On The Ropes (Tapped Out 3)

I tugged open my locker, determined to put all of it away. I had a fight in two weeks that I needed to train for, and Carly Ann Anderson was a distraction I didn’t need.

I also didn’t need Vanity slamming a fist on the locker beside me and sticking her face into mine.

“You fucking that Anderson tramp?”

Rather than getting mad as I normally would have, my default reaction was surprise. How the hell could word have gotten out that fast?

Then the rest of what she’d said hit its target. “She’s not a tramp. Watch your mouth.”

“Oh, no? Then how come I heard she used to give BJs in the back of Vinnie’s for a discount rate?”

My fist came up before I remembered Vanity was a woman, and therefore I couldn’t clean her clock. I rammed my fist into the nearest locker instead and absorbed the burn up my arm. “You’re on thin ice. You better turn and walk away before you fall through.”

“Defending her too. I know what that means.” She propped a shoulder on the locker and glared at me under the dark fringe of her bangs. Her eyes were heavily rimmed in black, matching her usual mood. “I just wanna know what’s got you and Fox so wrapped. I don’t believe her pussy’s that great. Sorry, just don’t.”

“Me and Fox?” I clenched the strap of my gym bag before I realized she was talking about Mia. Holy shit. Shaking my head, I chuckled as I pulled out my tape and dumped the bag in my locker. “Rich fantasy life you have going there, Vanity.”

“Tell me you weren’t sparring with her day before yesterday. And the day before that.”

“She’s a good fighter. But I don’t poach.”

Mia also wasn’t the Anderson sister who had caught my attention from day one, but I wasn’t about to give Vanity any more ammunition.

“No, you don’t poach, you just stroll away once you’ve gotten your rocks off.” She poked a finger into my chest. “You think you can just use me and toss me aside? It doesn’t work that way, hotshot.”

It took effort for me not to grimace. I never should’ve slept with Vanity. I’d known it at the time, but I’d been horny and she was there. Not my finest moment by far.

Luckily, I had so many that were even worse that this one barely ranked.

“It was months ago,” I muttered. “One time.”

“One time we actually did it, but we danced around that shit for a good long time. And you know it.”

I knew that I’d turned toward her when Carly had started swarming too close, which made me six kinds of an asshole. I hadn’t meant to hurt Vanity. Honestly, I’d just figured she was out for a good time like I was.

Not the first time I’d been seriously wrong.

“I’m sorry,” I said finally, shoving the tape in the pocket of my track pants and turning toward her. “I didn’t mean to lead you on, or make you think—”

“You didn’t lead me on. I can’t be led.” Her brown eyes narrowed to golden slits. “I’m just saying that’s some shady crap you pulled. I know you’re banging other babes, but you’ve avoided me since you got what you wanted.” Her finger found its way into my chest once more. And I allowed it, because she was right.

I had been a thoughtless dick.

Though that was the role I’d adopted to play to make my way up the ranks in the Andretti organization, I had no reason to bring that BS into the gym. Vanity was someone I respected as a fighter, and beyond that, she was a woman. I’d been taught how to treat the ladies, even if the teachings I’d also been given toward my fellow man had immediately been thrown out the window.

Some guys were decent. Too many weren’t, and it often felt like I knew most of them.

None of that gave me cause to mistreat Vanity.

“I’m sorry,” I began, and she let out a litany of inventive curse words as she turned away. “I never meant to hurt—”

“Hurt?” She gave me an incredulous look over her shoulder. “Dream on, Romeo. Not fucking possible. I hurt other people. I don’t get hurt.” She sauntered out, her long dark ponytail swinging.

I blew out a breath and leaned against the bank of lockers. Yeah, that went well.

“Having some romantic trouble, son?”

I looked up as Fox strolled out from the showers into the communal area. He rubbed his wet hair with a towel and cocked a brow in the direction Vanity had just gone. “She’s not a male. The security in this place is seriously lax.”