After She Falls, page 6
Skye starts listing off the woman’s qualifications as Max looks between their tired faces, surprised and impressed by the extra effort they’ve obviously put into this. But he’s barely listening.
“So, what do you think?” Enzo’s hopeful voice breaks through his thoughts. “Do you want me to call her?”
Max sighs. He knows he should say yes, but he doesn’t. “No.”
“Seriously?” Enzo scowls at him. “What’s wrong with this one?”
“Nothing’s wrong with her. She sounds good, but . . .” Max frowns. “I already found someone.”
“You did?” Skye sits up straighter. “Who? Do we know her?”
“Yeah, who?” Enzo demands.
“She’s . . . uh . . .” Max doesn’t even know what to call Adri. “An old friend? No, you don’t know her, but she’s got experience, and she’ll be good with the kids.” He remembers Eva. “She has one, actually.”
Enzo crumples up a piece of paper and throws it at him. Max blocks it at the last second.
“Dude, why didn’t you tell us? I’d rather be sleeping.”
“I just decided.”
Enzo frowns at his cryptic answer, but Max shrugs. It was true enough. He’d been going back and forth ever since he saw Adri, but he knows what he needs to do. Part of him wonders how much he might regret his decision later, although he knows it really doesn’t matter.
Adri has always been his weakness.
When a car door slams, Roman glances out the window. His brows raise in surprise. “It’s Max,” he says, warning Adri.
“What?” Adri stands quickly and joins her uncle by the living room window, stunned by what she sees. Sure enough, Max Lyons is walking toward the door with a leafy plant in his arms.
“Want me to handle him for you?” Roman asks, standing a little taller. She’d told Roman that her conversation with Max by the railroad hadn’t gone well, and she knows he feels guilty. She shakes her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll talk to him.” She tries to make her voice sound steadier than her feelings.
“You sure, kiddo?”
“Yes, but take Eva outside for a few minutes.”
Eva pouts. “I want to talk to Max.”
“No, Eva. Go with Uncle—”
The doorbell rings just as Roman takes Eva’s hand and pulls her toward the backyard. Ivan follows them, but Rocky sticks close to Adri. Her heart skips as she turns the knob and opens the door. Max peers at her through the plant in his arms.
“Hi,” he says quietly.
“Hi, Max!” Eva yells before Roman can close the back door behind them.
Max smiles faintly. “Can I come in for a minute?”
Adri narrows her eyes, but she steps aside to let him pass. “Sure.”
“Thanks.” He pauses to let her German Shepherd sniff his sneakers. “What’s his name again?”
“Rocky.”
Rocky dutifully looks up at the sound of his name.
Max bends to pet him. “Seems like a good name for him.” Rocky lets Max scratch the brown spot between his eyes. “You can tell he’s one of the good guys.”
Adri nods. “He is. Go lie down, Rocky.”
The old dog reluctantly obeys, flopping down on a nearby cushion, though he keeps a close eye on them. Adri glances down at the springy plant in Max’s arms.
“Oh, right. Sorry. This”—he holds it out to her—“is for you.”
Adri takes the potted houseplant and raises an eyebrow. “Thanks?”
“It’s some kind of rose.”
Perplexed, she places it near the kitchen windowsill and studies the tightly furled blooms. It doesn’t have one of those little cards. “It’s a desert rose, I think,” she says. Her aunt had one for years. “What color are the blooms?”
“Uh . . .” Max frowns, shifting on his feet. “I forgot to ask.”
Adri fights back an amused smile. “I guess I’ll find out eventually. If I don’t kill it first.”
He laughs. “Yeah, sorry. I’m bad at apologies.”
“Giving them or receiving them?” Adri’s tone is light, but her words are pointed.
He sighs. “Both, I guess.”
“Is that why you’re here? You’re apologizing?”
“I’m trying.”
Adri’s guard comes down slightly as she studies him. “Well . . .” She clears her throat. “Do you want to sit down?” She motions to the kitchen table. “Or would you rather apologize standing up?”
“Sitting is good.”
He pulls out a pair of chairs as she clears the table of plates and Eva’s latest pile of library books. As he slips off his jacket, she realizes he must’ve come straight from the gym. His red Lyons T-shirt is cut down both sides, barely covering his chiseled chest. When he notices her attention, she blushes.
He clears his throat. “Yeah, so . . . I wanted to come by because I probably gave you the wrong idea the other day.” There’s another long, loaded pause. “And I’m sorry about that.”
She glances down at her hands. Truthfully, she’s been thinking about their close encounter for the last forty-eight hours, even though she desperately wants it out of her mind. She has too many other things to think about—like Owen’s strange new silence. “It’s fine. It was just a . . . misunderstanding.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Really?”
She nods.
He laughs. “Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”
She smiles weakly. “I like easy.”
“Me too. There’s one other thing, though.”
She frowns, not sure what it could be. He’d already made it pretty clear he didn’t want to talk about the past. “What?”
“I want you to take that instructor job.”
She narrows her eyes.
“I know, I know . . .” He sighs. “I screwed everything up, but I think we can fix it.”
“How?” she asks skeptically.
“By keeping things simple. I need someone who knows how to fight and teach. You need a job.” He shrugs as if that’s all there is to it. “Hiring you is the obvious solution. For both of us.”
“Max . . .” Adri’s heart picks up its pace. She wants it to be that simple, but they both know it’s not. “I can’t work for you.”
His brows furrow. “Why?”
“Because I’m married.”
He scowls. “So? What does he have to do with anything? I’m not proposing, am I? I’m just offering you a job—that you need, right?”
“I’m not worried about you proposing.”
Max tries to look innocently confused, but Adri gives him a pointed look.
“Okay.” He chews on his bottom lip, his expression lightly amused. “This is about the past, then? Our history?”
Of course it is! she wants to yell, but she keeps her face smooth. Forty-eight hours ago he was one moment away from kissing her, and she doubts she would’ve stopped him. “Our history is a factor, yes.”
He gives her an exasperated look. “I thought you accepted my apology, though?”
“I do,” she says quickly, not wanting to lose the little progress they made. “But I still don’t think we should work together.”
“Adri, if I hired you, it’d be strictly professional.”
She frowns. He sounds convincing.
“And the job would include free classes for Eva, if she wants to try something, and we can talk about your pay. You have a lot of experience, but you’ll need some certifications. . . .”
Adri’s eyes drift to his mouth as she listens, increasingly torn. Everything sounds perfect—except for the close proximity to Max.
“Obviously, whatever you decide is fine,” he says, interrupting her thoughts. “I just want you to think about it.”
She nods, her mind already racing. She needs to earn an income for her and Eva, but another unpredictable man in her life is the last thing she wants.
Suddenly, she doubts her own hesitation. Is Max really the unpredictable one, or is it her own feelings?
When he stands to leave, she follows him to the door. “Thanks for the apology,” she says, glancing at the windowsill. “And for the random plant.”
He laughs freely, and Adri’s stomach flutters. It’s been a long time since she heard him laugh like that.
“Sure. Thanks for letting me in.” He opens the door but pauses. “Oh, and after I leave, will you do me a favor and tell Roman I’m not a total jerk?”
She smiles weakly. “You know he’d never think that about you.”
“As long as you don’t either.”
His voice is genuine, and her heart races as his eyes met hers. As Max lingers in her doorway, it sinks in that he isn’t the shy young man she left behind—just like she’s not the cold, closed-off woman he found in Miami six years ago. They’re different now. Almost strangers, but not quite.
“Well . . .” He gives her one last smile that makes her stomach flip. “Let me know what you decide.”
5
SERIOUSLY, YOU’RE GOING TO BE SO GREAT.”
Adri smiles at Skye, thankful for her steady stream of encouragement. Adri’s first class starts soon, and she feels surprisingly nervous.
“The girls will love you,” Skye adds, as she pulls her blond hair back into a short ponytail, revealing light freckles on her forehead and cheeks. She’s only twenty-one, but she has a sisterly maturity about her that makes Adri feel more at ease.
Skye and Enzo spent the last month training her, and they both seem impressed by her progress. Adri, too, was surprised by how quickly her muscle memory returned, helped by the fact she put in the hours, arriving early and leaving late, determined to prove she’s worthy of the position and not just some charity case.
For days, she debated whether or not to take the job after her years-long hiatus from training, but Yvonne had reminded her that starting over meant starting somewhere, even if it was far from where she used to be.
“But what about Max?” she asked, still unsure. “Won’t it be weird?”
Yvonne looked amused. “Adri, if anyone can handle Max Lyons, it’s got to be you, right? You’ve got years of experience.”
Enzo appears in her classroom, drawing Adri’s thoughts back to the present. Like Max, he’s broad-shouldered and muscular, but his face is more boyish and framed by a mop of sun-streaked curls. He grins at her. “You all set?”
“I think so.”
“She is,” Skye says confidently. “Do you have her roster?”
Adri watches Enzo hand Skye a clipboard, aware that he has a crush on her, even though Skye clearly has no idea.
“Woah, wait a second. Who is Max talking to?” Skye asks, distracted. She peers through one of the glass walls into the main gym and gasps.
Adri glances that way, too, where Max is speaking to a young woman. Adri squints. She looks familiar.
“That’s Gemma Stone and her manager,” Enzo says matter-of-factly. A short, stocky man with a glistening bald head stands behind Gemma. He laughs loudly at something Max says.
Skye’s mouth falls open. “That’s really Gemma Stone? In real life?”
“Yep. In real life.”
“Who’s Gemma Stone?” Adri asks, embarrassed that she’s the only one who doesn’t recognize the name.
“She’s an up-and-coming strawweight,” Enzo explains. “She’s still new, but she’s a big deal.”
Adri realizes then why Gemma looks so familiar. She’s seen her on television. Some of the details are fuzzy, but she remembers something about Gemma having a rough childhood in California before becoming a sought-after model, then a fighter. With startling clarity, Adri recalls her and Owen watching one of her first big fights. It ended with both of Gemma’s elbows covered in her opponent’s blood.
Skye turns to Enzo with starstruck eyes. “Did you get to talk to her?”
He shakes his head sadly. “She wanted Max, and Max only. They know each other, I guess.”
Adri watches as Gemma’s manager says something that makes her smirk, but Gemma keeps her eyes fixed on Max as she tosses her long braid of platinum-blond hair over her shoulder. She is strikingly beautiful, with delicate features and dark eyebrows, and she wears a sheer top over a sports bra cut to show off her curves. Adri glances at Max and frowns. Obviously, he noticed too.
“What does she want?” Adri asks.
“She wants what everyone wants.” Enzo yawns. “For Max to coach her.”
“He’s going to, right?” Skye watches her through the glass. “I mean, I know he always says no, but she’s amazing.”
“I didn’t hear that part of the conversation. Max told me to go check on Adri.”
Adri scowls, not liking the idea of being checked on. Even after spending the last month working in the gym, she still has no idea what he thinks of her performance. And, truthfully, she’s a little bit intimidated by him. As part of her training, she’s observed a few of his classes, and he’s an undeniably great teacher. With the smaller kids, he’s still his usual stern self, but he’s also quick to give out high fives and hugs as needed. He’s especially good with the teenagers. Like Danny, he’s always prepared and effortlessly motivating.
He mostly keeps his distance, though, leaving her to work with Enzo and Skye. Adri doesn’t mind the space, but it does make her wonder if he regrets his decision to hire her.
She doesn’t have time to wonder for long, though. Her students begin filing in, some chattering excitedly, others silent as they form uneven rows. They’re only a few years older than Eva. Enzo gives Adri a thumbs-up before leaving, and Skye finds a spot in the corner of the room. She watches as Adri welcomes the girls.
“This class is all about protecting yourself,” Adri says, trying to channel her favorite teacher, Uncle Roman, as she speaks. “Unfortunately, there are people in the world who want to hurt other people, so we need to know how to fight back.” Adri slowly glances around the room, remembering her own volatile childhood before Roman and Dalila took her in. “Some of you might already know what it feels like to be in scary situations.”
The girls listen, but one in particular named Kyla—the smallest in the class—watches Adri with wide, focused eyes.
“We’ll start with something simple but important,” Adri continues, “and then each week we’ll build on what we learn.”
They nod, eager to begin.
Adri gathers them into a circle. “What should you do if someone grabs your arm?”
Hannah, a girl with thick glasses and purple wristbands, raises her hand. “Run away?”
“Sure, if you can, but what if they’re holding on tight?”
“Um . . . hit them?” someone else suggests to a chorus of giggles.
Adri smiles. “Maybe, but you need to make them let go of your arm first.” She motions for Kyla to join her up front. She looks surprised, but she sprints to Adri and listens as Adri instructs her to grab her arm. Kyla obeys, gently grasping Adri’s forearm with her small hand. With two simple movements—one inward, then up, Adri breaks the girl’s hold.
“See?” Adri says, showing them again. “But Kyla’s being pretty nice. She’s not holding on tight. Do you think it’ll work if someone holds on tighter?”
When Adri calls Skye over, the girls watch as she grips Adri’s wrist.
“I’m going to do the same thing I did with Kyla,” Adri says, moving her arm in the same, swift motion until she feels Skye’s fingers loosen.
The girls look around excitedly and a few whisper.
“Now, Miss Skye is very strong, but will this work with someone even stronger? What if someone much bigger than you grabs your arm?”
The girls whisper as Adri walks to the door. She intends to find Enzo for a final demonstration, but she doesn’t see him.
“Do you need something, Adri?”
Adri turns sharply, surprised by Max’s voice. He and Gemma are standing in the hallway, a few feet from her classroom.
“Oh . . .” Flustered, Adri watches as Gemma gives her a withering glance before returning her attention to Max again. She’s even more beautiful up close.
“Um . . .” Adri fumbles for words. “Can you help me with a demo? It won’t take long.”
“Sure.” He glances at Gemma. “I’ll meet you in my office.”
Her eyes narrow as he follows after Adri.
“Sorry,” Adri says, walking fast. “I was looking for Enzo, but—”
“It’s fine,” he says shortly, in step with her. “What are you doing with them?”
“Wrist releases,” Adri says, irked by his brusqueness but not sure why. “I want them to see a realistic scenario before they practice on one another.”
The room hushes when Max enters, and the girls watch as he stands beside Adri.
“Mr. Max is going to grab my arm and hold on very tight. He’s going to pretend to be a bad guy.”
Max waits until Adri nods, then grabs her, his callused fingers digging into the smooth skin of her wrist. The girls gasp, but Adri repeats the same maneuver and breaks his grip.
“This time, he’ll use both hands.”
At her command, Max takes a step closer, grabbing both of her wrists and yanking her toward him. “Come here,” he says, making his voice low and threatening for added effect, taking her by surprise.
For a split second, Adri is reminded of Owen and freezes. Her pulse quickens, and Max loosens his grip.
“Adri?” He frowns down at her.
Mortified, she quickly repeats the motion, breaking free from him. He lifts his hands in surrender as the girls cheer.
“Thank you,” Adri says quietly, trying but failing to hide her embarrassment.
“Sure. You need anything else?”
“No.”
He hesitates for a moment, still looking concerned, but she turns her attention back to her class, so he leaves. Adri can feel Skye’s curious eyes on her as she talks.
“You practice with each other now,” Adri says, putting them in pairs. “Just remember, when you’re being the bad guy, don’t be too gentle.”
As the girls practice, Adri walks around the room, correcting techniques and smiling when little Kyla shows off her strong grip on her partner’s wrist. Minutes later, when the class ends and the girls scatter, Skye gives her a high five.
