Remarkable.
When they were inside, Ty took the locker next to the one Kell chose. “Hey. Don’t let that guy get to you. Duke or Quick could’ve already told these guys to try to press our buttons to see if we lose our cool. This is most likely a test.”
“I hate idiots like that. I’m gonna show his ass just how tender, I am not,” Kell gritted out, removing his jacket with the long, draping hood and replacing it with another garment from his bag. Ty’s eyes seemed to cut over toward Kell every other minute as he dressed. He never saw any skin, but he could see that Kell was toned, by the impressions in the tight black shirt he wore underneath a unique-looking Kung fu jacket. The kind that had to be tied with a belt. Ty’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when Kell tied a two and half inch thick, black one around his narrow waist. Ty sat on the bench watching, learning. If this man was to be his partner, there was no reason to be shy.
“So, you’re a black belt?” Ty said, leaving the astonishment in his voice. He could see now his partner didn’t like to be underestimated or judged by his appearance. “I’ve never seen a belt like that before. My father studied martial arts as well.”
Kell took off his socks and shoes, placing them in the locker on top of his bag. “Sensei—my master—presented this to me on my tenth year of study. This is a custom-made, large master’s belt.”
He’s a master?!
Kell wrapped it around his waist twice and tied the knot perfectly over his navel. He stepped closer and held one of the embroidered straps in his palm, pointing out what the Chinese characters meant. “This is my name in Chinese. These symbols each represent the styles I’ve mastered. And this is the representation of my place of practice and study, Sensei’s dojo.”
There were four of them! He’d mastered multiple styles. Beautiful gold stitching outlining each one for all to see… and fear. Ty took the strap from Kell’s hand, his fingers lightly brushing his. He glanced up and saw those bright eyes scrutinizing his actions. He didn’t know Kell’s story, but whatever it was, he knew someone had violated his trust terribly. He seemed the kind of man that you had to first prove you were trustworthy to gain his respect. He wasn’t one who trusted first. “This is amazing. I’m impressed, Kellam.”
“Thank you,” Kell said softly.
Ty could hear the other hunters in another section of the locker room. Thunderous voices talking shit and enjoying the camaraderie they’d already established. Ty needed to cement his connection with his new partner before he could worry about getting in good with the other men. Ty was dressed in a pair blue jogging pants and a thick sweatshirt, but he figured he’d wait. Kell finished by removing his beanie and replacing it with the hood on his karate jacket.
“Why do you keep a hood on?”
Kell put a padlock on his locker and spun the dial. He exhaled heavily and sat next to Ty as if he had something heavy on his heart. He stared straight ahead before he tried to speak. His mouth opening and closing a few times like he didn’t know where to even begin. It looked as if this wasn’t something he shared easily, so Ty waited patiently. The locker room was getting quieter, they needed to get out there soon, but Ty wanted to hear what Kell had to say. He wanted to get past the awkwardness of being strangers as soon as possible.
“My hair is thick and long, or it can grow really long. I keep it at my shoulders now. But… but sometimes…” Kell shook his head as if he didn’t want to admit what he was about to.
“It’s okay,” Ty said. “You can tell me when you’re ready, or not tell me.”
Kell pushed his hood back until the material bunched at the back of his neck. He pulled the black elastic band from the ponytail it held and gave his head a slight shake. Wow. Kell wasn’t exaggerating, his hair was stunning. Dirty blond locks, with long strands of auburn, gold, and wheat, fell and layered naturally in different directions, but all seeming to be in its perfect place. It was a style that hundreds of women paid thousands of dollars a year to achieve. It made Kell look angelic. He blinked at the thoughts in his mind. A fighter, a master, disciplined… and gorgeous.
“I cover my hair because men don’t take me seriously when I don’t. No one does, really. My mother, she had long, beautiful hair like a model. She was actually an extra in a hair dryer commercial in the early eighties. Anyway, my hair is the only thing I have of hers that she passed on to me. Otherwise, I would probably keep it shaved off. She died in a car accident when I was eleven.”