Claim (Fury Brothers #5)

11. Bell

11

BELL

I finished stacking freshly laundered towels on the shelves. Evening had fallen, and the gym had gotten really busy. There were some amazing fighters who were training. Some of them with Beau, some with his other trainers—Chris and Pedro—whom I’d met earlier in the day.

Beau was tough. I watched him whenever I could. He pushed them hard, and they all respected him.

The women’s self-defense class was just finishing up. Shay, the instructor, was a fit blonde in her thirties and was in excellent shape. I peered through the glass into the room. Shay’s cropped tank showed off her killer abs as she demonstrated a move. The class was full, and she had their rapt attention.

They’d done some good stuff, but I needed more. I needed to know how to fight off a killer.

The man who’d killed Allison.

Grief for my best friend washed over me. She’d been stolen far too soon.

Women started heading out of the room, laughing and chatting. They were all flushed and coated with perspiration. A woman with her brown hair in two thick braids came out, wiping her face with a towel. She spotted me, then headed over.

“You must be Bell.”

“I am.”

“Gio told me you’d started working here which is great . This place needs some more female staff.” She smiled, and I guessed she was around my age. “I’m Karina, and I’m here like four or five times a week. I’m on a bit of a health kick at the moment.” She ran a hand down her blue leggings. “Damn five pounds I can never shift.”

I thought her curves looked great.

“Now, I can already tell we’re going to be friends,” Karina continued. “I’ll be here tomorrow morning, and I’ll bring you one of my world-famous green smoothies.”

Karina kept talking and didn’t seem to need much input from me. I did think a green smoothie sounded kind of gross.

She gripped my arm and squeezed. “Can’t wait to get to know you better, Bell. See you tomorrow.” She waved as she headed for the change rooms.

I blinked, feeling a little like I’d been caught in a whirlwind.

“You’ll get used to her.”

I turned and saw Shay standing there. Again, I felt envy for her formidable abs. The instructor drank from a water bottle.

“So, what’s your story, Bell?”

“Um…no story. Beau just offered me a job.”

“Oh, there’s a story. There’s always a story with the people Beau collects. Gio had hit rock bottom, Chris had suffered a traumatic brain injury in the ring, Pedro’s business had gone bankrupt.” Shay paused. “I’d just escaped an abusive relationship.”

I gasped. I couldn’t imagine this fit, strong woman being abused.

“It can happen to anyone,” the other woman murmured. “Now, I help women make themselves safe.” She cocked her head. “I think you know something about that. I know the look.”

I lifted a shoulder. “A little. Beau’s going to teach me to fight.”

Shay’s eyebrows winged up. “Beau’s going to train you?”

I nodded.

“Wow. There are people all around the country who’d kill for that opportunity.” She studied me. “Interesting.”

I fought the urge to fidget.

“Well, good luck, Bell. You ever want to try my class, you’re always welcome.” With a nod, Shay headed for the change rooms.

With the noise of the gym echoing in my ears, I turned and scanned around. Apparently, it was a big deal that Beau had agreed to train me.

He’s just a good guy, Bell.

And it sounded like he had a thing for helping out people in need.

“Hey, you daydreaming?”

I looked up at Gio. The old man had been friendly, in his own gruff sort of way. He’d shown me every part of the gym, including the stairs at the back that led up to Beau’s apartment. He lived above the gym.

“Time for your lesson.” Gio jerked his head toward a ring. “Better get moving.”

“Sorry.” I jolted. When I looked over, I saw Beauden standing in a ring at the back, well away from the others. He was watching me.

“Go.” Gio shooed me away.

I headed over.

“Come on.” Beau held the ropes apart for me to climb in. “How was your first day?”

“Great.” It had been. I’d enjoyed the work. Even the cleaning.

“Good. These are for you.” He held up a set of cloth wrappings and a pair of blue boxing gloves. “Should be the right size.”

They were far smaller than his red ones hanging on the ropes.

I took them and frowned. “These gloves are new.” Having spent some time dusting off the merchandise at the front desk today, I knew exactly what the wraps and gloves cost.

“They’re yours,” Beau said.

“I can’t afford them.”

“Consider them a gift to welcome you to the Hard Burn team.”

I fought the urge to hand them back. I hated being indebted to anyone, or accepting charity.

“If you want to fight, you need them.”

He was right. I nodded. “Thank you.”

“Then let’s get started.”

I unrolled the wraps. I’d been watching people do them all day. I started wrapping up my first hand.

After about four seconds, a pair of big hands grabbed mine. Beau took over, wrapping my hands with practiced moves.

His fingers brushed my skin, and I felt the touch all the way up my arm.

Get a grip, Bell.

“Here you go.” He held out one of the boxing gloves and I slid it on. It was the perfect size. He held up the glove for my other hand.

Once they were on, I turned my hands, getting used to the feel of them.

“Right.” He picked up two black pads and slipped them onto his hands. “These are focus pads. These are your targets so we can practice your hits and build your power.”

I nodded.

“We’ll go through some basic hits.”

“So you won’t use your gloves?”

“You’re not ready to fight yet, Bell. You have to learn to walk before you can run.”

I blew out a breath. “Okay.” I lifted my gloves.

“Let’s adjust this stance first.” He moved in beside me, touching my elbow and moving my arms into place. “You need power in these arms. No noodles.” He gave my arm a shake.

I tensed my muscles and focused.

He stepped in front of me and held up the pads. “We’re going to learn jab, hook, cross, and uppercut.”

“I know all the basic punches.”

“Good. Show me. Let’s go.”

We slowly worked through the moves. I slammed my gloves into his pads. He’d call out a punch, and I’d follow through. Soon, I got the feel for it, my blood humming. He started to speed up, and then added different combos.

My world reduced down to Beau’s deep voice and those focus pads—my targets.

Smack. Smack. Smack.

Soon, I was sweating, and trying to increase the power of my hits.

“Again,” Beau barked.

I wiped my forearm across my head, and went again. Jab, jab, cross. Jab, cross, left hook. Uppercut, cross, left hook.

I got it wrong a few times, and gritted my teeth. But soon, we had a rhythm.

Then, on my next swing, I overbalanced and stumbled forward. I slammed into Beau.

He caught me, but now I was too focused on the feel of him, the smell of him. I wanted to curl up against his chest and stay right there.

“You okay?” He looked down at me.

I managed a nod.

“Good.” He stepped back. “Again.”

I swallowed a groan.

For the next combos, he moved around the ring. I followed, slamming my gloves into the pads. He whirled past me, and our bodies brushed.

I sucked in a breath, and managed to connect my gloves with the pad.

Focus on the fight, Bell, not him.

On the next combo, we came close again. So close that I sensed every bit of that big, muscular body. I was slick between my legs, and it had nothing to do with perspiration.

“Uppercut,” he ordered.

I moved forward and slammed my glove up into his pad.

We paused. I was only an inch from him, and I felt like I was on fire. I glanced up at his face.

I saw pride on his rugged features, then as he met my gaze, I saw an answering flicker of heat.

Then he stepped back. “You did well, Bell.”

I felt a flush of pleasure. “Thanks.”

He pulled the focus pads off. “Go take a shower. You’ll be sore tomorrow. The hot water will help.”

I nodded. I floated to the ladies’ change room.

We’d had our first training session. I was learning to fight.

The change room was empty, and I got my backpack out of the locker, then hurried to a shower stall. I stood under the hot water.

My skin felt like it was on fire, my belly swirling with desire. I imagined Beau with me in the gym. It was just the two of us. Him taking me down to the mats, pinning me there.

His big cock sliding inside me.

I moaned, aroused by the water on my skin, the feel of being close to Beau, the memories of that night we’d spent together. I slid a hand over my belly and between my legs. I wanted Beauden. I wanted him so much.

I rubbed my slick clit. It didn’t take long for a quick flash of an orgasm to hit me. I bit my lip, moaning his name in my head.

Then I pressed my hand to the cool tiles.

I wanted him. Could we find a way to train and fuck? It would be mutually beneficial to both of us.

For however long I was in New Orleans, maybe I could have one good thing for myself.

I was going to talk to him.

I turned off the water and dried off, my head filled with pictures of me and Beau. I pulled on some fresh clothes—jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt in a pretty green. The jeans were a thrift shop bargain, but my mom had given me the shirt. I tucked my Hard Burn polo into my backpack, fingering the fabric.

I liked it. It made me feel like I was a part of something.

Heading out, I slung my backpack over my shoulder.

Now, I just had to get up the courage to ask Beau if he was interested in grabbing a drink.

I saw Gio first.

“Hey, good work in the ring, girly. You have potential.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

He blinked. “You should do that more often.”

“What?”

“Smile.”

I felt a blush in my cheeks. “Um, where’s Beau? I just wanted to thank him.”

“Well, I think the boss is a little busy.” Gio nodded toward reception.

I turned, and my smile dropped, hitting my feet.

Beau stood in reception with a tall, curvaceous brunette. He had an arm around her waist, and they were smiling at each other. The woman was wearing a gorgeous wrap dress in a burnt-orange color. I didn’t even own a dress anymore. Her long hair was streaked with blonde, and she had a hand pressed to his hard chest.

I felt my insides shrink. I tasted sludge in my mouth.

She was perfect for him. She was probably in her early thirties, tall, and gorgeous.

Not a young, lost woman whose life was a shambles.

I’d been an idiot to think that Beauden Fury would be interested in me for anything other than a convenient one-night stand. And now, I was just someone he felt sorry for.

“—is going out on a date.”

I realized that Gio was talking and pasted on a smile. From the look on his face, I knew it must look fake.

“Right, well, I was just going to thank him again. I won’t disturb him. I’ll just get going.”

And get back to my room and bandage up my bleeding wounds from seeing Beau with another woman.

A woman who’d touch his hard muscles, and trace his tattoos. Who’d kiss him.

Something I’d never done.

And would never do.

I hurried off toward the front door.

“Girly—?”

“See you tomorrow, Gio.”

I kept as much distance between me and the couple at the front desk as I could. I focused my full attention on the door. Just get out the door.

“Bell?”

Beau’s voice brought a burst of pain.

I didn’t look around, just waved a hand. “Night, boss.”

“Bell, wait—”

I shoved open the door and let it close behind me. Then I lifted my head and met his gaze through the glass.

He was frowning at me. Thankfully, his woman had her back to me.

His gaze locked on my face.

Then I turned away and hurried into the night.

Alone. How I had to stay, whether I liked it or not.