Page 19 of Ryder: Shadows and Desires
The next morning, I enter the massage room with no music—as requested—to face Ryder on the table. The only progress between us is that I am no longer anxious about his opinion of me.
It’shisproblem at this point.
He’s slightly hunched over on the massage table with nothing but his boxers on, the dim lighting enhancing his menacing appearance. Such an effortless look, really.
Whatever. It will win this damn tournament, so who am I to complain?
I grab the lotion and a towel. “Don’t worry, I’m supposed to be here. Not following you around this time.”
He grunts and goes to lie down on his stomach. “Yeah, actually.Thisis where I need to run into you, not on a private call, or the bar, or the fucking restroom.”
“Look, dude, I’m not going to follow you around the damn city. It was a genuine coincidence.”
He cranes his head to look over his shoulder, all of his muscles flexing in an unfair display that nearly distracts me. “It’s a weird fucking coincidence. You and Andrew are temporary, so I won’t be saying ‘hello’ at a bar when I’m out with my people. I want to win Warlord and move on. I don’t see a point in making friends, especially now.”
Well, that saying about never meeting your heroes really is true, isn’t it? I release a heavy sigh and nod. “Alright, fine. We will both pretend like nothing ever happened, only speak about your body and performance, and maybe I’ll throw in a ten-foot pole for good measure.”
He nods, still irritated. “Now you’re learning me.”
I grind my teeth as I begin the rub down, focusing on his back. I touch that large scar, careful with the surrounding muscles in case there’s residual damage.
Whatever happened there is serious.
Is he protecting someone related to this injury, and can’t risk anyone knowing? Or did this just happen because of a bar fight?
At least he’s nice to his little niece named Mollie…
It makes me wonder if he’s one of those men that love hard once you’re through his walls. Some guys at the gym are like that, and they’re also as difficult to interact with.
Clearly, a gentle side of Ryderdoesexist.
Although, at this rate, I’ll never see it.
J U L I E
* * *
The following day,Andrew expects me in his office.
I pull my hair back into a ponytail and knock on the open door. He hardly ever uses this room, but it’s been occupied nearly every day since Ryder arrived.
“You can just stand here,” Andrew says. “Shouldn’t be long.”
“Alright,” I flatly reply, crossing my arms. “What do you want to talk about?”
He leans his elbows on his desk and laces his fingers. “Let’s get right into it, as we need to have this chat. You do realize, Stevens, that I am the one that’s carrying us through to Warlord?”
I glare at him, tension coiling around my spine.
“Ryder is our ticket, but I am arranging it all. It’s only fair that my name gets on this gym. Your brother isn’t coming back, so who does it really help”—he speaks over me as I begin to interrupt—“I amserious. Keeping the name is just emotional. You don’t like working here anymore since Jeremy passed away, I can tell. I don’t blame you, but business is serious now.
“Give the name to me and let me raise it up. I don’t mind keeping you here, either. You work hard and have a useful background. But it’smygym now. We both know that. And with Ryder here, it changes the stakes for me, Julie. I have to push back much harder than before. It’s all or nothing right now, with the gym’s future riding onmyshoulders.”
I fume inside, my nostrils flaring as my heart pounds so hard I feel it in my ears. I speak through tight lips. “Fine, Andrew. You’re not wrong. But you know what else? You only have this gym because Jeremy gave you a chance. With a felony on your record, that was quite generous. You owe him, even in death. Because, yeah, itisemotional to keep the name. My brother fuckingdied, and this is all I have left of him.”
There’s no immediate quip from the head coach. He chews on his lip as if he’s biting back unfavorable words, his fingers slowly unlacing.
So I continue, speaking with my hands as they aimlessly move through the air. “I’ve thought about it, and you can change the gym nameafter, if you want it.” I even throw him some praise, knowing it’s what he wants. “Youhaveearned it. But my parents need to see his name on the screen. At least once. And I do, too. Jeremy loved the shit out of Ryder, so of course, I’ll push back even harder, too.”
