Page 34 of Fighting the Darkness

“Look, kid. I want to do this with you, if you’ll let me. It’ll make me feel better because I can keep an eye on you, so I won’t worry as much.”

I sigh, knowing there’s no way I’m going to win this one. “Fine, but you’re driving every day because I just know you’re going to want to do this at the butt ass crack of dawn. Oh, and we get coffee on the way home after our runs.”

“Sold.”

As we step outside, I shoot him a wave as I head for my SUV. I guess I’ll be meeting with Cook when I get home. Then I have to look for a therapist and message both Vicki and Quinn about where I can take classes. It’s not even noon yet, and I’m already exhausted thinking about everything I need to accomplish today.

Chapter Fifteen

Griffin

Standingacrossthegym,I watch as Freya stretches. It’s been two weeks since she started working with the two of us, and I’m a little impressed with how far she’s come in that short time. Soren thought she would’ve quit by now, but that’s on him. He seems to have something up his ass about her—and no, it’s not my cock. I don’t know why he pretends he hates her, when it’s so obvious that he’s attracted to her.

I shake my head, not wanting to think about that right now. Cook has been keeping us up to date on their morning runs—though, I’m not sure we can call them runs since she still spends most of them walking—as well as any weight gains. She’s already put on a few pounds and is already looking healthier—even if she has a ways to go.

She seems to be taking this very seriously. When she showed up for our first session, she proudly informed me that she was signed up for yoga, ballet, and Pilates classes. I’m not a hundred percent how she finds the time to do all of them on top of our training, but I know she doesn’t work. Lucky duck.

Not that I hate working. In fact, I love owning the gym, but there are times I wish I didn’t have to rely on the income from the gym and could take off whenever I wanted.

I shouldn’t even be out here right now. I have a ton of paperwork that needs to be done, and she’s working with Soren today. But it’s like I couldn’t help myself when I saw her walk through the door of the gym. There’s something about Freya that draws me to her, even though I wish it didn’t.

I’m old enough to be her dad. I shouldn’t be having the kind of thoughts I’m having about her. But I just can’t seem to help myself. Especially not when I see her and Soren with their bodies pressed together as he shows her how to move.

I’ve had to run to my office on more than one occasion so no one would see my cock pressing against my shorts.

The last thing I want to do is scare the girl off.

I see the same drive in her that I saw in Freyr all those years ago. I don’t know if she’ll ever be good enough to compete, but I know she’ll try her damnedest to be the best fighter she can be. That’s something else Soren and I haven’t been seeing eye to eye on. Which has been happening more and more.

I knew I was too old for him when we started hooking up, but then I started to fall for him. Which, admittedly, wasn’t a great idea on my part. I tried to push him away, knowing that he didn’t want anything serious, but he wouldn’t let me. Instead, I’ve been in this miserable in between area with him, and it’s driving me crazy.

Or at least it was. He hasn’t touched me since that day in my office. He’s still acting pretty much the same, but I can feel him drawing away. I should just let it happen—it’s for the best—but fuck does it hurt.

I run a hand over my face as Soren approaches Freya. I don’t know what he says to her, but it sure the hell sets her off. The next thing I know, she’s yelling in Soren’s face and poking at his chest while he smirks down at her.

“Well, shit.” I shake my head, walking over to the pair. “Is there a problem?”

“Nope.” Soren pops his p in that annoying way Cook always does, and I almost snarl at him. I hate it when Cook does it. I definitely don’t need Soren picking it up.

Freya turns to me, anger flashing in his eyes. “Soren has decided I’m not trying hard enough. Apparently, it doesn’t matter that I’ve gained three pounds or that I can now jog for at least half a mile of my mile-long run. Sure, it’s not all at once, but I couldn’t even walk a mile two weeks ago. I take three classes of Pilates, ballet, and yoga every week. I’m giving this everything I have, and he still says it’s not enough. That I’ll never be enough. That I’ll never be as good as my brother. Well, news flash, Soren. My brother is dead, and I’m not trying to be better than him.

“I want to learn the thing that he loved so much—MMA. I don’t expect to be great at it. I’m doing this to feel closer to him. I understand that you apparently have zero feelings for another human being, but can you pretend for just a few moments that your heart isn’t made of stone? I’m getting so sick and tired of the way you talk to me. Of the way you act towards me. Yes, my parents are rich and I don’t have to worry about money. I’m lucky enough that I don’t have a job that I would’ve lost when I couldn’t get my ass out of bed for six months because I was so lost in my grief.

“I don’t know if that’s the reason you have a chip on your shoulder when it comes to me or not, but I’m not some fucking spoiled princess, and it’s time you stop treating me like one. I want to train here because this is where Freyr trained, but if this is the way you’re going to act the entire time I’m here? Then I’m going to leave and find somewhere else to go. Because, fuck you, for treating me this way. I know you’re an asshole, but this time, you’ve gone too fucking far.”

I see Soren wince, a flash of guilt there and gone with the blink of an eye, but he knows he messed up. He better figure out how to fix it because I sure as hell am not cleaning up his mess this time. I have no intention of letting Freya find somewhere else to train, but I know Soren wants to train her, so he needs to deal with it himself.

“What the hell is going on in here?”

Well, shit. That’s just what we need to add fuel to the fire.

Wilder stalks over to where Freya and Soren are standing, grabbing Freya’s wrist. “What the fuck are you doing here, Freya?”

“Get your hands off her.” Soren is suddenly in Wilder’s face as Wilder pushes Freya behind him.

“You should mind your own damn business, Huxley. I was speaking to Freya—not to you.”

Freya tries to pull her arm out of Wilder’s hold, but he just glances over his shoulder at her. “I’ll deal with you in a minute.”

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