Chapter Three

The next morning, Reena headed over to The Rock Fighting Club. She walked in and looked around.

A large man at the reception desk stood up and smiled at her. Reena’s practiced eye took him in with appreciation: sandy-blond hair, clear green eyes, amazing physique. He’d be gorgeous to paint, she knew, from a purely aesthetic point of view. She returned the smile and walked over to him.

“Good morning,” he said. “I’m Gavin, the Rock’s manager. Can I help you with something?”

“Yes, please. I’m looking for Nick and Adam. My name’s Reena.”

“Sure. Take a seat, OK? I’ll call them for you.”

“Thanks.” She wandered over to the sofa and sat down, still looking around. She’d never been to The Rock before, and she was intrigued to see Nick and Adam’s club for the first time.

“Hey, Reena. How you doing?”

She looked up and there stood Nick and Adam, grinning at her. “Hey, guys.”

Nick got to her first and he pulled her up and in for a hug. His broad chest was strong and hard, and she held onto him for a second, enjoying the feeling of security he gave her. She liked him a lot for all he’d done for Mia, and she thought that Nick was the best thing to ever walk into her friend’s life.

“I’m so sorry about what happened with Wendy.” Nick’s gray eyes were angry. “That was a crappy thing she did to you.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks.”

Adam hugged her now and as always, she was slightly in awe of his sheer size. Nick was a big guy, but Adam was something else entirely: an ex-boxer, his muscular frame tipped the scales at about two-hundred-sixty pounds and he was simply the hugest man she’d ever laid eyes on. But his face was kind as he gazed down at her, and Reena knew that he was nothing but gentle with Katie. Ferocious exterior aside, Adam was a good guy. They both were, and that’s why she was there this morning.

“You OK, Reena?” Nick asked.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. I just wanted to come and thank you in person for your offer to help me. And I wanted to make sure that you understood why I said no… I don’t want you to feel offended. No insult was intended, I promise you.”

“None taken, sweetheart,” Adam said. “We get it.”

Nick nodded.

“OK, then.” Reena relaxed. “I really hate tension between friends.”

“No tension, Reena. Life’s too short, huh?” Adam smiled. “So, listen. Maybe you want a cup of coffee while you’re here?”

“Oh, no, thanks. But I was wondering – if you have a notice board or something, can I put up a sign that I’m looking for a roommate?”

“Well, actually, hon,” Nick said. “We were just talking about that this morning.”

“About me putting up a notice?”

“Not exactly.” Nick took her elbow. “Come with us, OK?”

“Sure.”

They led her into a massive open space. Awed, she stared around, not knowing where to look first. There was a youth kickboxing class going on in the farthest corner of the room, and about a dozen huge men were lifting weights next to the group of kicking, spinning teenagers. A group of small kids was doing karate on some mats, a tiny woman was laying into a punching bag pretty enthusiastically, and two well-muscled men were beating the crap out of each other in the boxing ring in the centre of it all.

“Wow,” she said turning around and around, trying to take it all in. “This place is amazing.”

“Thanks,” Adam said. “Lots going on all the time.”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

“OK, so,” Nick said. “Your new roommate.”

She glanced over at him.

“Would you have any problem rooming with a guy?”

“A guy?” she said. “No, not on principle. It would depend on the guy, though.”

Nick gestured behind her. “What about that guy?”

She turned. “Which guy?”

“That one. The one in the blue shorts in the boxing ring.”

Reena blinked as the man in the blue shorts let loose a volley of punches and kicks on his opponent. “That guy?”

“Yep,” Nick said.

Reena watched as the man in blue proceeded to knock his opponent down to the floor of the ring with a single punch to the head. He backed off right away, giving the other man time to get to his feet. They seemed to have a quick conversation about something, then both men nodded and resumed beating the living hell out of each other. The man in blue was clearly the better fighter: within ten seconds, he had kicked the other man’s legs right out from under him and pinned him to the ring floor. He hauled back and started punching the fallen man in the face, over and over again.

She turned to Nick and Adam. “Really?”