Warnings and Wildfires

Wrath lifts his chin but doesn’t offer to shake my hand which is fine. His hand would swallow mine up anyway.

“Uh,” I stammer like an idiot, my gaze darting between them and finally landing on Sully. “I wanted to talk to you for a minute. But you’re busy, I can wait.”

“No. No. Customers first,” Wrath insists, holding up his hands. There’s a devilish smile playing over his lips, but I get the feeling he’s mocking Sully, not me. With a more serious expression, he jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll be out back. Come find me when you’re finished.”

As usual, I’m lost in Aubrey’s big brown doll eyes and only mumble to Wrath that I’ll be out in a minute.

Shake it off.

I’d have to be completely dense to not know Aubrey’s interested in me. And I can’t say the attraction isn’t mutual.

I don’t date clients. Quickest way to get a sleazy reputation in this business. I’ve sunk every last penny I have into my studio and need it to succeed. The last thing I need is to be fodder for the gossips in this town. Too many people depend on me to let myself get caught up on one girl. No matter how much she intrigues me.

Too bad I have to remind myself of all those reasons every time I see her. Too bad I’ve been thinking of her non-stop since Monday night.

“How’s your leg?” I ask.

“Better. I mean, it’s bothering me now. After the walk but—”

“You walked all the way down here from your place?”

“It’s not that far.”

Hell, it’s probably less than a mile and it’s a relatively safe area. It still bugs me.

“So, the reason I wanted to talk to you is that, while I love the classes, I’d like to take something more intensive. Or maybe one-on-one lessons?”

When I don’t answer right away, she fidgets. “Never mind.” She hesitates. “It doesn’t have to be you if you don’t have time. If you know of someone else. Or maybe Jake?”

Hell fucking no.

If anyone’s touching Aubrey, it’s me.

Teaching. If anyone’s teaching Aubrey, it’s me.

No way am I allowing my brother to touch her. Nor am I sending her off to let some other guy put their hands on her curvy little hips or wrap their arms around her.

Shit, I’m getting hard just thinking about it.

So inappropriate. This girl will have me breaking my rules in no time.

Which is exactly why I need to turn her down.

In a way that won’t leave her seeking out someone else.

Wallace, you’ve officially reached a new low.

“Jake’s more of a personal trainer. You don’t want him bulking you up.” My smooth-guy tone even makes me want to roll my eyes.

She screws her face into the cutest mask of confusion.

“I have a waitlist for private lessons. I’ll put your name on it.”

“Oh. I guess that would be okay.”

A noise from the back door catches my attention. “Excuse me, Aubrey. I need to help Wrath carry some equipment inside. If I don’t get out there, he’ll do it by himself.”

She chuckles. “I’m not surprised since he’s so big.”

So she noticed my friend, huh. Not sure I care for that. I can’t help it. I reach out and squeeze her arm. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I was right. Wrath already has two of the benches unloaded from his truck.

“I said I was coming.”

“I’m fine,” he says, waving me off. Except he’s here doing me a favor so I should do my share of the heavy-lifting.

“Who’s the little pixie?”

“What?”

He jerks his head toward the gym. “Amber?”

Everything in me tightens up. “Aubrey.”

He nods as if I answered some secret question for him. “She your girl?”

“Don’t worry about her,” I snap. “She’s not your business.”

Wrath’s the enforcer for the Lost Kings MC, the motorcycle club that runs this part of upstate New York. Someone you do not want to piss off if you want to continue breathing. I’ve known him a long time and he’s my brother’s business partner. I’m not a coward, but I’m usually not stupid either.

Lucky for me, he’s more amused by my outburst than angry. “First, you know my girl. Why you riskin’ me beating your ass?”

Right. Lethal biker or not, I don’t think I’ve seen him even notice another woman since he and Trinity got together.

“Second, is she even legal?”

“She’s twenty-two.”

“Fuck, I feel old.” He shakes his head. “She’s obviously into you.”

“Nah, she just wants to take some extra self-defense classes.”

“Sure,” he says, drawing the word out to mock me. “What’s your problem?”

“I don’t date my clients.”

He rolls his eyes toward the sky. “Are you sure you’re related to Jake?”

I snort but don’t answer the question, since he’s not expecting one anyway. “I don’t need the reputation your gym has.”

“Fuck you.” His entire expression darkens into a menacing scowl. “Whisper and Jake fuck around with clients. Not me.”

Yeah, that was a dick thing to say. He runs a pretty well-known afterschool program for at-risk kids out of his gym and has been after me to set one up here. Except, I haven’t had the time or resources to work it out.

“Sorry.”

Wrath doesn’t hold grudges. He’ll either punch you in the face or let it go. Today he’s in a forgiving mood and my face remains unblemished. “Come on. I need to get back to Furious,” he says placing his hands on either side of the bench. “Which way you wanna go?”

“I’m fine.” I walk it in backward with him steering and we get it set up in the empty space I’m setting up for weightlifting.

“You need some money now?” I ask when we’re finished.

“Nah,” he waves it off. “We’ll work out a payment plan. I’m not worried about it.”

I’ll admit I’m eager to return to Aubrey and not too subtle about it. My gaze scans the room, seeking her out.

Wrath smirks and shakes his head.

Sully said to stay, but I feel pretty useless standing around doing nothing.

The phone behind the counter rings. And rings.

I crane my neck, but can’t see Sully anywhere.

When the ringing starts up again, I pick the phone up.

“Strike Back Studio, how can I help you?”

All the caller needs is a time for the evening classes. I have to search for a calendar with current schedules, but finally give them the information and hang up.

Wrath and Sully are walking toward me when I pick up my head. Sully with a furrowed brow and Wrath with a wry twist to his lips.

“Who was that?” Sully asks.

“Uh, someone who plans to attend your Mixed Martial Arts class tonight. She needed a time.” I scurry out from behind the desk. “I hope that’s okay. It wouldn’t stop ringing.”

“Yeah. Thanks for doing that.”

“You really should hire someone,” Wrath says to Sully.

“Thanks, I’ll take it under advisement.” Sully not-at-all-subtly glances at the door. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

Amused, at what I’m not sure, Wrath widens his stance and crosses his arms over his massive chest. “Nah. I can hang with you kids for a bit.”

“Asshole,” Sully mutters under his breath, making Wrath laugh.

The three of us stand there awkwardly looking at each other. Well, awkward for me. Wrath seems to be enjoying Sully’s irritation.

“What do you do, Aubrey?” Wrath asks.

“Uh…I.” The intensity of his stare, while he waits for me to answer, makes me stutter. “I work at the coffee shop down the street and go to school part-time.”

He smacks Sully’s shoulder with the back of his hand. “You can come up with some flexible hours for her.?

?

“I’m really not looking,” I protest. It’s a lie. I can definitely use the money, but standing here watching Sully try to come up with excuses not to hire me isn’t exactly a confidence booster.