Page 91 of 4th Degree

“That’s fine.”

“And I need you here every weekend.”

“I can do that.”

“And if you fuck up, you’re out. I don’t need to be babysitting in my place of business.”

“That’s totally fair, sir.”

A flash of admiration appears in Tony’s eyes. And I knew I was right to bring Joey over here.

“Alright, you’re hired,” Tony says. “Come in Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and I’ll get you trained.”

I expected to see excitement as I look over to Joey, but all I see is relief.

I catch Skylar as soon as she steps through the gym doors.

“Hey.” I gesture for her to step around the desk and into the office. “You got a minute?”

Her gaze darts over to heavy bag room where Jax is teaching a private class. For now, we’re alone out here. “Yeah, sure.”

“What’s up?” she asks as we step into the office. There’s none of the same uncertainty that I saw on her yesterday, when she looked lost in her head and wouldn’t meet my eyes, but there’s still a level of stiffness in her posture.

That’s what I want to get rid of.

“Is everything okay?” I ask without preamble. All day, I’ve been trying to decide if I want to ask her about yesterday or tell her about Joey first, but as soon as I have her in front of me, I can’t not check on her well-being. “I don’t want to overstep if it’s something at home, or if it’s none of my business, but…I just want to make sure you’re okay. Something happened under my roof yesterday, and if it’s something I can fix, I want to know about it. Please.”

She blows out a heavy breath, and I’m suddenly on high alert at the look in her eyes.

“It’s about us,” she admits quietly.

As much as it doesn’t make sense to feel this way after such a short time with her, the words form an ache in my chest. She’s going to end it.

I force myself to sit still and wait for her to speak. I promised myself I would walk away with no questions asked if she decided she didn’t want this anymore. That I would respect her decision and not push her on it.

But the idea of walking away from her never truly crossed my mind, and now I’m finding it hard to breathe around it.

She fidgets with her bag strap, but then she finally meets my eyes again with a sullen expression. “Are you sure you want to keep seeing me?”

My brow furrows. “What? Of course.”

Another shuffle with the strap. “Seeing me isn’t too risky? You know I would never want to hurt your reputation.”

“Skylar, what is this about?” I ask quietly, and she shakes her head, seeming to struggle with what she wants to say.

“I just feel selfish. I mean, I’m the one getting all the perks here.”

Before she’s even finished, I’m relaxing, and my lip is curling with a small smile. Now I understand her concern. And this concern I can appease.

She keeps talking, not even noticing my reaction. “I mean, I get to hang out with you, and ask you all kinds of questions about fighting, and don’t even get me started on the mind-blowing orgasms?—”

“You’re welcome for that.” I try to lighten the mood.

“And I know you won’t admit it plays into our relationship, but giving me a free membership is definitely a part of this?—”

“Whoa, that has nothing to do with?—”

“What do you get out of this?” she continues, ignoring my alarmed interruption. She’s stuck in her head and gaining more speed. “What do you get from me that you couldn’t get from any other woman, that wouldn’t come with a huge risk to your name and your business? I just don’t?—”

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