Page 31 of Protecting Hailey

9

Christian

Seeing her frustrated, I wanted to kick the car myself. I wanted to take away her anger and make her feel better. Hitting something always made me feel better, and judging by the way she slammed her foot just now, I suspected it would help Hailey, too.

We had a gym in our office back in New York, but nothing here in California. However, I remembered a boxing club I used to work out in as a teen. I took a chance that it was still around and drove there.

As I approached the gym, the familiar red and gold sign hung from the door and I eased the car next to the curb.

“We’re going to box?” she asked, looking up at the window.

“Uh-huh,” I responded, staring up at the sign through the front window. “Let’s see if Johnny’s still here.”

“Johnny?” she asked hesitantly as she got out of the car. She looked ready to bolt, but to her credit, she followed me inside.

The gym was packed with guys in boxing shorts and sweaty chests. For a moment, I worried she would be put off by the smell and atmosphere. This wasn’t your typical Beverly Hills circuit training or Hot Yoga sort of place, with plants and crystals lining the front counter.

But when I turned to gauge her reaction, a small smile played on her lips as she drank in the men around her.

I narrowed my eyes and looked around the room again, this time wondering how she saw it, and I sighed.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” I said and grabbed her hand to pull her away from the heightened testosterone.

“No, no, no,” she said, her smile widening. “This is a great idea.”

A few of the boxers stopped sparing and stared at her. One guy with a particularly wide chest and fucking huge arms flashed her a cocky grin, and she grinned back.

I moved in front of her and pulled her hoodie up. “It’s best if no one recognizes you while we’re here. I don’t want to hurt anyone for trying to get near you.”

She peeked around me, and her smile widened. I moved my body to block her from flirting with the guy behind me. It was for her own safety. It had nothing to do with the tightening in my chest. The need to punch the asshole for grabbing her attention.

Fuck, this was a bad idea.

She smiled as I tucked her hair inside her hoodie and smoothed out the material around her face. “There. That should do it.”

Tilting her head, she smiled at me. “Are you sure? I think you missed a strand.”

I narrowed my eyes. Was she teasing me? Of course she was. I dropped my hands and approached the man at the front desk.

“Hey, is Johnny around?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure, he’s in his office around back.”

I waited for him to call Johnny. When he didn’t, I arched my brow. “Mind calling him?”

He looked at Hailey behind me and picked up the phone. “Hey, John, there’s someone here to see you.”

He moved the phone away from his ear. “What’s your name, dude?”

“Tell him Christian Machado is here to see him.”

He relayed my name and a few minutes later, Johnny came through the office door at the back of the gym. He wore a Gold’s Gym cut-off shirt and a big smile on his face. His long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

“Dude, it’s really you, man. So good to see you.” We shook hands, and he pulled me in for the one-hand pat on the back bro hug. “How have you been? I haven’t seen you in, what, ten years? Not since high school.”

“I’m good. Real good. Listen. I have a client here and we’re hoping to hit the bag for an hour. I’ll pay for a membership for the two of us, but I just want to get straight into it.”

“Yeah, sure, man. You know your way around better than I do.” Then he turned to the guy at the front desk while placing his hand on my shoulder. “Give this man anything he needs.”

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