Path To Retaliation (Fighter's Den, #2)

Chapter 15 - Cameron

"Seriously, Cam?"

"What?" I pant, cracking my neck and shaking out the pain in my arms as I gather my breath. Nate rolls on his back and grips his stomach with both arms, exhaling harshly. He's red in the face and I wince when I realize I probably shouldn't have hit so hard. We're only training. "My bad, man."

"What the fuck did you punch me with? Captain America's shield? Jesus." He groans.

I wince again and offer a hand to help him up. He takes it and gets on his feet before curling over, hands going to his knees. I pat his back awkwardly and decide to use this moment to get a drink of water instead while he recovers.

"I should have taken it down a notch." I say after closing the lid on my water bottle. "I'm just so fucking frustrated that I needed it out of my system."

"I'll say." He grunts as he straights himself and crosses his arms. "What I don't understand is why you're not going pro when you can clearly fight like one."

"Just isn't my thing."

"Bullshit. Coach may have gotten busy the past few months training Jaxon but you were always at the gym just as often and working just as hard. And I see the way you box. If anyone is a natural here, it's you."

"I'm not interested in the lifestyle of going pro." More excuses fumble out of me as I try to figure out how to get him off my back. No way can I tell him the truth. I may be working on keeping my past in the past but I'd rather no one finds out, ever. Avery knows. Jaxon knows, having dragged it out of me that day in the hospital and using his near-death experience as an excuse to make me talk. I'm content with just those two knowing and I'd like to keep it that way.

"What's not interesting about it? The money? Getting to do what you love? The girls? You're right, that sounds awful."

"Back off, would you?" I grumble and busy myself with untying the wraps around my hands. The repeated motions calm me down a little and I manage to maintain my composure. "And I don't need girls."

"Finally realized you're in love with me, huh?" Nate grins and I swear that fucker's teeth actually twinkle. "Happens to the best of 'em."

"Our babies would turn out genetically flawless." I agree with a nod.

"As long as they mostly look like me. Have you seen my smile?"

"Have you seen my face?"

"Have you seen my dick?"

"Am I interrupting?"

We jump a little at the unexpected company and our sheepish grins are met with Asher's unamused face.

"Tell him, would ya?" Nate pleads, waving his arm in my direction.

"Tell him what?" Asher asks as he makes his way over to us.

"To go pro. He has a lot of fucking talent and he spends all his hard work punching a bag at the gym instead of making a career out of it."

"Yeah, why is that?" Asher raises a brow at me. "I've seen you train. You don't play games, pretty boy."

"Not interested." I repeat myself for the umpteenth time that day with an exasperated sigh.

"Name one thing that's not interesting about going pro. You are unbelievable." He shakes his head, scoffing at me.

"I have my reasons, okay? That's all you're going to get whether you like it or not."

"Reasons or excuses?" Asher tosses back and walks away without waiting for a response.