Jami looked away, the muscle in his jaw flexing. Combing his fingers through his hair, he sighed deeply and came to sit beside her. “I’m not mad at you,” he spoke softly as he took her hand and placed it beneath his on top of his hard thigh. “I just don’t like the idea of you bringing strangers into your home. Why didn’t you let them go to the hotel with everyone else?”
“Jami, you can’t understand…” She trailed off, unable to put her feelings and experiences into words. “You didn’t go through what I did. You didn’t have to watch your mother get hit every day, and the struggle she went through to get us out of there, only to go right back.”
Lifting her hand, Jami kissed the back of it. “I know enough. I was there. Remember? I heard the fighting. I saw how it affected you. I’m not completely clueless.”
“Yet you still don’t understand why I had to do this.”
“No,” Jami said honestly, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t help me understand it.”
Alyson looked into his eyes and saw nothing but absolute sincerity. He was willing to listen, and he was willing to try. Her throat constricted as she battled back her emotions. When she was sure she could speak clearly, she tried her best to explain.
“Those women have nothing left. When they finally find the courage to leave, they have hit rock bottom. Most of them only found the strength to get help because they were afraid for their children, otherwise, they probably would have just stayed and taken it.
“When they come to us, they are almost always jobless, penniless, and hopeless. They no longer have any friends to rally behind them because they shut them out years ago to hide their shame, and their family has either abandoned them, or they are too ashamed to ask them for help. Many times, the fear of being found keeps them away, too. It’s a very hopeless situation.”
Jami was silent as he listened and considered her words. “So…you took them into your home because you’re afraid that the fire might have been the last straw.” He wasn’t asking. Somehow, Jami just understood, just as he always seemed to understand.
“Yes. I feel responsible for them, and I don’t want this to be the reason they go back.”
Pulling her against his side, Jami tightened his arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek against the top of her head. “You know you can’t stop them from going back if that’s what they decide to do.”
Alyson sighed, knowing the truth of that statement better than anyone. “I know, but I can give them a fighting chance.”
“So what does this mean for you?”
Alyson cursed Jami’s perceptiveness. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, even to herself, but by allowing Victoria and Miles to live in her apartment, she was crossing a line. Still, the fear of the consequences should anyone find out about their arrangement wasn’t enough to deter her. If she could help one person lead a better life, then she would do whatever was in her power to make sure it happened—even if it meant hurting herself.
“Ally,” Jami persisted when she didn’t answer him.
Alyson cringed, knowing that he wouldn’t be happy with her when she told him the truth, and he wasn’t the type to let her plead the fifth. When Jami wanted answers, he wouldn’t stop until he had them. “If anyone finds out they are living here, I’ll lose my job.”
“Shit, Ally, why would you put your job at risk?”
“If you have to ask that, then you don’t really know me.” Standing, Alyson walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. At the sink, she refilled her glass twice and gulped it down in record time. When she turned around to head back, she found Jami standing in the doorway.
The fierce countenance she’d seen him wear while training at the gym was now leveled at her, causing her to take a cautious step back. A spark of fear lanced through her as old memories flickered to life, and she had to remind herself that Jami would never hurt her.
He was her protector.
“You would risk everything for someone you don’t even know?”
“Yes.”
Jami held her in his gaze, neither willing to back down. Several minutes passed before he visibly backed down. “Fine, then let me help.”
Alyson frowned. “I won’t take your money,” she told him, sure that he would try to bail her out if he thought she was headed toward trouble. The last thing she wanted Jami to do was support her financially. She could do that on her own. The only thing she ever wanted from him, he wasn’t willing to give.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t need it,” she insisted, brushing past him.
Jami followed her back into the living room, where they both made sure to keep their voices down so they didn’t disturb Victoria and Miles. “What if you do? What if this all blows up in your face and you lose everything? Do you think they’re going to offer to put you up in their house?” he demanded to know, stabbing his finger at the closed bedroom door. “Hell no. They’ll be off living their new life, that you helped pay for while you’re left jobless and homeless.”
Alyson glared back at him, hating that he was right, but unwilling to back down. “Then it will be my problem to worry about.”
“And you think I would let that happen to you?”
Alyson backed up as Jami stepped closer. “What do you think you’re going to do, buy me a new apartment, a new life? You don’t have the money for that,” she scoffed.
“You don’t know what I have,” Jami smirked. “I’m a fighter. I may not be rich, but I make a decent living, and you know living with Coach cuts me a hell of a break.”
“You can’t bail me out all the time, Jami,” Alyson hissed. “These are my choices. What happens, happens. I won’t let you hand over everything you worked so hard for because of my choices.”
“And I won’t let you tell me what I can and can’t do.” With a crooked smile, Jami hooked his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her against his chest. “I don’t like what’s happening here, and I won’t stand by if shit goes south. Don’t ask me to, because it won’t happen.”
Fingering the front of his shirt, Alyson felt the warmth of his concern fill her. In her entire life, there had only been two people she knew, beyond a doubt, would be there for her no matter what. Jami was one, and she’d thought she had lost him. It was comforting to know that she had him now—but for how long?
Then there was Olivia. She didn’t have many more means than Alyson did, but she was always there for her in whatever way she could be. They had each other’s backs, forever and always.
Jami was her wild card.
“Well, I am asking,” she said, knowing she was pushing the boundaries of his patience, but she meant what she said. She would never let him give away his future. Not to her, not to anyone.
Jami’s entire body tensed. Knowing she had angered him all over again, Alyson waited, frozen in place as she waited for him to blow up at her. Instead, Jami kissed her hair and pulled away. He didn’t say a word as he opened the door and walked out.
FOURTEEN
Jami was drenched from head to toe in sweat. He didn’t pause a beat as Don increased the incline and speed on the treadmill. Like everything he did in his life, he adapted. Word on his first official fight came in that morning as he entered the gym. It was a test match according to Don, to get an idea of where his strength measured up now and, Jami suspected, to dissuade him from pursuing this avenue. Wasn’t going to happen. In little more than two weeks he would go up against a man known as the “‘Lion”.’ If he won—and he would—then they would push forward for the qualifying match, which would take place against the “‘Iron Fist”.’
A heavy hitter like Jami, he was known for brutality. He’d only lost a fight three times in his lengthy career, and Jami intended to be his fourth.
With goals to focus on, he felt the driving need to push harder, just as he always did when a fight was coming up. Being in shape to kick someone’s ass was a damn good motivator in almost any situation, and Jami still had some work to do if
he was going to make it to the championship and win.
He looked up to find Coach’s mouth moving. Pulling an ear bud from his ear so he could hear him he asked, “What?”
“I said you’re kicking ass today!” Coach shouted over the whir of the machine and music still blasting in his other ear. “You get laid or something?”
Or something. Jami flipped him off and Coach grinned unapologetically. He wished he’d gotten laid. Being around Alyson meant he walked around with a constant hard-on, but she wasn’t ready and he wasn’t going to push her. However, she was the main cause for his mood today.
After their talk last night, he’d gone home and spent half the night pacing his room, determined to come up with an agreeable solution. He wasn’t fool enough to think that she would just give in to him that easily. Ally was stronger than that, which she had proven last night when she’d all but told him to back off. She was too damn hard-headed and stubborn sometimes, but so was he, and he wasn’t about to give in so easily, either.
So, he’d ended up falling asleep sitting up and had yet to come up with any good ideas.
When he’d walked into the gym that morning, he was dead tired and pissed off. The only reason he was even in a remotely good mood now was because he was working toward his goal. At least he was good for something.
Finally giving up on ever getting an answer from him, Coach shook his head and mumbled something that sounded like moody bastard as he turned and walked back toward his office.
Sticking the bud back in his ear, Jami increased his speed five more miles and tried to get lost in his music. Drowning Pool fed him the added energy he needed, and before he knew it, he had run over four miles and still wasn’t tired.
He was pushing toward his fifth mile when he looked up to see Alyson walking through the door.
***
She’d texted Jami twice last night after he left and several times this morning, and he’d never answered her. By lunch, Alyson decided enough was enough, and hopped on a bus. She didn’t care if he didn’t wanted to speak to her, but by golly, he was damn sure going to listen to what she had to say.
So Jami was pissed off. He’d probably gotten a bug up his ass over her not bowing to his will like a good little woman, but it wasn’t in her nature, and now he was shutting her out.
It wasn’t her problem if he didn’t agree with her decisions. She was a big girl, and she didn’t need his approval. The risk was hers to take, and she would be damned if she deferred to a man about how she ran her life.
Scanning the gym, Alyson’s breath hitched when she caught sight of Jami. He was on one of the treadmills. The overhead lights illuminated the sheen of sweat coating his skin and casting shadows that made his already defined muscles look even bigger and more delicious.
He was so gorgeous and so hot, that Alyson broke into a sweat as she marched across the room. Jami watched her every step as she approached, his dark brown eyes sliding down her body, and Alyson had to remind herself that she was just as mad at him as he was at her.
Removing his ear buds and looping the wires around his neck to dangle over one shoulder, Jami didn’t break his stride as she stopped and looked up at him. “You’re ignoring me?” she questioned, fisting her hands on her hips. Refusing to acknowledge her any further, he stared at the monitor, offering no explanation.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she fumed. “Well, fine! If it’s so easy to close me out because I won’t do what you want, then go fuck yourself.” Beyond angry, she started to walk away, then whirled around again to jab a finger his way. “Just so we’re clear, I won’t ever be that girl, Jamison. I won’t be told what to do, or how to do it. I thought you understood that, but I guess not.”
She waited for him to say something. Instead, Jami calmly tapped the buttons on the display and stepped off the treadmill. Anger simmered in his eyes as he snapped the towel hanging beside the treadmill down, and stepped toward her, his large, imposing figure crowding her personal space. “You’re right, I don’t understand.” The hard, angry glint in his eyes stole any rebuttal she might have had, silencing her. With one last look, Jamie turned and walked away.
Alyson watched him, pissed for noticing the way the muscles in his back rolled with each step, until he was out of sight. It shocked her that he would just turn his back on her like that. Her own eyes shimmering, she forced herself to ignore all the eyes watching her, and walked out.
***
“It’s none of my business, but I heard you arguing with your boyfriend last night,” Victoria informed Alyson as they stood folding laundry together.
Recalling their argument both last night and at the gym earlier that afternoon, Alyson barely withheld her grimace. She didn’t want Victoria or her son to think that they were causing problems for her, but apparently she wasn’t doing a very good job of that. “Oh, that? It was nothing.”
“It didn’t sound like nothing,” Victoria returned, flicking her observant eyes at her.
Selecting a pair of boy’s blue jeans, Alyson began folding them. “It wasn’t a big deal, and I don’t want you to worry about it.”
Setting aside one of the shirts, Victoria stopped to look at her. “Maybe it was nothing, maybe it wasn’t, but I’ve been thinking about it. This arrangement,” she said, moving her finger between them. “I’m not sure it was such a good idea to let me and Miles move in here.”
Alyson slanted an impatient look at her. “No really,” Victoria continued. “While I am so grateful for everything you have done and are doing for us, I can’t help wondering what this means for you.”
“Besides an elevated water bill?” Alyson chuckled.
Victoria wasn’t laughing. “I overheard your boyfriend mention something about your job. If anyone found out we are living with you, could you lose your job?”
Alyson looked away, focusing all of her attention on folding laundry. “Jami is just an old friend, and yes, it’s a possibility, but who’s gonna find out? I certainly don’t plan on telling anyone. Unless you’re planning on taking an ad out in the paper, then I don’t see how it will be a problem.” Besides, she’d already put it down in the records that the two had moved into an undisclosed location. No one knew where she was.
“Who am I going to tell?” Victoria asked with some amusement. Her expression grew solemn as she mated a pair of socks. “I really am grateful for what you are doing for us. If you hadn’t offered to let us stay here, I really think we would have gone back.”
Alyson nodded at the affirmation of her fears. Yes, Jami could be mad at her all he wanted, but now she knew, beyond a doubt, that she had done the right thing.
By evening, Alyson was ready to slip into a hot bath and wash the day away, but she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that came with leaving things unfinished. So, after dinner, she wished Victoria and Miles a goodnight and told them where they could find her if they needed anything.
Now, as she stood outside the gym again, she felt the butterflies churning in her belly at the thought of confronting Jami for the second time that day.
But she couldn’t let things stand the way they were between them now. She hadn’t been able to stop him from walking out of her life the first time, but this time she held the power to decide if he would stay or go. She could turn her back now and never see him again, or she could go in there and try to make peace. The ball was in her court.
All she had to do was walk through those doors.
Inside the gym was deathly quiet, except for the rhythmic thumpata thumpata thump of the speed bag as Jami pounded out his aggression. Don stood beside him, looking bored as he scrolled through his phone. In one of the far corners, she glimpsed a young woman wiping down the equipment, but aside from the four of them, the place was empty.
How many hours was he putting in each day?
Jami was completely focused on his workout. Alyson stood back to admire the picture he made. Shirtless, his arms and back were flexed tight as he continued to move. His sk
in was dewy from a day of exercise, and as she began to cross the room, she wondered if it were normal to put in this many hours. He didn’t even appear to be tired.
Don noticed her first, and at his look of displeasure, she turned her focus on Jami. Even though she would prefer it if he liked her, it didn’t matter if Don ever accepted her or not. She was there for Jami.
Noticing that he still wore his ear buds, Alyson moved around to the opposite side of where his coach stood and placed her back against the wall to face him. It took him a moment to realize she was even there, and when he did, he didn’t look pleased. His eyes narrowed as he looked away, hitting harder and faster than before.
Biting back her disappointment, Alyson forced herself to smile. He continued to beat his fists against the bag while she pretended his lack of interest didn’t sting. But it did. A lot.
“I don’t think he wants to talk to you,” Don told her.
When she glanced over at him, she tensed. He was looking at her as if she were an annoying gnat that he wanted nothing more than to swat away. “Then he can listen,” she said, glowering back at him.
Don’s grey eyes turned colder than she thought was possible. “I heard what happened earlier. Everyone did. You’re a distraction. Jami has women throwing themselves at his feet everywhere he goes. The last thing he needs is for someone like you to come in here and derail everything he’s worked so hard for. You’ve had your fun. It’s time to move on.”
She didn’t like his tone, nor did she like that he seemed to be accusing her of trying to hurt Jami’s career. That was the last thing she wanted to do, and if he knew anything about her, he would understand that. But he didn’t know anything about her, so where did he get off treating her this way?
“Someone like me?” she asked incredulously. “First of all, you don’t know me well enough to judge my character, and second of all, what the hell have I done to deserve the way you’re treating me? You’re being a complete jerk.”
Don leaned forward, the skin around his eyes crinkling as his glare deepened. “I don’t like you, and you wanna know why I don’t like you? Because I know your kind,” he spat. “You see a man who has everything going for him, a career, money, power, and you get the idea in your head that he’s the one you’re going to marry. The next thing you know, he’s giving up the career, the power, and the money, every dream he worked to make come true, and he’s thrown it all away for a woman who will eventually leave him with nothing.”
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