Playing the Game Page 3

  How does a grown woman get wobbly like that? I wanted to blame all the testosterone in the air, my nerves, anything, but I knew it was just his effect on me. There was something about Gabriel Kohl that I wasn’t able to shake.

  Sitting across the desk from me was the fighter I yelled at in the ring to get this job. Ryan, like the rest of the fighters in the gym, had an incredible body. I definitely couldn’t complain about the eye candy.

  Mack had set me up with an office off the locker room. It was private with a desk in the corner of the room and an examination table in the center. He had scheduled several fighters to meet with me every day so that I could get to know his team. Ryan was the last of them.

  Ryan went on and on about his arm with his Southern drawl. He described the many injuries he had sustained over his short career and what had been done in the past to correct them. I forced myself to take some notes as I tried to focus on his words, but I was getting impatient as it got closer to three o’clock.

  By my second day there, I realized Gabriel’s limo arrived around three o’clock and he left shortly after. Even though I was avoiding him, I still enjoyed looking at him every chance I got.

  “Well thank you, Ryan,” I said. “I have an open door policy so if you ever have any questions or if that arm acts up again, you know where to find me.”

  Ryan smiled and nodded as he rose from the chair.

  “Thanks, Miss Monroe,” he said.

  “Please, call me Cassie.”

  Ryan lifted his hand in a short wave as he walked out of my office. I got up and quickly walked around to the other side of the desk, smoothed down my shirt, and pushed my hair back behind my ear as I walked out the door. I knew it was crazy, but watching Gabriel leave was the highlight of my day.

  As I rounded the corner, Ryan caught up with me.

  “I was hoping to catch you out of your office, Miss Monroe, Cassie,” he said as he inched closer.

  “Oh? Did you have a question? Is your arm still bothering you?”

  “It’s fine,” he said as he flexed his bicep, his drawl becoming more pronounced. “I just think you’re really nice.”

  He touched my hair and I backed away, not realizing the corner was behind me. Ryan moved closer to me, boxing me in.

  “Don’t touch me,” I said, slapping his hand away.

  “Just give me a chance, Cassie, you’ll see how nice I can be, too,” he said as his hand slid down my arm.

  “Leave me the fuck alone,” I said as I pushed at him with all my might.

  When he wouldn’t budge, I tried to move as far into the corner as possible, but Ryan didn't seem to care what I said or did.

  “She said to leave her the fuck alone.”

  Gabriel’s commanding voice came from behind Ryan. Everything moved so quickly that the next thing I knew, Gabriel was holding Ryan against him. Gabriel’s forearm was pressed against Ryan’s neck, and Gabriel’s hand was locked on the bicep of his other arm. I didn’t have to work in the gym to recognize a rear naked choke.

  Ryan’s hands were on Gabriel’s arm as he tried to get out, but Gabriel had him tight. He gasped for air as Gabriel sank the hold further. Gabriel’s eyes were fierce, unlike anything I had seen before.

  “Apologize,” Gabriel said.

  Ryan grunted, his face turning red. “Sorry, ma’am,” he said.

  “If I hear you do anything like that again, you’re done. You’ll never fight again. Do you understand?” Gabriel said, still holding him.

  Ryan nodded as best as he could, his face beginning to turn purple. His hand tapped fast on Gabriel’s arm. As Gabriel released him, he pushed him forward and Ryan dropped to his knees.

  Gabriel glared at him for a moment, then brushed his button-down shirt with his hands. Turning to me, he held out his hand.

  “Come with me,” he said.

  I took his hand and he pulled me out of the corner and down the hall towards the front of the gym.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, too stunned to speak up.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. He just surprised me.”

  “When I didn’t see you at the front of the gym, I had to find you,” he said.

  “You saw me? I didn’t know you noticed.”

  “I always notice you,” he said as he looked at his watch. “I’m sorry, I have to get going. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  I nodded, and he kissed my forehead before walking out of the gym and getting into the limo. From behind me, I heard someone clear his throat. I turned around to find Ryan with his head hanging down and his hands clasped together as if he was praying.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Monroe,” he said. “I didn’t realize you were taken.”

  “Taken? I’m not...never mind. It’s okay, Ryan, but even so, I told you to leave me alone.”

  “You said to leave you the fuck alone,” he said with a smile. “I promise it’ll never happen again.”

  I looked out the window and saw the limo had already pulled away. I had tomorrow at three o’clock to look forward to.

  * * *

  The next day, I was updating the records I had on each fighter when I looked up and saw it was just after three.

  Dammit! I lost track of time!

  I rushed out of my office and turned down the hall that led to the front of the building. At the other end of the hall, Gabriel stood and looked at his watch, then raised his eyebrows at me.

  “You’re late,” he said.

  “I thought I had missed you.”

  “I was waiting for you. After yesterday, I wanted to make sure nothing else happened to you.”

  He stepped closer, cupped my face with his large hand, then slowly pushed my hair back over my ear. I tilted my face towards him, hoping for a kiss, but instead he turned towards the front windows where his driver was standing by his limo.

  “I have to go,” he said. He pulled a small gift-wrapped box out of the black wool coat he was wearing and handed it to me. “Just a glimpse of you is enough for me right now, but I want more. Don’t be late again.”

  “What is this? I can’t--”

  His lips pressed against mine, silencing me.

  “It’s yours,” he said.

  Before I could say anything else, he left. I held the box in my hands as I watched him stride through the front door towards the limo.

  Turn around, Gabriel. Please turn around. Give me a sign that says I’m not crazy for liking you.

  With the door opened, he turned and looked back towards the gym, then pointed towards me and mouthed the words ‘open it’. I looked down at the box and shook my head. What could it be? Turning back towards the window, I saw his limo was gone.

  I took the box to my office and locked the door as I entered. I wanted to keep the present private, to myself. Whatever it was, I didn’t want to share it with anyone who might walk past.

  Sitting down, I pulled the ribbon off and ripped into the thick fancy gift wrapping, revealing a white box with the word‘Cartier’ written in gold in the center. Inside the white box was a small card on top of a cushioned dark red box with small gold designs around the edge. I opened the card.

  Promise never to be late again.

  I smiled and laughed to myself as I lifted the lid of the red box. As I looked inside, I gasped. It was beautiful! Wrapped around a small ivory pillow in the middle of the box was a diamond Cartier watch.

  The face was oval with black Roman numerals and blue hands. Diamonds surrounded the oval and lined the thin band. I slipped it onto my wrist and watched it sparkle.

  While I loved it, I couldn’t help but think it was too much. He barely knew me, and I couldn’t even imagine what something like that cost.

  Probably more than I could imagine.

  I had to give it back. I took the watch off and as I slipped it back onto the pillow in the box, the watch slipped and flipped over. The back was engraved.

  You can’t say no, it’s yours.

  --Gabriel
>
  “Well, twist my arm,” I said, taking the watch out of the box again.

  There was no saying no to Gabriel. I put the watch back on my wrist and smiled, feeling closer to him. I’d have to convince him to take the watch back another time. No matter what he said, it was just too much.

  * * *

  Days had passed and I was still floating in my own world. I couldn’t stop thinking about how Gabriel had rescued me from Ryan and later gave me the watch. He was becoming an addiction, and I couldn’t allow myself to think of him like that. I had to remember I had a job, my dream job, and I didn’t want to do anything to mess that up. But I also couldn’t help myself.

  It was nearly three o’clock, so I fixed my hair and snuck a quick peek in the mirror. Gabriel and I had been spending a few minutes together before he left each day. As I walked out, I found him leaning against the wall on the other side of my doorway with a big grin on his face.

  “I could set a watch by you,” he said.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now if you don't mind, I’m meeting someone in a few minutes.”

  I tried to keep a straight face as I tapped my watch. But as I looked at the watch, my stomach sank. It took no time for me to feel comfortable wearing it. Not only did I forget I was going to give it back to him, but I forgot to thank him for it, too.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked, his brow wrinkling.

  “I can’t take this,” I said, removing the watch. “It’s beautiful, too beautiful really. Thank you...but I can’t accept this.” I looked at the watch for a moment and then placed it in his hand.

  “I got this for you,” he said softly, holding his hand out to me. “It’s yours.”

  “No, it’s too much, Gabriel. I barely know you and you’re my boss. I can’t even imagine what it cost.”

  “The cost doesn’t matter. I saw it and thought you would like it.” He took my hand and held it. “Do you like it?”

  I hated to admit that I did, but as I looked into his eyes, I knew I couldn’t lie. As I nodded, he slipped the watch back onto my wrist.

  “All that matters is that you like it,” he said.

  I smiled up at him, but something still didn’t feel right. Mack’s voice echoed from down the hall as he yelled at a fighter. As I looked up at Gabriel, his hand still holding mine, I couldn’t get it out of my mind that he was my boss.

  “Thank you, but--”

  “But nothing,” he said, interrupting me. “Like it says on the back, it’s yours.” He looked towards the windows at the front of the gym, then back at me. His limo was waiting. “I’ve had enough of this, Cassie. I want to get to know you better, and a few minutes a day isn’t cutting it.”

  “No, a few minutes is perfect.” I looked away, unable to lie to his face. “I’m just busy and I have a lot to learn. You know how it is at a new job.”

  “Then join me for dinner tonight. We can get to know each other better without a time limit. And if you have a lot to learn, I bet there’s a lot I can teach you,” he said with a mischievous look.

  I wanted to say yes. I wanted to run out the door and jump into his limo that very second and have him whisk me away, but I wanted the job more. I had waited too long and tried too hard to get a job like this. No matter how attracted I was to him, I wasn’t going to risk losing my job.

  I also knew from experience that men didn’t always hang around. As Mack’s voice echoed back down the hall, I remembered what he said about Gabriel after my interview, about how I shouldn’t expect Gabriel to want more than just fun. He was a player, and I didn’t want to play games. Especially not with him.

  “No, no. I can’t join you for dinner. I know I work for Mack, but you’re the owner, so that makes you my boss. I need this job and I’m not going to do anything to fuck it up.”

  His eyes narrowed and he licked his lips slowly as he looked at me. I wondered what he was thinking, but I was willing to bet he didn’t get rejected very often.

  “We’ll talk about this another time,” he said as he looked at his watch before turning and walking away.

  Chapter Four

  Cassie

  Sitting at my desk, I crossed out another day on my desk calendar, tracing the X over and over with the pen, watching the X darken. I couldn’t get Gabriel out of my mind. It had been days since Gabriel had been in the gym and I couldn’t help but think it was my fault.

  A knock on my office door made me jump to attention. Hoping to see Gabriel standing in the doorway, I was disappointed to see Jake. Jake was a heavyweight with thick muscles, long arms, and a shock of platinum spiked hair. He was wearing a pair of loose fitting fleece pants and a tight black t-shirt.

  “Is it a good time?” he asked, smiling shyly.

  “Of course, come in,” I said, standing.

  As Jake entered the room, I noticed a slight limp. I pulled out a padded wooden chair and patted the back.

  “Sit,” I said. “I don’t want you to deal with sitting on the table right now.”

  “Is it that obvious?” he whispered. “Can you close the door?”

  His eyes darted towards the door. I walked to the door and closed it. For the first time, I realized how my office being off the locker rooms was both a blessing and a curse. My location made it easy for the fighters to come in and find me, but for anyone paying attention, it made it easy to know who was injured.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” Jake said, shaking his head. “I think my foot landed wrong while I was running.” He pulled up his pants leg to his knee and pointed under his kneecap. “The pain is here. Last time it felt like this, I tore my meniscus. You’ve gotta help me.”

  His eyes widened as they pleaded with me. I turned away from him and crossed my arms in front of me. I needed to think, and looking at his sad face wasn’t going to help. I knew Mack had a lot of faith in Jake and this fight was something that could move Jake up in the ranks. Sighing, I put on a pair of exam gloves and kneeled in front of him.

  “Let me know if it hurts,” I said.

  I touched his kneecap, then pressed gently under and to the sides of his knee. His leg trembled and jerked from my touch. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to, I knew he was in pain. Lifting his leg, I straightened it at the knee and heard a click. I was sure he was right about his meniscus.

  “Have you been to the doctor? You should get an MRI to make sure it’s not something else,” I said.

  “No, I can’t go. No one can know I’m injured. I have a fight next week, I can’t pull out of it.”

  “You can’t fight like this. They’re going to see you limp and kick that knee until you collapse. It’s what I would do,” I said with a grin.

  “I’m a wrestler. I’ll take him down at the bell and then ground and pound him. That’s my speciality,” he said.

  “And when you get him on the ground and your knee hits the mat, you’re going to feel it right here,” I said, touching his knee and making him groan in pain.

  “That’s why I’m here. Mack said I could trust you. You’ve gotta help me.”

  Standing up, I tossed the exam gloves into the trash. I knew he could fight with a torn meniscus, but he didn’t need to just fight, he needed to win. I opened my supply cabinet and pulled out an extra large compression brace for his knee and took it out of its packaging.

  “You need to lay off on the training,” I said as I knelt in front of him again. “You don’t want this getting worse, and you don’t want it getting out that you’re limping. When you’re in the gym, you have to wear this.” I held up the brace. “It should help prevent any additional swelling and give you a little support.”

  He took the brace, slipped off his sandal, and pulled the brace up his thick leg and moved it in place.

  “How’s that feel?” I asked.

  “Good. Better than the last one,” he said, smiling.

  “Do you have crutches at home from last time?”

  “Yeah
, I’ve been using them to get around.”

  “Keep doing that, but try to rest. Ice your knee and keep it elevated. When you’re not icing, wear the brace.”

  “Thanks,” he said as he stood.

  He began walking to the door and while his limp wasn’t as pronounced, I could still see it.

  “Come on, Jake,” I said. “There’s only so much I can do. After the fight, you have to promise you’ll see the doctor. He needs to make sure it’s not anything else.”

  “I promise, after the fight. Right now I don’t need anyone to know I’m injured though.”

  “Then stop limping!”

  His brows shot up. “I thought I was doing better.”

  “Yes, you are, but I can still see you’re favoring that side.”

  “I don’t know what to do,” he said, shaking his head.

  I patted Jake on the back as I let out a deep breath. I worked with some of the strongest and toughest men in the world. They could take punches, kicks, sometimes even break bones in the cage and not complain. But out of the cage, when that adrenaline wasn’t fueling them, they crumbled from the slightest thing. I only had one option.

  “Jake, you’re a fighter,” I said. “Do you want to win? Or do you want to get your ass kicked?”

  “I want to win,” he said quietly.

  “No, you don’t want to just win, you want to fucking win, right?”

  He grinned, and a fire lit in his eyes.

  “That’s right,” he said, his voice growing more confident. “I’m going to take him down and fucking win. I’m not going to let him stand in the way of that belt. I win and it’s one step closer.”

  “Exactly. So man up and walk without a limp. Suck it up and just do it. All you have to do is get from point A to point B. Then once you’re in the octagon, kick his ass.”

  Jake took a deep breath and stepped closer to the door, but this time I didn’t see a limp.

  “I will. Thanks, Cassie! Mack was right, he said you would help me.”