Page 31 of The Fighter
“Uh-huh.”
“That means no fight training. Is that why you’re a little down today?”
“I’m not down.”
I moved over and pulled a chair out, turning it around and sitting astride it. “Wanna take another round with me in the gym today?”
Raven shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Just can’t.”
“Ahh, I see…” I gave her a slow nod. “I’ve read about this sort of thing in books. You have your monthly bloodbath, don’t you?”
That got Raven’s attention and she crossed her arms. “I have work to do.”
It was almost painful to see her be such a pseudo version of herself. There was no playful energy and no provocations. She just wanted me to leave her alone, and it drove me a bit desperate to fix whatever it was I had broken.
“Is it because of what happened between me and Gennie? Is that why you’re so down?”
Raven tilted her head. “Did something happen between you and Gennie that I don’t know about?”
“No, I was referring to Gennie coming on to me.”
“Oh.”
“You got upset about it and I’ve been thinking, Raven.”
She kept looking at me, tapping her pen on the table with impatience while waiting for me to go on.
“Are you in love with me?”
Her eyes were blinking a few times. “Yes, Leo, I’m madly in love with you. How did you know?”
“Wait, you are?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, you idiot. Why would you think that?”
“Because you didn’t want Gennie to have me. And don’t call me an idiot. I’m your boss.”
Raven sighed. “I didn’t want you to be with Gennie because a man almost lost his genitals because of her. She’s just bad news.”
“True, but I’m not married. I don’t have a jealous wife.”
Raven leaned forward. “And what about the other men she fucks? Do you want to be in her bed when one of them shows up thinking she belongs to him?”
“I can take care of myself.”
Raven looked at the door and back to me. “Leo, honestly, go be with her if you want to. I don’t care.”
“I don’t want to. Told you that she isn’t my type.”
“Right.” A small smile grew on Raven’s lips. “So, what is your type exactly?”
“I would tell you, but you just said you don’t care.” I got up and moved the chair back.
Raven picked up a stack of files on the table and pushed her chair back. As she walked past me, she brushed my arm and it made an electric current run up and down my spine. Raven was the only woman whom I’d ever been alone with and I was reluctant to leave.
