“No,” he agreed. “But it could turn into something that does eventually.”
“And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”
“Train and build up from there. You can keep your job at Sal’s.”
I shook my head. “That’s not exactly a stable plan.”
“Neither is what you’re doing now. Besides, I can hook you up with a room in a house I own.”
He had a point. Nothing was guaranteed when I relied on illegal activity to make money.
Over the next few days, I took time to really think about what Devon had been saying. It wasn’t as if my current path was leading me anywhere. Maybe I did need to take a risk to find success.
A week later, I showed up at Titan Elite. Devon spotted me the moment I walked in.
“Changed your mind?” he asked, a broad grin spreading across his face.
I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Something like that.”
He nodded. “It’s not going to be easy. You’ll have to unlearn a lot of bad habits.”
“I figured.”
“And you’re starting at the bottom.”
“I figured that too.” Then I added, “I can’t afford a place right now.”
“My offer for a room at my rental property is still good.”
“Training here and living in a place you own might not be the best idea.” I may not have had much experience with whatever Devon and I were doing, but I knew enough to see how things could get messy. As the new guy at the gym, I didn’t want to give anyone a reason to think I didn’t belong there or that I was getting special treatment.
“For what reason?”
“You know why.” He didn’t need me to spell it out for him.
A beat passed.
“Then we keep it separate,” he relented.
“Strictly professional,” I clarified.
Even if we kept things a secret, I didn’t think it would work out well.
He let out a breath. “If that’s what you want.”
“It has to be.”
15
ROWAN
One YearLater
My left shoulder was sore,my ribs ached every time I reached too quickly, and the bruise along my jaw had darkened enough that I knew it looked worse than the night before.
I was stretched out on my bed in gym shorts with an ice pack pressed against my side when Mills walked into our dorm room on base, took one look at me, and shook his head.
“No.”
