I start my car and when I check the time, I'm surprised to see I'm already 2 hours late for school. Wow! I've been here this long? I didn't even realize it.
"Fuck it! I'm not going. One day won't hurt." I say to myself. Plus, I was already ahead of the teachers for today's class. I decide to go to the gym to work out for a while and then head to Luxe for my meeting.
Pulling up outside the gym, I grab my gym bag from my trunk and head into the changing room, stopping at the main desk to check-in.
"Alyssa! Nice to see you. What brings you here at this time of the day?"
"Well, obviously workout, Luke," I reply with sarcasm lacing my words. I'm still angry from my encounter with my father this morning but why was I taking it out on Luke? Because it's what I do. I get angry and snap at anyone in my way.
"I mean aren't you supposed to be in classes right now?"
"So, it's none of your business. Just tell me when it's 3. I have a meeting at 4 so I need to get ready." I shoot at him and walk over to the room filled with punching bags. Turning around I say, "And Luke, don't let anyone else in here or you know what happens." He's the owner of the place. We've been friends since he first moved to this town and I really liked his personality, but he can be very pushy and nosy at times, but I guess that's because he likes me or whatever. Doesn't matter. He knows I don't like to be disturbed when I'm here and I usually pay him well for my time so.
I walk up to the punching bag I usually use, wrapping my hands, sticking my earplugs in, and letting the memories of this morning surface. My anger boils and the need to punch someone or something again raises and this time I fire away at the punching bag in front of me. I might be a girl, but I took boxing classes, karate classes, and kung fu classes as a kid so my fighting skills are pretty on point and I'm pretty strong for a girl since I work out every day. I let my anger control my every punch as I continue my assault on the bag.
"Hey, easy on the bag," I hear a strange voice say. Pulling my earplugs out, I turn around to come face-to-face with a fucking Greek god. He has a Mohican cut and scythe-shaped eyebrows sporting an aquiline nose which complements his prominent cheekbones. His wrestler's shoulders all part of his burly physique. He walks with a tiger-like tread towards me allowing me a clearer view of his twinkling nomad-blue eyes. His black hair, a casual jumble yet carefully groomed, has a rippling quality.
"Eh hem. Like what you see?" he asks with a smirk. I didn't realize I was staring but, oh well.
"I've seen better." I shoot back. His pride is unnerving.
"Really? I highly doubt that."
"Don't flatter yourself," I say rolling my eyes and turning back to the punching bag. I am already in a bad mood, and this egoistic fool is only making me angrier by wasting my time and disrupting my alone time with this bag.
"I'm still here, you know," he says coming around to hold the punching bag in place while I continue.
"Lock the door on your way out." There is no way in Hell am I going to tolerate this idiot. No way. Apparently, Mr. I Got So Much Pride here can't take a fucking hint.
"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," he says with a smirk growing on his face. Oh, how I want to slap that smirk off his face! Idiot!
"Why are you in here? I thought I told Luke to not let anyone in," I snap at him.
"Oh, did you now? Well, I'm Luke's new assistant, and I'm guessing he forgot to tell me that when he left," he replies with that stupid smirk on his face.
Without thinking I reach out to slap him but get stopped with my hand in the air and it turned out into a full sparing session.
"You're good. Someone took self-defense seriously," he says backing away from me with his hands ready to block my next attack.
"Yea, well when you're the only girl with no brothers to protect you, you gotta learn to do it yourself. Plus, I prefer to protect myself. I can't trust anyone." As a kid growing up my father always taught me to never trust anyone, not even the people closest to you. And my grandad always taught me 'Self-preservation first'.
"If you were mine, I would always protect you, cara mia," he mutters through ragged breaths.
I roll my eyes at him and go back to my assault on the bag. "I don't need anyone to protect me. I can do it myself."
"That wasn't meant for your ears, cara mia."
"Well, I heard it. You speak Italian. Italian descent or ...?"
"My father is Italian," he replies without elaborating further.
"Alex, I told you to use the other room, mate," Luke says to Mr. I Got So Much Pride as he walks through the door. Turning to me he says "I'm so sorry Alyssa. Please don't kill me. I told him not to come in here but apparently, he didn't listen."
I stopped hitting the bag and turned to Luke about to give a witty reply when I was interrupted by the asshole.
"Why would she kill you? I'm just here to use the punching bag. I was passing by when I heard some in here and I knew you said this room was closed so I came in to see who it was."
"It was closed because I wanted to be alone and I pay him to have the room empty, idiot." I snap at him as my anger begins to surface again. I stop for a moment to think about what he's said. "Wait, didn't you say you're his assistant?"
"I don't have an assistant. He's just a client here like you Alyssa." Luke tries to explain confused.
"Oh, did I say that? I'm sorry. I was just joking, cara mia," he replies with that stupid smirk on his face again.
God how I wanted to slap that smirk off too badly. Prideful bastard! Just then I remembered I had a meeting to attend to as I glanced at my watch. I guess that's why Luke came in. "Whatever. I have better things to do right now than deal with your prideful ass." I say as I grab my stuff and head out the door. "Payments tomorrow, Luke. I'm running late."
"No problem, Al."
Jumping in my car, I throw my gym bag on the floor of the passenger side and speed home to get dressed for my meeting.
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