Page 43 of Fly's Path

She nods and takes a slice of turtle cheesecake out of the case. “Yup, three times a week unless I’m sick. My friend Sparr is leading the workout tonight, so tomorrow I’m going to be in so much pain.”

What? A little sore is healthy, but pain? Nope, she’s not doing that. “Why don’t we work out together instead?”

She gives me a slightly sexy but mostly assessing look up and down. “I doubt you’re going to do the same kind of thing we normally do.”

Well, yeah. I’m a guy who lifts weights, not just to pick up heavy things. It’s been weird not taking my normal mixed martial arts classes every week, but I’ve still gotten in some good workouts. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll take care of you.”

Lola smirks, then snorts a little. “You wouldn’t hurt me like Sparr.”

I need to meet this Sparr person and hurt him. “No man hurts a woman at the gym or anywhere else.”

“Exactly my point. You’re too sweet and gentle to do what needs to be done.”

Sweet? Gentle? No one has ever used those words in conjunction with me.

She pats my arm. “Sparr won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done. Even when the rest of us whine.”

“I’m coming with you to the gym tonight.”

“Sorry, you can’t. You’re not allowed.”

“I’ll pay for membership.”

Lola shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter. This club is private. Invite only.”

Like I can’t finagle an invite into any club in the world. “Give me the name.”

“They won’t let you in the door. It doesn’t matter who you bribe. You won’t get two steps inside the door still breathing.”

Now I have to go. “Just let me worry about that. Give me the name.”

She collapses against me in a fit of giggles, shaking the trays in my arms. “Teasing you is so easy. They won’t let you in because it’s girls’ night at the gym. No Y-chromosomes allowed.”

“Oh.” That’s not so bad. “But Sparr gets to attend?”

“Sparrow is a female. But she’s scarier than most men I know. She beats us down, then smiles as she offers a hand to help us up off our backs. Evil, she’s totally evil. You’ll love her. But stay very far away from her. Yeah, I probably shouldn’t introduce you two.”

There’s no way Fly could be right about this woman.

No way in the world.

Stolen Kiss

Fly

“Fly,” Bishop walks up to me as soon as I enter the compound. “Do you have a second?”

Yes and no. But for a brother, I’ll make one. “What’s up?”

“My son called.”

That sounds ominous. I walk over to a couch in a corner of the common room. “How is he doing?”

“About the same. But today’s call was different. He met a woman.”

What? “In rehab?” The weird places you run into women.

“Yeah, but she was a guest of another patient. Anyway, this woman is receiving what she describes as prank calls, but Deacon found them vaguely threatening.”