Breaking Beast (Pounding Hearts 4)

A moment later the car roars down the street. To my relief it’s a red muscle car, not Travis and his friends.

I press a hand to my chest and take a few seconds to catch my breath.

If I have any more scares like that tonight I swear I’m going to die from a heart attack.

After I feel like I can breathe again, I look at the back of the gym, searching for another way in. That’s when I spot it—the side door that nobody uses.

I have the shittiest luck in the world. There’s no way I’d catch a break now but I’ve got to try. You miss all the shots you don’t take, right?

Walking up to the side door, I suck in a breath then try the knob. It twists easily and pulls open.

Hallelujah.

Scrambling inside, I quickly shut the door behind me and lean against it.

I’m safe, I’m finally safe. Travis will never look for me here. He doesn’t even know this place exists.

Last year, Chase, aka The Reaper, came and spoke at my high school. He talked about the importance of living a healthy life style and working hard for the things you want in life. The way he talked, he made me believe I could achieve anything if I tried hard enough. He had just started up an after-school MMA youth program and was looking for teens to sign up.

I was one of the first and only girls to join his program.

Ever since, three days a week—Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays—I train in this gym after school.

It’s become a kind of sanctuary for me. This is my home away from home, and as the familiar smells hit my senses, I finally feel like I can relax again.

Knowing this building like the back of my hand, I move easily through the darkness, avoiding all the tripping hazards.

Making my way to the ladies’ locker room, I shut the door behind me and flip the switch on the wall. Light floods the area, and it’s so bright my eyes water and squint against it.

Even half blind, I have no problem finding my locker. I drop my backpack onto the bench in front of it and start stripping. Travis interrupted my shower, and I didn’t get a chance to wash any of the conditioner from my hair.

Because no one else is here, I don’t feel bad just leaving my dirty clothes on the floor. Padding over to the showers, I twist one on and wait for the water to warm.

I’m safe. I’m safe, I keep telling myself.

Once the water is warm, I step into the spray and rinse the conditioner from my hair and neck.

Once that’s done, I have nothing left to do but to get dressed and figure out my next move.

What am I going to do? I wonder as I stare at the shower wall.

All at once it feels like my strength flees me. The shock of the night wears off and I can feel my emotions hit me like someone flipped my emotional switch back on.

I can’t stop the tears, I just can’t. Nor can I stop the little sobs that slip past my lips.

I’m so fucked.

Chapter Two

Alex

I truly think that some of God’s greatest gifts to the human race are women, my cock and the beautiful monster I put through its paces as I slam the shifter into second gear.

The guys at the gym may love the big muscle trucks, or the old classic cars, but fuck that shit.

I love my brand new Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

Its personality is a lot like mine, fast and full of power. A sleek, well-oiled machine.

Fuck the haters with their old time shit. As soon as I got back to the States, I bought this tough bitch. The ass-kicking I gave in Japan was totally worth it, all that dough went straight into the car.

Peering into the rearview mirror, I smile at the face that stares back at me. I’m not lying when I say I’m the sexiest motherfucker out there. The ladies tell me my dark brown eyes are deep and mysterious. And I’ve been growing my facial hair out but I’ve kept it neat. My body though, that’s what really draws in the ladies. I’ve been compared to the Adonis statue a time or two, but honestly that statue doesn’t have shit on me.

Staring down at my phone, I start thumbing through the contacts, and scroll past all the married or engaged pussies.

Fuck, that list is growing longer and longer as the weeks go by.

It used to be the gym was full of horny, muscular people looking for fun—people just like me. Not now, though.

Fuck… Chase, Bear and Brett are all off the market permanently.

Bunch of bullshit!

Now, I love fighting as much as everyone else in the gym, it’s in my blood and bones. I need to fight like I need to breathe.