“See you.”
Mama waves. “Te quiero mucho.We love you.”
On the journey home, I’m not sure how to feel. Talking to Dad unsettled me, although I’m not completely sure why or how. All I know is that I need to see Sydney as soon as I can, and unfortunately, it won’t be until tomorrow.
Sydney
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My eyes open blearily, and I peer through my lashes at the clock. It’s after six in the evening, but it’s not uncommon for me to sleep for an entire day after a double shift.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
What is that infernal noise? It sounds like someone is bashing on the wall. My mind is foggy, but as the cobwebs clear, I realize they’re knocking at my apartment door.
Strange, I wasn’t expecting a visitor.
Dragging myself out of bed, I wrap a robe around my body to cover everything revealed by my tiny summer pajamas, then check that my overnight hair scarf is secure, and make my way to the door.
“Who is it?” I ask, standing on tiptoes to look through the peephole.
“It’s Gabe. I have food.” His voice is rough and rumbly and sets my nerves alight something wicked. Now that I think about it, I do smell the delicious scent of spices. Curry, perhaps. But what’s he doing here? Usually I celebrate if he turns up where he said he would at the appointed time without getting sidetracked along the way. “Are you going to let me in, Syd? Your neighbor is eyeballing me.”
“Oh, yeah. Hold on a sec.” Unlatching the door, I sigh at the sight of him. He’s wearing jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt that does great things for his body. My mouth waters, and I remember my own unkempt state. My first impulse is to hurry to the bedroom and fix myself up, but this is Gabe, and he’s seen me in worse shape than this.
“Did I wake you?” he asks, pausing to drop a kiss on my forehead. For some reason, that simple, completely chaste action makes me feel more loved than any make-out session ever has.
“Yeah, but I was due to wake up anyway. If you give me ten minutes, I’ll shower and join you for whatever it is that smells so delicious.”
“Red Thai curry.” He brushes past me into the apartment. “I’ll dish some up and make you a coffee.”
“God, you’re wonderful.” Taking his free hand in mine, I draw him close and kiss him properly.
His lips part and he growls against my mouth. “Don’t tempt me, Syd, or I’ll forget I came here with pure intentions.”
Heat curls through me. “I wouldn’t mind that.”
But he’s right, I should shower, so I pat his cute butt and head back to my bedroom, where I pull together a comfortable outfit. I’m in and out of the shower as quickly as possible, then I dress in my sweatpants and rejoin him in the living room. Two steaming bowls of curry sit side by side on the coffee table, with a mug of freshly brewed coffee beside one.
Inhaling deeply, I grin. “Seriously, the only way this could be better is if you were naked with tequila in your navel. Thank you.”
His eyes darken. “That can be arranged.”
I laugh. “Maybe after the Ruby Knuckles. Tomas would never forgive me if I corrupted you before then.”
Something dark flashes across his face.
“That’s probably true.” His statement is more serious than warranted, which gives me pause, but then I notice his curry is untouched. He’s clearly been waiting for me. Sweet, when I know how hungry he must be.
Grabbing the smaller bowl, I settle beside him and dig in. “Mm. This is so freaking good.” As is the fact he’s here and we didn’t even arrange anything ahead of time. Dare I hope he’s turning over a new leaf? “How was your day?”
“Long.” He takes my cue and chows down on his dinner, absolutely decimating it. “Seth is killing me with cardio. He wants me to be able to go for as long as Leo can, in case I don’t manage to win in the first couple of rounds.”
“I’m sure you’re just as fit as Leo. You’ve outlasted plenty of other fighters before.” In fact, Gabe is famous for wearing people down. He isn’t an out-and-out brawler like Jase or a whirlwind of insanity like Devon. Instead, he slowly and methodically breaks his opponents apart until they no longer have the willpower to fight back, then he moves in for the kill. I’ve seen it so many times, yet it never fails to electrify me.
“I won’t know for sure until we’re in the ring,” he says, refusing to make any assumptions that might lessen his stress, in true Gabe fashion. The guy seems to like mentally beating himself up as a form of motivation. I suppose it’s admirable, but I worry for him. At some point, he needs to just be happy with himself and what he’s achieved. He can’t keep living for someone else. And heck, maybe he’d make the exact same decisions if he wasn’t motivated by his father, but I don’t know that for certain, and it bothers me.
“How about you?” he asks. “Tell me about your shift.”
