Legend: Meet me at Bang’s Gym. We’ll figure it out from there, okay?
I include the address of Bang’s and smile when she replies.
Scarlett: Be there in ten. Thank you.
When I walk inside, with Roux trotting after me, I drop my gym bag and scan the fighters who are training. I recognize a few of them, but no one I really know. Bohannon’s probably out making movies, and thankfully, Rolo is nowhere to be seen.
I fuck with my phone for a few minutes and check the door every time the bells hanging from the door jingle.
Until I see her.
The Bang’s boxing-glove logo slides sideways as she pushes open the glass door. She’s dressed like she just came from the gym herself. Normally, if a woman asked me to meet up, I’d expect it was part of a plan to get some dick, and she’d usually be all made up.
But not Scarlett. Her blond hair is up in a ponytail, there’s sweat dotting her forehead, and even though her leggings and tank are cute as fuck, she’s in no way dressed for seduction.
It’s refreshing. Like she actuallywanted to see me just to hang out and have fun.
I’ve got no problem with that at all.
“Hey,” I say to her as she walks inside. Her face lights up when she sees me, andholy shit,I like it.
“Hey,” she replies, a smile curving her lips as she comes toward the corner where Roux and I are parked.
Fuck, maybe we shouldn’t be doing this in public, because I don’t know if I can keep my fucking hands off her.
Roux takes care of that for me, though, as she jumps up from where she’d settled by my feet and trots toward Scarlett, nosing around her feet and legs.
Instead of freaking out that a giant, strange dog is sniffing her, Scarlett holds out a hand and waits for Roux to lick it before looking to me.
“May I pet her?”
I nod. “Yeah. She’ll like that.”
Scarlett drops to one knee and scratches under Roux’s throat, which my dog eats up like she’s never been shown affection before. From the way her tail is thumping against the rubber gym flooring, you’d think she’d cause an earthquake.
“What a pretty girl. Her name is Roux, right?”
Considering it’s my less-than-creative social media handle, it’s no surprise Scarlett remembers.
“Yeah, and she’s an attention whore when it comes to new targets, so don’t be surprised if she decides she’s your new best friend.”
Scarlett rises and gives her a few more scratches behind the ears before she closes the distance between us. “I don’t think I’d mind. She’s sweet.”
The dog in question headbutts my leg as if reminding me that I also know how to pet her. She wedges between us and I give her a pat, but my attention is on the woman in front of me.
“What’s going on? Your text ...” I pause, watching as she bites down on her lower lip. “It seemed like there might be something wrong.”
Her teeth sink deeper into the flesh for a beat before she closes her eyes. “Do you ever feel like you just need to break out of your box and live?” When her gray gaze collides with mine again, there’s something in it that I can’t interpret. Something did happen, and I don’t know what.
“You feeling a little hemmed in today?”
Her nod is instant. “My dad ... he and I don’t have a great relationship. He’s ... traditional, I guess.”
“He’s giving you shit about something?” I ask, not understanding what her dad has to do with her wanting to break out of her box and live.
“Yeah. Chadwick.”
“Ahh ... the asshat from the club.” I shake my head. “Your dad doesn’t get how he really is, does he? No father would want that for his daughter. Not the shit I saw and heard.”