Tormented

Bataar delivered a low kick, which Ben jumped over.

“She’s inclined to think the worst of Jake,” he finished.

“Don’t trust women’s intuitions?” Bataar asked.

“Unbiased, women are more reliable than men. But I’m not sure she’s not biased. She’s working some angle.”

“Angle?”

“Yeah, she’s been jerking me around—”

Bataar’s strike glanced off the side of his head. Ben shook off the blow. He was losing focus, which was becoming a habit when it came to Kimani.

“How?” asked Bataar.

“She’s an undercover reporter.”

Ben got his revenge, faking a punch with his left before delivering with his right.

“No shit?” Bataar asked before going low again.

Ben jammed his foot over Bataar’s, pinning it to the mat. “She snuck a recording pen into the cabin.”

“You on it?”

“Along with Jake and the others.”

“She working a story on lecherous guys who buy women for sex?”

“You calling me a lech?”

Bataar grinned. “Sure, boss. You bought her for sex, didn’t you?”

Only I didn’t

have to. It turned out to be a big mistake.

Apparently wanting to make his boss feel better, Bataar added, “Hey, you made a nice purchase. She’s—”

Ben didn’t let him finish, kicking Bataar in the stomach. Bataar stumbled back.

“Anyway,” Bataar said, rubbing his stomach before getting back into position. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Don’t know yet. I don’t know what she knows, and I don’t know her intentions.”

He’d tried tormenting truth out of her and that hadn’t worked. He wasn’t sure he was up to doing it again. She had called it a low blow.

“I’ve given her plenty of opportunities to tell me the truth.”

“You could confront her,” Bataar suggested. “Tell her you’re onto her game.”

He could. He had refrained from doing so in part because he hadn’t wanted to scare her off, and he’d thought he could find out what he needed to know in between fucking her brains out.

“Or just let it go if you don’t think she has anything to bust you with. You’re not likely to cross paths again when you’re done with her.”

For some reason, the thought rattled him. Bataar went low. Ben avoided the first kick, but Bataar spun around and swept his foot behind Ben, knocking him off balance. He fell to the mat.

“Or maybe you don’t plan to be done with her?”