I shouldn’t have come. This is too much.
But just as that thought registers, I hear, “Scarlett?”
I jerk in surprise and turn toward the voice. There’s a guy standing in the aisle next to me, staring at me with a questioning expression. He’s…gigantic. In height and in muscle. And combined with the buzz cut, I’d bet good money that he’s military.
It takes me a second to remember that he said my name. My brow furrows.How does he know my name?
Wait…he looks familiar. Why does he look familiar?
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Nico sent me,” he says simply. “Said you’d probably prefer to watch from the back.”
I let out a breathy laugh. “He’s not wrong.” I send the lady next to me a guilty wince. “No offense, but this place is insane.”
She chuckles and pats my arm. “None taken, sweetheart.” Looking past me at the guy standing in the aisle, she asks, “She’s with Nico?”
I frown. “You know Nico?”
“She birthed the nut job,” the big guy says. Stepping behind our row, he leans down to kiss the woman on the cheek. “Hi, Mom,” he murmurs.
Oh my God.
I just met a client’s mother.
And then I realize… This is Nico’s brother. The one who gave me an IV when I was sick. That’s why he looks familiar.
“You’re Alexander,” I say on an exhale.
The affectionate smile on his face softens when he turns to me and nods. “You look better than the last time I saw you.”
I let out a breathy laugh. “Thanks to you. Did Nico pass on my undying appreciation, by the way? Because I’m pretty sure Ifeltlike I was dying.”
If I wasn’t so good at reading people, I probably wouldn’t notice the small tic in his mouth that tells me I earned a smile. His only obvious response is a gruff, “It was nothing.”
“Agree to disagree,” I tell him with a smile.
For a moment, he only blinks at me. Something tells me this isn’t the type of man who would know what to do with me. Especially when he asks bluntly, “Do you want to follow me to the locker room?”
I’m standing before his question is even finished. “God, yes, please.” Remembering his parents, I turn toward them. “Are you coming back, too?”
“Nah, they like to watch from the crowd,” Alexander says, pressing another kiss to his mother’s cheek. “They’re maniacs.”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “I like to get the full experience, sue me.”
“We’ll see them after,” Alexander tells me. Then he jerks his head toward the back. “Come on, we’re this way.”
At the last minute, I remember to send a smile to Nico’s parents. Aclient’sparents. What is my life?“It was nice to meet you.”
“You too, sweetheart. Have fun!”
I happen to glance up at the big screen, where a fight highlight is currently being shown. There’s blood and sweat flying everywhere.
This family’s definition of fun is wild.
It’s too loud for us to talk during our walk through the crowd, but even when we reach the blocked-off area where Alexander has to flash a name tag to get through, he doesn’t seem to be interested in conversation. Which is good, because I’m suddenly hyperaware of the fact that for the first time, I’m going to purposefully see Nico outside of our usual arrangement. And nerves are once again making themselves known.
But when we reach the room that saysNicholas Priceon the door, there’s no one inside.
