“I don’t know how he found out. He threatened to take the gym away, pay off my debt, and throw me out. This is my legacy, Gabriel. I cannot just be thrown out.”
“No, you can’t. What deal did you make with Victor?”
“That he can come here and train Naomi, and she can spar with other fighters.” He looks down.
“What else?”
“He explicitly asked for Valentina to spar with.”
“I see.” I narrow my eyes at him. “How much money do you owe Ricky?”
“More than I bargained for.”
My voice hardens. “I asked how much.”
“Almost a mil.” My brows raise. Is he serious? How the fuck did he get so deep? The gym isn’t worth a quarter of that.
“I don’t even want to know how this happened.” I shake my head in disbelief. “This is what’s going to happen. You will go and pay the debt with the money I give you.” I pin him with a commanding look. “But before you go, you're going to sign theownership of this place over to Valentina. You can stay here, be a trainer, or you can retire.”
Relief washes over his face. “Thank you…”
I cut him off. “I will send the money with one of my men, who will bring the contract and will accompany you to Ricky’s.”
“What did you want to show me?” Valentina looks at me suspiciously.
I smirk. “Close your eyes.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t like surprises.”
“You’ll like this one.”
She purses her lips, her eyes focusing on mine. “Very well. I trust you,” she says and closes her eyes.
The flutter in my heart stops me in my tracks before I smile and take her hand in mine, leading her inside.
I lead her toward the desk. “You can open your eyes now.”
She blinks awake, confusion shaping her expression as she takes in the spotless room. “Has Boris been decorating? If so, this doesn’t look like his style. Where did all the papers and stuff go?”
My smirk deepens. “No, Boris hasn’t been decorating, because this office isn’t his anymore.”
She whips her head toward me, startled. “What are you talking about?”
Instead of answering, I step closer, sliding a strand of her hair behind her ear, because I need my hands on her when I tell her this. “Do you like it?”
She looks around again, suspicious. “Why does it matter?”
This time, I let the smile show. “Because it’s yours.”
Her eyes widen. “Mine? Wait, what? How? Why? What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” I murmur, savoring the shock on her face, “you’re the new owner of this entire gym.”
A smile flickers to life, bright and wild, then collapses just as fast. “But how? What about Boris?”
I tilt my head, enjoying the fire she tries so hard to hide. “Thank me properly, and I might tell you.”
She breathes out a shaky laugh. “That’s not fair. Because as much as I love the idea, I’m terrified to know what you did to make it happen.”
