She should go straight home. She knew she should. But she needed to know what happened between Zane and Carlos. And she needed to know if it involved her.
CHAPTER 12
Zane hit the bag. Blow after blow, the call from Jesse still in his head, pissing him the fuck off.
The asshole had an alibi. But it was him. It had to be him. Zane had seen the rage in the jerk’s eyes when he’d yelled at her. Had felt the fury in him when he’d grabbed her.
Then the guy wanted to press charges againsthim?
Cross punch, kick.
It really pissed him off that scumbags did shitty things but still got to walk free. It had almost happened with Monty back in Billings. And now it was happening with Carlos.
Jab, jab, cross.
He’d received a warning from Jesse. To stay away from Carlos. To walk in the other direction if he saw him.
Carlos had been inhisgym though. And if he entered again, Zane wouldn’t hesitate to throw his ass out a second time.
Jab, cross, hook.
The gym had closed half an hour ago. He should have already left. But everything was annoying the shit out of him. Carlos. The murder of Ethan’s contact. Even Bonnie’s brother coming to warn him off this morning.
Three more punches, then the click of the gym door opening sounded. He stopped and turned, his hand wanting to reach for the Glock in his workout bag. The blinds were closed, so he hadn’t seen anyone from the street.
Bonnie stepped out of the hall.
The sight of her made a quiet pressure settle on his chest, the air no longer reaching his lungs quite as easily.
She offered a small smile. “Hey.”
He swallowed, arms dropping. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, that’s a bit like a hello but not.”
The memory of holding her all night had him fisting his hands, like he was trying to stop himself from reaching for her. “It’s getting late. It’s not safe for you to be out at night by yourself.”
She glanced at the window, then gave him a look. And yeah, even with the blinds shut, it was clear that it wasn’t dark just yet. But he stood by what he said.
She set her bag on the front desk like she was staying. “I want to know what happened between you and Carlos.”
Jesus Christ, he did not want to talk about that asshole.
He used his teeth to tear off the wrist wrap of the first glove. “There’s nothing to say.”
“Except he went to the sheriff’s office to report you, which means something happened. What?”
“He came in. I told him to get out. He wouldn’t because he’s an idiot. So Idraggedhis ass out.” He dropped the first glove into his bag before tearing off the second.
“Zane, you didn’t need to do that for me.”
He almost laughed. “You think I’d let the fucker who bruised you work out in my gym?”
She closed the distance between them. “I don’t want you getting into trouble for me.”
If she knew the kind of legal battles he’d fought in Billings, she’d realize that someone as small as Carlos was nothing. “He’s not welcome here. He steps into my gym again, I’ll do worse.”
“No. I don’t want you getting into serious legal trouble for me.”
