Peace in a Storm

4 - Max

Friday came just on time. My fists were aching to hit something other than that stupid punching bag. Not to mention my plans with the beautiful brunette I'd met at work. Her name was Brianna, and she seemed ready to show me a good time after my match. We'd been texting almost nonstop since I reached out to her. Her sensual messages and flirty emoticons was all I needed to know that I'd be more than satisfied by the end of the night.

If only Audrey would hurry the fuck up, so I could get the night started. Again, I was waiting out in the freezing cold in front of school for her. I should've left her ass here, but I wasn't one to go back on a promise. What was taking her so long anyway?

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A smirk tugged at my lips at the sight of Brianna's name at the top of my notification message.

"What are you smiling about?" I heard Audrey ask.

"None of your business," I replied, my gaze still on my phone. Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I stood up and started heading down the school steps.

Audrey followed me, putting her hand on her chin. "Let me guess: you've been texting that prep school girl, and she's really into you because you're so buff and strong, and she's going to give you some of her goodies tonight after your match."

"Are you jealous because I'm getting laid and you're not?"

She scoffed. "No. I'm annoyed because this is your fourth fling within the past two months. I swear you're trying to earn yourself an STD or a baby."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm earning myself a well-earned good time with some very attractive ladies. Maybe if you got some on a daily basis, you'd be able to pull that stick out of your ass more often. I'm sure your little boyfriend would be more than happy to cater to your needs."

She glared up at me. "Carter isn't my boyfriend, and he definitely wants more than to just sleep with me. He has more dignity than that."

I shrugged. "If that's what you want to keep telling yourself. The rest of the world has already accepted Carter's on a mission to tap that ass. When are you going to?"

Audrey crossed her arms against her chest. Pursing her lips in a sour pout, she sped up and left me behind on the crowded sidewalk.

Shit. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but it was the truth. Carter's eyes had been on Audrey since middle school. Maybe back then, he'd wanted her heart. But after being shot down time and time again, he was way past that point. All he wanted was the prize between her legs. He was just as bad as the rest of her shithead boyfriends. I wished she understood that not every boy who pined for her attention was the knight in shining armor she wanted them to be.

I left Audrey alone when we finally reached the MMA gym. I practiced my combinations with Jordan and briefly stretched out my muscles to pass the time. Every now and then, I'd catch Audrey out of the corner of my eye.

She was helping Tony, the gym's owner and my trainer, set up for the fight. The two of them set chairs out for the audience and fussed with the flyers around the facility. I noticed she was trying her hardest not to look at anyone. Her eyes were trained either down to the floor or to whatever task she was doing. I could see the clouds in her emerald orbs, and I hated that I'd been the one to summon them.

After I finished warming up, I approached Audrey from behind. She was hanging some flyers on a bulletin board when I tugged at the ends of her curls. "What do you want?" she asked without turning around.

Gently, I grabbed her small shoulders and spun her around. "Lo siento. I didn't mean to be such a dick."

Her eyes looked down at her sneakers. "Oh, no need to apologize; I don't take it personally at this point." She tried to turn but I caught her wrist.