear I’m going to die from a heart attack.

  After I feel like I can breathe again, I look at the back of the gym, searching for another way in. That’s when I spot it—the side door that nobody uses.

  I have the shittiest luck in the world. There’s no way I’d catch a break now but I’ve got to try. You miss all the shots you don’t take, right?

  Walking up to the side door, I suck in a breath then try the knob. It twists easily and pulls open.

  Hallelujah.

  Scrambling inside, I quickly shut the door behind me and lean against it.

  I’m safe, I’m finally safe. Travis will never look for me here. He doesn’t even know this place exists.

  Last year, Chase, aka The Reaper, came and spoke at my high school. He talked about the importance of living a healthy life style and working hard for the things you want in life. The way he talked, he made me believe I could achieve anything if I tried hard enough. He had just started up an after-school MMA youth program and was looking for teens to sign up.

  I was one of the first and only girls to join his program.

  Ever since, three days a week—Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays—I train in this gym after school.

  It’s become a kind of sanctuary for me. This is my home away from home, and as the familiar smells hit my senses, I finally feel like I can relax again.

  Knowing this building like the back of my hand, I move easily through the darkness, avoiding all the tripping hazards.

  Making my way to the ladies’ locker room, I shut the door behind me and flip the switch on the wall. Light floods the area, and it’s so bright my eyes water and squint against it.

  Even half blind, I have no problem finding my locker. I drop my backpack onto the bench in front of it and start stripping. Travis interrupted my shower, and I didn’t get a chance to wash any of the conditioner from my hair.

  Because no one else is here, I don’t feel bad just leaving my dirty clothes on the floor. Padding over to the showers, I twist one on and wait for the water to warm.

  I’m safe. I’m safe, I keep telling myself.

  Once the water is warm, I step into the spray and rinse the conditioner from my hair and neck.

  Once that’s done, I have nothing left to do but to get dressed and figure out my next move.

  What am I going to do? I wonder as I stare at the shower wall.

  All at once it feels like my strength flees me. The shock of the night wears off and I can feel my emotions hit me like someone flipped my emotional switch back on.

  I can’t stop the tears, I just can’t. Nor can I stop the little sobs that slip past my lips.

  I’m so fucked.

  Chapter Two

  Alex

  I truly think that some of God’s greatest gifts to the human race are women, my cock and the beautiful monster I put through its paces as I slam the shifter into second gear.

  The guys at the gym may love the big muscle trucks, or the old classic cars, but fuck that shit.

  I love my brand new Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

  Its personality is a lot like mine, fast and full of power. A sleek, well-oiled machine.

  Fuck the haters with their old time shit. As soon as I got back to the States, I bought this tough bitch. The ass-kicking I gave in Japan was totally worth it, all that dough went straight into the car.

  Peering into the rearview mirror, I smile at the face that stares back at me. I’m not lying when I say I’m the sexiest motherfucker out there. The ladies tell me my dark brown eyes are deep and mysterious. And I’ve been growing my facial hair out but I’ve kept it neat. My body though, that’s what really draws in the ladies. I’ve been compared to the Adonis statue a time or two, but honestly that statue doesn’t have shit on me.

  Staring down at my phone, I start thumbing through the contacts, and scroll past all the married or engaged pussies.

  Fuck, that list is growing longer and longer as the weeks go by.

  It used to be the gym was full of horny, muscular people looking for fun—people just like me. Not now, though.

  Fuck… Chase, Bear and Brett are all off the market permanently.

  Bunch of bullshit!

  Now, I love fighting as much as everyone else in the gym, it’s in my blood and bones. I need to fight like I need to breathe.

  But to live… to live I need to fuck as much pussy as possible. I need pussy like I need to eat and drink.

  The plastic bag sitting on the passenger seat beside me is a testament to my life. It contains a couple of energy drinks to help keep me awake and a box of condoms.

  I want to fuck tonight; I want to sink myself balls deep into some tight little pussy.

  Spotting Christoph’s name at the bottom of my contact list, I know the motherfucker is down for some partying tonight.

  Pushing the connect button, I put the phone to my ear.

  “Yo, motherfucker!” he yells into the phone.

  “What are you getting into?” I ask loudly, hearing a bunch of talking and music in the background.

  “I’m at Paddy’s Bar, but getting ready to go to a club. You wanting a wingman?”

  “Shit, yeah. I’ll be over to the bar in about…” Glancing at the dashboard clock, I see it’s almost ten. “I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Sounds good, brother. See ya then!” he yells before disconnecting.

  Stashing the phone in the center console, I look over to the bag with my gym gear in it and frown at it like it’s some bad dog.

  It’s just sitting there on the passenger seat just like my plastic bag is. But while the plastic bag promises fun tonight, the gym bag is giving my stomach a moments pause.

  I can’t really place my finger on why, though.

  I locked up the gym tonight but something feels off, like I forgot to turn off the burner on the stove or something.

  Reversing the car out of the parking spot, I pull up to the exit. Left takes me back to the gym, right to pussy.

  Fuck.

  Christoph can wait a few more minutes, he won’t mind.

  Pulling into the gym’s parking lot, I don’t see any fires or smoke coming from the building. Not that there would be, I guess. We don’t really have a stove or anything to catch fire.

  There’s no lights on, that I can see. So that’s good, but something’s still messing with me.

  Getting out of the car, I walk to the front door.

  Nope, locked just like I thought.

  Heading back to the car, I shrug my shoulders. Not the first time I had to come back here after locking up to make sure I didn’t forget something.

  It’s hard to earn the trust of Chase, so making sure I don’t fuck up his building when I close up is pretty high on my list of priorities.

  Starting up the beast, I love to hear the deep rumble it lets out.

  Fuck, the side door. Did I check that?

  Turning off the car again, I get out. Chase and Avery were moving more computer equipment into her office, and they went through the side door. I’m pretty sure I locked it up but…

  Tugging on the handle, I frown. Unlocked. Shit.

  That’s the burner I left on. Should have fucking remembered. Good fucking thing I came back, I guess. We’re not in a bad part of town, but leaving this unlocked could have caused some big issues.

  Pulling the door open, I step in to do a quick circuit around the gym. I don’t want to lock some bum in here overnight.

  I don’t really see anything as I walk around the place. I check out all the places where someone could be hiding and don’t see shit. Well, nothing except a light coming from the women’s locker room.

  Fuck. I know I turned off that light, I did the men’s as well.

  Shit.


  Sighing loudly, I pull my phone from my pocket. Chase is going to fucking kill me.

  Walking to the door, I stand outside of it as I debate calling the police or just trying to muscle whoever the fuck is in there out of the building.

  If I call the police, Chase will have to be informed. If Chase is informed then I will be the one who directly pisses him off. A pissed off Chase is not a good thing. I don’t give fuck if he’s retired, he’s still fucking deadly.

  Fuck! Shit!

  “Fuck me…” I mutter as I listen at the door.

  The sound of water running causes my night to take a turn for the worse. Some fucking bum is in there taking a shower. Fuck.

  And the little gasps I hear… dammit!

  Are they fucking spanking it in the shower? How the fuck am I going to explain this to Chase?!

  Sorry, big guy, I forgot to lock up so some bum got in and decided to make baby batter all over the fucking wall. Got a sponge handy so I can clean it off?

  Yeah, my head is going to be rolling after this.

  Fuck calling the cops, I can’t go through all that shit.

  Heading back the way I came, I make my way as quietly as I can to the janitor’s closet. Pulling a mop from the closet, I formulate a plan of action.

  I won’t be all creative or anything.

  Nope.

  I’m simply going to bludgeon the shit out of the fucker in there then haul their ass out of the gym. Dump the fucker outside and head on my way to pussy.

  Fuck, I so need to see some pussy tonight, I think to myself, especially after dealing with this shit.

  Opening the locker room door, I walk as I quietly can towards the showers.

  Passing the lockers, I see some old bleach-spotted pants on the floor. Shit. Nasty motherfucker.

  Heading to the shower, I pause at each private berth.

  My breath wants to come out harshly as I try my best to keep quiet. I so don’t want to walk in on some guy wanking his purple-headed yogurt slinger.

  I get to the shower that has the hot steam pouring out of it and I let out a mental sigh. Fucker didn’t even close the privacy curtain.

  He just wants to traumatize me, I know it.

  Lifting the mop stick above my head in the fashion known around the world as the—I am going to whap the fuck out of somebody’s head pose—I turn the corner quickly.

  Well, fuck me. No, no, no! Not fuck me… but well… no… bad!

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Sitting on the floor of the shower, slumped against the wall, is Christy, one of Chase’s students.

  She is completely naked.

  Good fucking lord those tits are the fucking thing of dreams. The sleek body, the tight stomach… Those fucking strong ass thighs… Long legs all wet and glistening.

  Shit. Bad!

  Her face is the only thing keeping my cock from standing up so damn straight I would be able to hammer nails with it.

  Her eyes are closed and her delicate mouth is letting out those quiet, painful sobs. She looks so damn broken at the moment that my stomach falls to my feet.

  Slowly lowering the mop, I take a quiet step back, then another.

  Fuck, this is even worse than a bum. At least with the bum I could have done something productive. What the fuck are you supposed to do with a crying teenage girl who is butt-fucking naked?

  Easing myself out of the locker room, I slump up against the wall, outside the door.

  Shit.

  Wiping my hand across my face, I’m somewhat surprised when I see it comes back wet from sweat. Even more surprised when I realize my whole body is sweating.

  Shit. I’ve never had a situation like this. Maybe I need to call Avery… who will in turn tell Chase… and double fucking shit, I just looked at Christy while she was so damn sexy naked.

  But the crying… my dick is so confused he just lies down like a miserable puppy.

  Fuck.

  First thing I do is turn on a light. Then I take a chair from the many surrounding the gym so I can sit next to the locker room. It gives me a direct view of the locker room, and it will let her see me as soon as she comes out. No need to scare her.

  I sit here, staring alternately at my phone and then the door. Christoph calls but I don’t bother to pick it up.

  Fuck, I wanted to see pussy tonight, and I guess I kinda did. Shit!

  The door finally pulls open and there, standing in a baggy pair of jeans and an old sweatshirt with her wet hair pulled up into a ponytail is Christy.

  She looks absolutely beautiful standing there for the first few moments. She’s shed the agony she must have been feeling in the shower.

  Standing before me, she looks like a blonde Valkyrie from the old Viking tales. Tall, blonde and impossibly beautiful. As beautiful as they were fierce.

  Then that is all gone in an instant. Her shoulders hunch down and she looks so much more like the wounded animal I saw in the shower.

  Deep blue eyes stare into mine with confusion and she asks, “Alex?”

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” comes out of my mouth before I even comprehend it.

  Mister Smooth, ladies and gentlemen… I’ll be here all week.

  Chapter Three

  Christy

  I hate crying, I seriously do. I don’t like feeling weak or feeling pathetic, but there was definitely something therapeutic about getting it all out in the shower. Like I’ve purged an emotional poison and can move on from it.

  Turning off the shower, I force myself to focus. I’ve got a game plan. I’ll be okay. I know I can do this.

  I have some money, enough to put a roof over my head for the weekend. What Travis did hasn’t changed any of my plans…

  Don’t even think about it.

  I’m going to put all that shit in the past and just move on from it.

  Getting my own place is going to take a lot of hard work. I’ll probably have to pick up a second job, but I’ll survive. I’ll take care of myself and I’ll be better for it.

  What doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger, right?

  Mentally pumping myself up, I dry off and get dressed. I pull on a sweatshirt and some jeans since the outfit I was wearing is covered in soap and conditioner. My shoes are a little damp but there’s nothing I can do about it. I slip them on without socks. Hopefully they’ll dry overnight because I didn’t think to grab a second pair, I was too rushed to think about it.

  Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I do my best to clean up. I don’t want to leave any signs that I was here. The last thing I need is to get in trouble for being here after hours when I’m not supposed to be.

  After wiping down the bench, I toss the towel into the laundry and flip the light off.

  Stepping out of the locker room, my heart nearly jumps out of my chest in surprise.

  Sitting in a chair, looking like he’s been expecting me, is one of the fighters I’ve seen around the gym.

  I think his name is, “Alex?”

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” he asks, his deep, bassy voice rumbling with accusation.

  I don’t even know how to answer him. I didn’t expect to get caught so I didn’t think that far ahead.

  What can I say? Fuck. I have to lie and I hate lying.

  “I… was just taking a shower… after working out…”

  “You know the gym closes at nine,” he says, leaning back in his chair and regarding me with dark eyes full of suspicion.

  I nod my head slowly and swallow down the large lump forming in my throat. I don’t really know Alex; I just know of him. He transferred to this gym right after I joined Chase’s program, and I don’t think we’ve said more than two words to each other.

  Honestly, he kind of looks like a hard-ass, and I’m afraid he’s going to tell Chase on me if I don’t think up something quick.

  I’m so nervous the explanation I’m trying to come up with just tumbles out of me in one big run-on mess. “Yeah, but sometimes you guys stay lat
e… and I was thinking of some of the moves Chase was showing me, and I was hoping someone would be here to practice with. When I tried the door, it was unlocked, and I guess I just figured it would be okay if I did a quick workout and then figured I would do everyone a favor and lock up after I left.”

  I take a breath and mentally slap myself. There’s no way he’s going to buy that…

  His eyes narrow and he nods his head slowly.

  My heart thumps sickly behind my ribs.

  I’m so fucked.

  Slowly, he rises to his feet, and I wince as his chair scrapes against the concrete. I’m not a short girl by any means but even at 5’7 he’s got a few inches on me. I tip my head back to look up at him and he scowls down at me.

  “Please,” I plead. “Don’t tell Chase. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble…”

  His brows furrow together and I wish I could tell what he is thinking, but his eyes give nothing away. They’re too dark and mysterious.

  There’s a long, tense moment, and I consider getting on my knees and just begging him.

  “I’ll let it fly this time but don’t do it again,” he finally says, and I almost fall over in relief.

  “I won’t,” I quickly assure him.

  Tonight has been so bad I was afraid this would be just one more thing to put on top of the shit pile I have to deal with.

  “Good,” he grunts and turns around. Grabbing his chair, he folds it up and leans it against the wall.

  Turning back to me, he extends his arm in an ‘after you’ motion.

  I nod my head and walk in front of him. The entire walk to the side door I can’t help but be very aware of his presence at my back.

  Still, after passing through the side door, I stop and turn back to face him.

  “Thank you,” I tell him again, trying not to gush with the emotion. “Seriously, thank you.”

  He frowns, and before he can change his mind, I turn back around and shove my hands into my pockets.

  Dropping my chin, I head off across the parking lot.

  Behind me, I hear him mutter something under his breath and the door slams.

  Once I reach the sidewalk, I pause for a moment, trying to remember which direction the hotel is. I think it’s north.