TKO: Total Knock Out (TKO 1)

This girl is some kind of strong because the last punch she gives the bag before she walks away almost knocks me down. I can see Whitney glaring in my direction but I just shrug and stalk back to Jack and Lance.

“Geez, dude, she’s gonna bust your damn nuts if you don’t watch yourself. I thought your sister was mean but I think she may have her beat.” Lance is being absurd and I want to punch that smug smirk off his face.

Jack just stands there with his arms crossed, looking astonished. Asshole. He walks off to go lift weights and Lance follows to spot him. That leaves me on the mat, watching from my peripheral vision as Raegan grabs some water.

I really want to show this girl I’m not an asshole. Wait, what the hell am I thinking? Garrett Johnson is not an asshole but he also doesn’t care about what girls think of him unless it’s just for that split second before he makes them forget their own name. She seems so innocent and I guess that’s what has me torn up. Girls like her don’t end up in places like this unless it’s for a reason, and I am determined to find out what brought her here. I can’t imagine seeing her little body take a hit or get pinned down on that hard mat. I’d lose every match for the rest of my career just to make sure she was safe.

Shit, I’m losing my mind over some girl I don’t even know. I decide it’s time to call it a day. I’m going to be the nice brother and help Whitney pack her stuff, so she and Howard don’t have much to do.

Raegan is in the office when I walk in there to tell Howard I’m calling it an early day. The scowl on her face tells me she isn’t too thrilled to have me in the same room as her, but Her Majesty will just have to wait for a second longer before I’m gone.

“Hey man, I’m heading out early. I’m going to help get some of Whitney’s things packed at the apartment.”

Whitney jumps out of his lap and into my arms, and I kiss the head of the only woman who has a place in my heart. The one woman who will never break my heart.

“You are the best brother ever! Don’t just throw shit in trash bags either. I have boxes under my bed.”

“Well damn, you’ve been planning this haven’t you?”

Howard lets out a small chuckle as he tells Raegan he’s going to help her get some techniques down as soon as I get my stubborn ass out his office. I wish I could be the one on the mat with Raegan, but I push the thought out of my head.

Soon I’m out the door and sitting inside my Silverado wondering why I’m so intrigued by the girl who’s managed to punch me and pin me to the ground all within a few minutes.

Chapter 4

Raegan

I never thought I could be sad and happy to see someone walk out a door. I know to stay away from Garrett, but when he leaves, I want to run outside and ask if he was leaving because of me. Of course he was, I practically assaulted the man. I didn’t mean to, and honestly I had no idea I could even do anything like that. But in my defense, he totally loved it. My intentions were never to be so damn mean, but when my guard is up, I just can’t help it.

Once he’s gone I’m able to focus on what’s important, and that is training. Howard leads me over to the weight benches and I wonder just how well I can manage without looking like a total idiot. I’ve never lifted weights in my life so when he asks what I can bench, I raise an eyebrow and look sheepish.

“Oh, Raegan, we’ve got some work to do.” Howard snickers before adjusting the weights for me. “Have a seat and lay back, see how this feels. I’m going to spot you, don’t worry.”

“Is it that obvious I’ve never done this?” I feel my face flush. At least Garrett isn’t here to see this one.

I place the gloves on my hands so the bar won’t be slippery, and lie back gripping the bar as if my very life depends on it.

“Sweetheart, you don’t look any worse than Whitney did when she started here,” Howard assures me.

That makes me feel a little better and as I lift the bar, praying to God I don’t drop it on my chest. I can feel my muscles working and I just know I’m going to hurt later. After a few repetitions, he brings me to the mats where he teaches me how to block hits. Once or twice he got a lick in, but I always retaliate.

We practice without gloves for a few rounds and then he hands me a pair to put on. I’ve never worn anything like this, and he has to help me tug them on. Punching with the gloves is a whole different feeling; confidence flows through me as we begin sparring and when I bring him to the ground, he just looks up and grins.

“I definitely know I’m not going to regret this, Raegan. You’ve got it.”

Whitney walks up and throws her arm around me. “Fucking nice, Raegan. I wish I could help you train but I can’t since I’m carrying a baby. Howard’s the best though. Taught us everything we know, huh, babe?”

Howard leans down and kisses her forehead grinning. “Sure did.”

I must be doing decent because he pairs me up with Lance as he goes to spar with Jack. I remove the gloves, my poor hands relieved to be able to breathe again. Lance grins without hesitation as he shakes my hand again. At least everyone here is friendly. He stares rather cunningly the more we stand there, and I can only imagine the crazy thoughts that are floating through his head. With what Garrett said earlier, I wouldn’t be too shocked to hear anything else.

“What’s on your mind, Lance?” If he has some sexist comment to make, I hope he’ll just get it over with.

“Don’t take this the wrong way and knock me on my ass, but Garrett is gonna shit when he hears I got to spar with you. He’d practically give his left nut to be near you.”

“What the hell? He just met me, Lance, he doesn’t know me.” I cut him a dirty look, gaping. Seriously?

Lance immediately gets into stance when Howard clears his throat, and I’m left to shove aside the irritating thoughts that plague me about Garrett, the way he looked at me earlier, the way he makes me feel. Fun time is over, but I’m so unfocused because of what Lance just said.