"Tomorrow... When you're aching and throbbing and f.u.c.king shivering all over. Remember who made you feel that way..."

Noah's words trickled through my mind, causing me to flush deeply.

He had made good on that promise.

I was aching...everywhere.

I WAS SORE AS s.h.i.t and in a sour mood. No amount of exercise or strenuous activity seemed to ebb the antsy feeling inside of my body. I had been off kilter since I arrived here this morning. I was hung-over and thrumming with barely contained anger.

By lunchtime, I had knocked out the three sparring partners Quincy had lined up for me. Lucky was the unfortunate b.a.s.t.a.r.d currently dodging my blows.

"You still brooding over your girl, Messina?" His voice broke through my concentration, causing me to falter and drop my guard, giving him the perfect opportunity to sock me in the jaw.

"Drop it, Lucky," I growled, shaking off the blow as the sweat trickled between my shoulder blades. I was regretting mentioning to him that I had run into Teagan last night. I was still reeling over what had happened and I didn't need his two cents.

Resuming my rhythm, I danced around on the mat, twisting and jabbing, throwing uppercuts and upsets before landing a sweet left hook to his jaw.

"You guys talking about the smoking hot brunette Noah chased out of the bar last night?" Quincy piped up from outside the ring. "Don't blame you one bit for chasing down a woman like that, Messina. Hmm..."

Faking a left hook, I fell back on my left foot before hitting Lucky in the jaw with straight jab from my right. f.u.c.ker went down like a deflated balloon.

"What the h.e.l.l, Noah," he groaned, sprawled out on the flat of his back.

"What the h.e.l.l is right, dips.h.i.t," I growled, standing over my ex-cellmate. "That's my niece you're talking about."

"I didn't f.u.c.king say it," he groaned, taking my outstretched hand and climbing unsteadily to his feet. "And another thing, I can't believe you f.u.c.ked her bareback."

"Dammit to h.e.l.l, man. I told you that in confidence," I snarled. Waiting until he was steady on his feet, I socked him again in the mouth.

"Look around dips.h.i.t," Lucky, never one to mince words, pointed out without a second's hesitation, as he rubbed his chin.

I did and realized Quincy had moved to the far end of the room and was on the phone.

"I told you what happened," I hissed in a low tone. "I had too much to drink and got caught up in the f.u.c.king moment." You did it because you want to keep her and you'll do whatever it takes to make that happen, a niggling voice inside my mind taunted me.

Shaking my head, I forced the thought down quickly, refusing to acknowledge to my brain what my sub-conscience knew was true. "Just drop it."

"And if she ends up pregnant?" he stated without any qualms. "Getting caught up in the 'moment' just might have cost you eighteen years to life, Noah. What do you think about that?"

"Do I look like the kind of man who walks away from his responsibilities?" I shot back heatedly, glaring at my friend. "Just do yourself a favor, Lucky," I growled, spotting Quincy returning out of the corner of my eye. "And mind your own d.a.m.n business."

"Alright you two p.u.s.s.ies, get back to work," Quincy ordered. "Noah; I wanna see you work more on your right hook. You may be southpaw, but I want you fighting with both."

"I thought this was supposed to be winding down period," Lucky groaned, falling into stance once more. "You did win last night, right? Or was I watching a different fight?"

"That's enough out of you, Lippy," Quincy shot back, red-faced. "Dedication is the breakfast of champions." He turned his attention to me and barked, "I don't give a f.u.c.k if you're more comfortable with your left, Messina. That right hook of yours is a weakness."

"Come on in here and I'll show you how weak it is," I muttered under my breath before getting back to work.

THE REST OF THE DAY Pa.s.sED without a word from Noah, and by five o clock that evening, I couldn't take another second of silence. My nerves were frazzled and I was all out of patience. I had questions, a bazillion of them, and I knew I wouldn't be able to function properly until I got the answers.

"I'm finishing up," I told Liam when I stalked into the office and grabbed my bag and hoodie that evening.

"Are you heading to Krash Sat.u.r.day night for Steph's thirtieth-fifth birthday?" he asked me nervously, following me out of the office and through the gym. "You're invited too."

"I don't know," I told him, not really paying attention. I didn't care whose birthday it was and Stephanie Murphy was Liam's cougar friend, not mine. I had only met the woman a half dozen times on nights out. I barely cla.s.sed her as an acquaintance. And Liam was on my s.h.i.t list.

My only focus was seeing Noah again, and well, the rest I would figure out when I saw him. I rushed out of the office and through the gym; the urgency I had inside me to see Noah was like a driving force, pushing me out of my comfort zone, compelling me to go to him.

I was halfway down the metal staircase when I heard Liam calling out my name. Reluctantly, I stopped and inhaled a calming breath before turning around.

Liam was delaying me and it was p.i.s.sing me off.

"Come out Sat.u.r.day night," he repeated. "I need to talk to you about something."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "About what?"

He sighed heavily. "I was a d.i.c.k yesterday. I want to make it up to you."

Shaking my head, confused and uninterested, I mumbled, "yeah, fine. Text me the details," before turning on my heel and rushing off.

There was only one gym on this side of the city that was decked out with the caliber of equipment and security that a prized MFA fighter like Noah would require. And I would've bet my last fiver that was where I would find him.

MARCHING THROUGH THE ENTRANCE of Frankie's Gym several pairs of eyes landed on my face, but I didn't care. I walked straight past the reception desk that was crowded by women dressed like freaking hookers and numerous photographers and reporters skulking around. Obviously they had come to the same conclusion I had and were looking for Noah.

The man on the desk stood up when he watched me stalk past but quickly sat down again when he noticed my attire. I hadn't bothered changing out of my work clothes that consisted of skintight, three quarter length black gym pants and a yellow t-shirt and I was really grateful that I blended in.

There was an elevator, but I chose to take the back staircase instead. I had a bad omen when it came to elevators in gyms. Besides, I knew where I was going. I had been here several times in the last six months trying to poach their members. The gym was on the first floor. The pool was on the ground floor. Noah wouldn't be in any of those places. No, he would be in the underground boxing ring.

White painted walls and cold concrete floors greeted me the minute I stepped out of the stairwell and into the room, and my eyes immediately honed in on Noah. It wasn't hard to point him out. A six feet four inches, tattooed-covered, s.e.xy as h.e.l.l fighter kind of stood out against the backdrop of middle-aged paunchy dudes. He was standing in the center of the ring sparring with that blonde man I was used to seeing with him on the television every fight night.

"Whoa, little lady, mind stepping back?" The tall broad, bald-headed man standing outside of the ring with a stopwatch in his hand told me when I approached. I recognized him from the magazine's I'd read. His name was Quinn Jones and the man was MFA royalty. "This is no place for a little thing like you."

"Yes," I shot back heatedly. "As a matter of fact, I do mind." Turning my attention to the ring, I cleared my throat and called out, "what did you mean when you said she took advantage of you?"

"Not here, Thorn," Noah growled, as he continued to spar with the blonde guy, not breaking his stride to look in my direction.

Refusing to be ignored, I walked over to the half opened cupboard, removed a pair of gloves and pulled them on before marching back to the ring and climbing in.

Tapping Noah on the shoulder when I reached him, I stood up as tall as I could and said, "now you can spar with me, or you can talk to me," I told him, "but you cannot ignore me."

"Teagan," Noah growled in annoyance, spitting out his mouth guard. "Get the h.e.l.l out of here."

"Teagan?" The blonde guy announced, taking a step back from us. His face broke out in a wide grin and he shook his head in amus.e.m.e.nt. "Now I get it."

"No, you don't," Noah warned him as he ripped off his gloves and tossed them on the mat before turning his attention back to me. "Leave. Now."

"Not until you tell me what you meant when you said that?" I repeated. I trailed my tongue over my bottom lip, panicked and fl.u.s.tered by this magnificent male in front of me. I itched to run my fingers all over his abs and feel those ridges and grooves, his tattooed covered skin, the dust of hair beneath his navel that was cut off from sight by the waistband of his sweatpants.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I raised my glove-covered fists in front of my face, fell into stance, and jabbed.

He blocked immediately, catching my fist in the process. "I'm not having this conversation here," he hissed, pulling me closer. The smell of man and soap and sweat flooded my senses and I almost groaned in approval.

"Seven years, Noah," I whispered, letting my vulnerability spill out. "I've spent seven years in h.e.l.l because of you." Breaking out of his grasp, I bounced back on my heels before attacking once more, striking him in the midsection. "You do that with me and you walk out? And now you won't even talk to me you won't explain." I hit him with all my strength but I was the one who grunted from the impact. "Have you any idea how that makes me feel?" How could he do this; walk back into my world and automatically become the most important person in it?

"I've already explained, Thorn, and you won't f.u.c.king hear it!" Stalking towards me, he leaned over me, forcing me up against the ropes. "And I walked out because I didn't want to fight with you." He pressed his forehead against mine, and glared down at me, causing the atmosphere in the room to intensify. "Not because I didn't want you," he told me heatedly, eyes flashing with anger.

The air around us thickened and I could feel my body come to life.

Adrenalin spiked through me.

He was so close to me, there was barely an inch between our mouths, and it took every ounce of self-control I had inside of my body not to lean forward and press my lips to his.

"G.o.d, I hate you," I hissed through clenched teeth, not meaning it one bit. I hated the way Noah made me feel, and the way he made me doubt everything about myself, but I didn't hate him.

That was the problem.

"Of course you do," he sneered. "Now are you done?" he asked before taking a step back. "Because I need to train and you're in my way. I'll call you later when you're stable."

He turned around, dismissing me, and it infuriated me even further. "You don't get to do this to me, Noah," I called out shakily, moving around him so that we were chest to chest once more. Slapping my fists against his chest, I shoved him hard. "You don't get to walk back into my life, screw everything up and walk back out again."

When he didn't respond, I shoved him again and then again until I was full out hitting his chest. As for Noah, well he didn't even flinch at my touch. He just stood there, his face void of emotion, letting me hit him over and over.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me," I demanded. "I'm not one of your fan girls." Noah was blowing up my world and I was losing control. He was back in my life less than a day and I was a total wreck. "You don't get to treat me like I'm a cheap f.u.c.k." I knew I looked demented. h.e.l.l, I knew I was acting demented, but I couldn't get a grip on myself. I was completely taken over by emotions by him.

"What do you want from me, Teagan?" Noah demanded, livid. "Jesus f.u.c.king Christ." Grabbing my arms, he shook me like a rag doll. "What. Do. You. Want?"

"I want you to apologize to me and mean it," I admitted brokenly. "I want you to tell me that you're sorry for ruining everything we had." Sniffling, I forced myself to look him in the eye, even though I knew I looked and sounded insane. "But most of all, I want you to tell me what she gave you that I couldn't."

I felt him tense up and for a brief moment I feared he was about to explode, but then he turned to the blonde man who standing uncomfortably in the far corner of the ring.

"Keep her away from me, Lucky," he told him in a flat tone before climbing out of the ring.

"I loved you," I called out, voice breaking, as I watched him walk away from me, knocking over every piece of equipment he pa.s.sed.

"You didn't love me enough!" he roared, slamming both his hands against the door before he walked out.

"You should go home, Teagan." I felt a warm hand clamp down my shoulder and squeeze gently. "Noah's hurting right now. He needs to deal and he can't do that with you here."

"Don't," I warned the man Noah had called Lucky as I roughly shoved his hand away. "Don't you dare."

"Keep pushing him and he'll crack," he warned me in a calm tone of voice, holding his hands up in front of his chest. "Trust me."

"Not a chance," I hissed before climbing out of the ring and chasing after Noah.

I COULDN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.

I couldn't.

I was done this time and I meant it.

No one was worth this f.u.c.king agony.

Not even her.

Stalking into the empty changing room, I shed my clothes and stepped into a shower stall. Slamming the palm of my hand against the round chrome nozzle, I flinched when the frigid water hit my skin. Good. I needed to cool down because I was two seconds away from losing it.

"Get your hands off me!"

Teagan's voice echoed through the room and my whole frame tensed up. G.o.ddammit, why couldn't she just go away and let me calm down? It was obvious I wasn't in a clear frame of mind to talk to her, and contrary to Teagan's beliefs, I didn't want to hurt her.

Turning around slowly, I watched through hooded eyes as she stalked into the shower area and headed straight for me. My mouth ran dry at the sight of her, my pulse skyrocketed, and my f.u.c.king d.i.c.k was hard in an instant.

"Walk away, Thorn," I warned her as I knocked the water off and tried to step around her. "Before I do something I regret."

"I didn't love you enough?" she screamed, ignoring my warning, blocking me from leaving. She drew her hand back and hissed, "I loved you too much!" before lashing out at me.

The sound of the slap as her hand connected with my cheek reverberated through the room, taking with it what little self-control I had left.

And in that momentary loss of control, I picked Thorn up and dumped her on the floor of the shower before turning the cold water on her.

Wiping the blood off my cheek from where her nail had caught my skin, I glared down at her as she sat on the cubicle floor. "You're a bad f.u.c.king woman for me," I snarled, shutting off the water before backing away from her. Grabbing a towel out of my locker, I tossed one at her, before taking out another and drying myself down. "You mess with my head, you f.u.c.k with my performance, and you drive me bats.h.i.t crazy."

"I d-don't know why I d-did that," she said, teeth chattering, as she crawled out of the stall to retrieve the towel I'd thrown for her. Shivering and with her drenched hair plastered to her face, she whispered, "I d-didn't m-mean to m-make you b-bleed."

Guilt churned inside of me at the sight of her on the floor. Smothering a groan, I moved towards her, a f.u.c.king glutton for punishment. Crouching down in front of her, I reached for the towel and wrapped it around her small shoulders. "You've been making me bleed for years," I told her hoa.r.s.ely, angry with myself for the amount of emotion in my voice. "What's another scratch to the list?"

"You said she took advantage of you," Teagan said. "How?"

Rolling my eyes, I suppressed the urge to roar. "You're like a broken record." Straightening up, I turned around and walked over to my locker. "Just go home, Teagan."

"What did you mean, Noah?" she repeated, not letting it go. "I need to know what you meant."

"You really wanna to do this?" I demanded, slipping on my boxers and then a pair of black sweats. "Here?" I gestured at her soaking frame. "Like this?"

"I need you to tell me," she replied stubbornly.

So we were doing this.

Thorn was finally ready to hear my version of events.

Fine.

"That night at the quarry, after I freed you from the car and told you to run, the cops picked me up and took me to the station before charging me." Shrugging on a clean shirt, I slipped my feet into my Nikes before turning around to face her. Keeping my face void of emotion, I folded my arms across my chest as I spoke. "Kyle bailed me out and brought me back to Thirteenth Street on house arrest... He ended up giving Reese a ride back from the station too."

"I hid in the back seat of Kyle's car." Guilt consumed her features when she whispered; "I shouldn't have left you there." She walked over to the bench opposite me and sank down f.u.c.king collapsed.

"I told you to go," I said in a gruff tone, feeling a hole piercing through the defensive armor around my heart. I watched as a lone tear trickled down her cheek and I itched to wipe it away. "I needed you safe from them." The thought of JD getting his hands on Thorn had been the driving force behind my decision to get her out of there. I had no regrets about it. JD drove us off the road that night and I was under no illusion of what would have happened if he had gotten his hands on her. He would have made me pay for my defection with her blood.