Page 42 of Quake
My lip curled into a sneer. “The difference is, I wasn’t grooming her for a one-night stand.”
Tommy scoffed, looking at me like I’d just grown another head. “You’re telling me you actually care for a scared little girl like her?”
I turned to face him fully, my fingers curling into tight fists. That scared little girl had more intelligence in her little fingernail than the stupid fucker standing in front of me. No man should belittle another person’s legitimate fear. Especially a vulnerable woman’s fear.
“Be careful what you say next, Tommy,” I snarled. “Be very fucking careful.”
“Or what? You’ll get your daddy to come in and clean up your mess?”
My eye started to twitch, rage beginning to simmer out of control.
“Don’t make this personal, Tommy. My father has nothing to do with this. This is about taking blatant advantage of a frightened woman. You wanted to use her for sex. You were using this studio and your position to cruise for vulnerable women to stick your cock in. How long has this been going on? Huh?”
“And what you’re doing is different, right?” he asked, closing the space between us. “Fucking the clientele.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Franklin exclaimed bounding across the mats. Shoving an arm between us, he managed to wedge open some space before things became worse. “Calm down guys.”
Then Tommy said something that was unforgivable. “She isn’t worth more than a quick fuck and toss.”
Anger boiled hot and hard through my nerve endings, the slight against Juliette hitting a place I never thought existed inside of me. He stabbed me right where it hurt. My heart. That was how I knew this thing I’d started with Jules was more than a fleeting bit of fun.
Staring at Tommy, it was all I could do to keep myself in check and not clock him one.
“You’re done here,” I said, my gaze never leaving his. “Pack up your shit, and get the fuck out.”
His words said it all. There was nothing more in it than his own selfish personal gratification. A forcible grab for dominance over a weaker person. The definition of violence.
I wanted to know her and to help her face whatever had her so rattled. I wanted to cherish the ground she walked on. I wanted to makeherfeel good. To me, it was all about Juliette.
That was the difference.
Tommy snarled at me, his lip curling. Stepping around me, his shoulder smacked into mine as he strode off to collect his things. Franklin waited with me as he reemerged, storming out of Beat.
When he was gone, some of the tension I’d been holding in my torso dissolved. I’d been coiled ready to punch him out if I needed to, and that was fucked up. This whole thing made me sick.Asshole.
“He’s gone,” Gaz said, looking out of the roller door and down the street. “On his bike, blubbering like a fool.”
I rolled my eyes, thankful it was the middle of the day and just the guys had witnessed our near miss. A punch-up in front of clients would’ve been bad news. Still, it shouldn’t have happened like that, but what choice did I have? Tommy shoved it in my face, not me.
“He’ll never be able to work in a gym in this country again as far as I’m concerned,” I hissed.
“You’re going to tell your dad?” Frank asked.
I snorted and shook my head. “People have got to start taking me seriously. I’ve got more clout than that fucker. Honesty and humility gain you a lot of friends, mate. More than being a self-centered asshole does. Remember that.”
He scratched his head and shrugged. “I suppose you’re right.”
“Listen to your coach, Frank.” Turning, I walked away, intending to dish out my aggression on a bag at the back of the studio.
So that was what it meant to be a manager and a coach. Knowing when to make the hard calls and stick to them.
“Caleb!”
I hesitated, then stopped as Franklin caught up with me.
“That woman who came to class, the one you’ve been training…” he began, and I narrowed my eyes in warning.
“Pick your words carefully,” I said, my fists aching to hit something.Hard.
