Black Dog (Bannon's Gym) by Grant Cat

Author:Grant, Cat [Grant, Cat]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Cat Grant Books
Published: 2013-07-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

I closed the diner early and walked down to the gym with Tom, our jackets zipped against the damp chill. The middle of March, and it felt like winter was hanging on for a decade. Tom swiped his card and held the gym’s back door open for me. The gust of warm air from inside did nothing to stop my shivering.

I’d left my sweats and training gloves in my locker two—or was it three?—months ago. Long enough to pack on a few extra pounds around my equator. Not exactly a beer belly, but that bulge above my waistband still made me grimace. Luckily, my sweatshirt was loose enough to cover it.

That’s what you get for slacking off. And eating too much of your own damn cooking.

Tom came out of his changing room just as I finished wrapping my hands. “Ready?”

Do I have a choice?

I pasted on a smile and followed him down the hall. The jiu-jitsu class was already underway, with a bunch of guys rolling and grappling on the floor. Shane and Dale had been training here for a couple of years, but the rest I’d never seen before.

Danny walked around dispensing coaching advice, until he caught sight of me and Tom. He did a double take, then smiled. “Glad you could make it.”

Tom glanced from me to Danny and back again. “Um, what should I—”

“Go work out with Danny. I need to warm up first,” I said.

The heavy bag seemed a good place to start. I slid on my gloves—damn, I knew I should’ve asked Tom to help me—and tightened the laces with my teeth. I rolled my neck and shoulders, did a few deep knee bends and started throwing combinations.

Within ten minutes I had sweat pouring down me, gluing my shirt to my chest and back. I blew out big puffs and kept going, a familiar burn settling into my muscles. I’d be sore tomorrow, but tonight I didn’t want to stop. I jabbed. I danced. I threw right crosses and uppercuts until muscle memory kicked in, and with it that amazing high I’d spent the last few months trying to forget.

It was an addiction, a hypnotic dream. A relief to finally shut off my mind and let my body take over. The stretch and pull of muscles, the impact of every punch shooting up my arm, carrying a fresh jolt of adrenaline. Time slowed, the universe narrowing down to just me and that bag of sand—

Until the sound of clapping jarred me from my trance. I stumbled back and nearly crashed into Tom. He wasn’t the one applauding, though.

“Your uppercuts are things of fuckin’ beauty,” Danny said. Jesus, I hadn’t seen him beaming like that in ages.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My throat was all parched and scratchy. Tom held up a bottle of water, and I gulped down three huge mouthfuls. “How long have you been watching?”

“Since class broke up about five minutes ago.” Danny nodded at Tom. “You can wear my gloves tonight.

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