Page 22 of Between Commitment and Betrayal
“Are you giving me a tour before or after we get into the wrestling ring?”
“Before. You’re going to be too tired after.” Because her ass wasn’t going to knock me to the ground. “Now, you won’t be on this floor a lot. Except for management meetings and large clients, we barely use it. If you have a question, though, the HR department is down the hall, my office is at the end of it. Although, I’m not in there much.”
I pointed to the elevators and pressed the button. Almost immediately, the doors slid open for her to walk in. “I never liked an office anyway.”
“Why?”
“My father belonged in one, and my mother and I didn’t.” The statement wasn’t one of pain or animosity. It’s like Everly knew where she belonged. Most people tried to claw their way into a group that didn’t want them. They tortured themselves to be a part of something they weren’t, only to find they would have been happier if they’d found the right fit in the first place. I’d tried it with other sports, other positions, other careers. But Michael Jordan didn’t belong in baseball, he belonged in basketball.
We waited quietly in the elevator until the doors opened. I waved her forward so we could walk the premises. A few clients stopped their lifting to walk over and introduce themselves. Everly practically preened. “I’m so excited to get started. It seems you have a wonderful clientele.”
“If you say so,” I grumbled as I cracked my knuckles, and we went around the other side of the gym to the wrestling ring.
When she got up to it, she dove under the rope so effortlessly, I started to consider whether or not she had some skill. “Want some protective gear?”
“For what? You going to hit me?” She feigned a pout and fluttered her lashes like she was making fun of those she’d seen use that tactic.
“I don’t think I’ll need to, Everly. You’re as small as a raindrop.” I grasped the rope so I could crouch between them and walk in.
She narrowed her eyes. “Rainwater can be dangerous. It can flood… take a life, wash away cars, it can move mountains. A raindrop is small but together, with others, they’re a force.”
I could tell right then, Everly was going to be a problem. “There’s only one of you here in front of me today.”
She let a small smile escape before she straightened and widened her stance. “Let’s see what you got. Come at me.”
I met her gaze, determined, focused, brilliant. It held no fear, like she knew she was capable of more than I’d come at her with.
Something stirred deep within me, something that shouldn’t have at all. I enjoyed taking a woman and making her mine, enjoyed ravaging her and controlling her when she wanted it.
I’d come at a woman in just that way before because she’d wanted it, not for her to defend herself.
So, I gave a half-ass effort as I walked toward her, reaching my hand out to grab her arm. She grasped my hand in just the right way and twisted it fast. She swung it over her head and cranked on it so hard that had I not curved my body and fallen to the ground that instant, I’d have a broken wrist. “Jesus Christ, Everly, what the fuck?” I bellowed.
I didn’t mean to yell, but it didn’t matter. She was beaming down at me, her pearly whites so bright against her lips that I immediately wanted to say sorry for my outburst. “Rule number one—you can’t underestimate your opponent and give them the upper hand. It only takes one raindrop to bring you down it seems.”
I glanced up in utter disbelief. “You… You almost broke my arm. I didn’t expect you to—”
“Yes, again, underestimating probably isn’t a good idea.”
Shit. I knew that. I’d played sports forever and the underdog was always capable of the win, could always gain the upper hand when they were underestimated. Yet, this was different. “You’re not even half my size.”
“I know. It’s extremely invigorating to know what the body is capable of.”
I grumbled, “I guess the job is yours.” I snatched my hand out of hers and got up. “When do you want to start, Raindrop?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like nicknames. Everyone just calls me Evie. And today if possible. I worked back in my hometown and hate to not be working.”
“Right, can I ask why you left that hometown of yours?” I was prying, and I knew it. Yet, I needed to know the type of person I was dealing with.
Her face fell, she shut off all emotion, and she didn’t elaborate. “Sometimes, people just need a change.”
I had a feeling she was about to change my life in more ways than one.
* * *
Our gazes wereat war with one another, like we were both recalling the first time we’d met. “Hard to forget that, Everly. You can take care of yourself in a ring, you can take care of yourself now. Let’s work through this, huh? We’ll ride out the marriage, and that way the shares won’t be given to an anonymous company.”
“If we’re doing this, I’m not living with you.” She almost bared her teeth as she said it, blue eyes burning bright with hatred toward me suddenly.
