“Businessmen,” I retort as I lit the pads. “Come on, baby, show me what you’ve got.”
He rolls his eyes but hits the pad with a slow hook. I raise an eyebrow at the weak effort, and he sighs, slipping into a stance that shows me he knows exactly what he’s doing. It’s more of a street style rather than what we are taught, but it will do the trick. He hits the pads a couple more times, dancing across the ring. It makes my estimation of Zia go up. He’s clearly not just a posh CEO who orders people around.
No, he gets his hands dirty.
Maybe it should turn me off or scare me, but if anything, I want to see what he’s capable of.
I shouldn’t, I pride myself on following every rule and law, but when it comes to him, it seems I’m blind . . . but not in this.
He’s holding back.
“Really? Is that it?” I tease. “A five-year-old could hit harder.” I smack his side softly. “You can’t hurt me, Zia. I’m stronger than you, so stop holding back. Let go.”
He drops his guard and eyes me. “Nikko, you’re a boxer, but I’m a thug. I could hurt you. You need to be in top form for your training?—”
I slap him across the face with the glove, not holding back. He flies onto the canvas floor, his gaze wide with shock as I leer down at him. “Baby, you might be a thug, but I fight men bigger than you for fun. Get up and show me what you’ve got.”
“I can’t believe you just did that,” he hisses.
“Why?” I tease as I step back. “Don’t want to ruin your pretty face? Are you all talk, baby?”
His eyes narrow as he climbs to his feet, and despite how well I know Zia, something completely different comes over him. This isn’t his business expression or his flirty one. This is the one they speak about in hushed whispers.
This is the mafia boss.
This is the thug.
He lifts his hands and leaps at me. My eyes widen as he kicks me in the chest so hard, I fly backwards. I can’t help but laugh as I raise the pads. “That’s more like it, baby. Want to make a bet?”
“What kind?” he asks as he hits the pads, staggering me with the force.
“If you manage to get me to the mat, you can have whatever you want. If you don’t, then you have to put your angry mouth to use.”
“Fine.” The grin he gives me is practically evil, and I remember his friend’s words—you should never bet with him. I realize why way too late. He comes at me in a whirl, hitting the pads so hard, I fall backwards with each step, and then he sweeps my leg and I go down hard, hitting the mat for the first time in my career.
He smirks as he looks down at me. “You never specified how you had to go down.” He leans closer. “Here’s a tip—always be aware of who you are betting against. I like to play dirty to get what I want.”
“Good to know.” I kick his legs out, and he falls to his ass next to me.
I laugh at his expression. “I can play dirty too.”
He laughs, then I tug off my pads and his gloves before lying on the canvas. He tosses his legs over mine as he turns his head, still smiling, and meets my eyes. “You were right. I needed that.”
“Who taught you to fight?” I release a fake groan and place my hand over my chest. “Your kicks hurt like a bitch.”
“An ex-assassin.” My eyes widen, and he chuckles. “My father hired him as my bodyguard when I was young, and I begged him over and over to teach me. He eventually did. He was a good man.”
“What happened to him?” I ask.
His face closes down for a second, like all warmth suddenly disappears. “He’s dead, like everyone else who gets too close to me.”
It’s obvious what he means, but I refuse to back down. I don’t understand half of his life and probably never will, but I don’t care as long as I’m with him.
“I’m sorry you lost him. You obviously cared for him.” I reach over and lace our fingers together, squeezing for comfort.
He nods and closes his eyes for a moment, and when they reopen, he holds my gaze. “My life is dangerous, Nikko. I shouldn’t get you involved.”
“That’s not your choice,” I counter. “It’s mine. I’m choosing to getinvolved. I’m choosing to be part of it. I’m not dumb enough to think I’m in the same league as you or that I can understand everything, but I don’t really care. I don’t care about your money or power. I just want this—you here with me, nothing else.”
