I see the exact moment Devon looks up and spots Lena. A grin spreads over his face and he changes direction, his water bottle forgotten. He slings a towel around his neck, wipes the sweat off his face, then heads right for us.
“Hey, Jase,” he calls. “Who’s your friend?”
“I’m Lena,” she says, before I have a chance to tell him to butt out. “Jase’s new public relations rep.”
Devon gives me a shit-eating grin. “Oh, really?” He offers her a hand. “I’m—”
“Devon Green,” she interrupts, shaking his hand but looking unimpressed.
“Are you an MMA fan?” he asks, not deterred by the arctic chill she’s sending his way.
“No.”
“Then how—?”
“It’s my job to know who’s who in sports, Mr. Green.”
Devon hoots with laughter. “Mr. Green!” He looks like she’s made his day. “Can you believe that? I’ve never been called mister in my life.” He yells to Gabe, “Get over here, asshole. Meet Jase’s new PR woman.” He turns his most charming smile on her, all flashing white teeth against mahogany skin. “Are you here to watch?”
She shifts in a way that makes me think she’s uncomfortable and glances over his shoulder at Gabe, who’s approaching with his usual expression. That is to say, stoic and difficult to read. “Yeah, that’s the plan. I didn’t mean to interrupt your session.”
“Don’t worry,” I tell her, wrapping my hands with deft movements. “This isn’t on you, it’s on these nosy fuckers.”
“Hey,” Gabe grunts, watching her with those weirdly intense eyes of his. He’s the brother of my soul, but if I didn’t love the guy so much, he’d come across as a bit of a creeper. “You’re the one who’s going to fix this thing with Erin?”
Lena lifts her chin. “I’m going to try.”
“Good.” Gabe sticks his fist out and—to my complete astonishment—she bumps it. “That’s all we can ask for. You need anything, sing out, okay? Dev and I will help in any way we can.”
She shoots me a hard-edged look, as if to say, ‘Hey,they’rewilling to help.’ Of course they don’t mind talking to her. It’s not their livelihoods and years of work at risk. “Thanks, Gabriel.”
Gabe cringes, his shoulders coming up to his ears. “Just Gabe, please. Gabriel was an angel. You won’t find any of them around here.”
“Noted.”
“You want to join in?” This brilliant question comes from Devon. He’s always the first to make nice with a pretty girl. Gabe is too focused to flirt, and me… well, frankly, I don’t bother. It’s usually unnecessary.
She scoffs and glances down at herself, drawing all of our attention to her tight skirt. “Do I look like I’m dressed to grapple?”
Devon’s mouth hitches higher on one side. “You look just fine, Lena, but point taken. Don’t rush off, we’ll talk to you after.”
She nods and sits in one of the chairs, primly crossing her legs and balancing a notepad on her knee.
“She ishot,” Devon murmurs when we’re halfway across the mats. “But you lucked out, bro, she doesn’t like you. What’d you do?”
“Hit a girl,” I mutter. “Supposedly.”
“Ah, right.”
“Yeah, she thinks I’m guilty.”
Devon thumps my shoulder. The punch is solid, but I’m used to it and it barely rocks me. “Guess it’s up to me and Gabe to scrap over her then.”
“Go for your life.” I don’t think Lena is looking for a fighter boyfriend, and even if she is, the thought of Gabe fighting over a girl is laughable. His temper is so level, it’s a miracle he can muster enough aggression to take his opponents down in the ring. Probably the only thing that would set him off is if someone messed with his best friend, Sydney.
Gabe ignores our exchange, hauling himself into the octagon. “It’s king of the ring.”
Seth, who’s been pounding a bag, comes over, chest heaving. Our coach is a big dude, and like Gabe, he’s not much for small talk. “Each time someone taps out, they swap with the third person. Jase, I want you shadowboxing in the corner until you’re warm.”
