His dad prioritizes his professional goals over his son.
“And if you don’t move to Las Vegas?”
Victor’s body stiffens. “He’ll go back to… his old ways—torturing my mom.” He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
I want to ask him more questions, but Victor’s already in pain, so I press my lips together. He’s nothing like his father. He could never be a monster. Victor has a sweet side to him, which he guards carefully so other people don’t see.
But I see him.
“You inspire me, Victor. I was in awe of the hard work you put in at the gym. You willingly subject yourself to pain for something you believe in. For you and your mom.”
He gives me a ghost of a smile.
“You do the same, Tia, but you haven’t realized it yet.”
“But what you do is physical. I only shake my booty during Zumba class, and it’s to the beat of awesome music.”
“That’s not what I was talking about.” He pushes off the wall and comes back to me.
Every nerve in my body comes to life.
“But now that you mention your sexy ass…” He places his hands on my waist and slowly drags them down to my butt, then squeezes gently.
“Hey,” I protest, but I can’t erase the stupid smile on my face.
I missed him. I press my body into his and notice it’s pulsating.
The glow in his eyes is the same hunger I feel. He lowers his head to nibble on my bottom lip, and he slowly kisses his way down to my neck. I drop my head to the side, giving him access to explore my skin. He delivers delicate nips and licks down my neck, and his hot breaths have me dizzy with desire.
Just as I want to lose myself in him, Victor disentangles from me.
“It’s more mental than physical.”
At first I’m unsure what he’s talking about, but then it clicks.
“Teach me how to fight.” The words come out of my mouth while my brain’s catching up.
“Okay. Tomorrow the gym closes early, so we can go after everyone leaves.”
Everyoneas in his dad. I hate that now we have to hide from his dad, and from Alek.
Victor kisses me tenderly on my forehead and heads to the front door. I automatically follow him, but don’t ask where he’s going. The secret fight club? Bars? Hookups?
He steps outside and stops at the doorway. “You’re also a fighter, Tia, but you don’t even know it… yet.”
I blink a few times.
I love it that Victor can go from talking about deep topics to being silly and lustful. But I hate that he’s left me to go… somewhere.
Chapter Nineteen
The next day I finish work and step outside the rec center to find Victor already waiting for me.Ohmigod. The guy looks like a shooting star I’d like to wish upon. He must have come straight from the gym because he still has on black shorts and a tight shirt. His black hair is slightly disheveled, giving him that naughty-boy look. His arms are hugging his chest. I use the fact that Victor seems deep in thought, with his back resting on the car, and I appreciate his body for a few extra moments.
He lifts his gaze and as soon as he spots me at the top of the stairs, Victor smiles. As I approach him, he opens the door to his Chevrolet for me, and I get in. He jogs to the driver’s side. Victor touches the screen on his phone, which is attached to a stand sticking out from one of the air vents, and Shawn Mendes’s voice fills the car.
“You listen to Shawn Mendes?”
He smiles. “Sometimes. But I saw him on your playlist.”
