Page 23 of Made for Wilde

“Adrian DeLuca,” the skinny one says when it’s his turn. His voice is stronger than I expected. “Zero experience unless you count getting punched in high school. I’m here to learn self-defense and, well, get stronger.”

I nod, studying him. He’s pale and thin, with dark hair that falls across his forehead. But his eyes are determined, and he stands straighter than the rest.

Sometimes it’s the unlikely ones who surprise you.

“Good. Everyone grab a spot on the floor. We’ll start with stances.”

I demonstrate the basic boxing stance—feet shoulder-width apart, dominant foot back, knees slightly bent, hands up to protect the face. The class mirrors me with varying degrees of success. I walk around, making corrections. A tap on the elbow here, a nudge to the foot there.

“Protect your chin,” I tell a blonde woman who keeps dropping her guard. “Your face won’t stay that way if you don’t keep these hands up.”

My mind flashes to Charlotte’s face at the diner this morning. The way the early light caught her honey-blonde hair and her pretty smile when she laughed at my joke.

Fuck. Focus.

“Now we’re going to work on the jab. The simplest punch, but the foundation of everything else you’ll learn.”

I demonstrate in slow motion, extending my left arm with a slight rotation of the wrist at impact. The class follows along, punching air with more enthusiasm than skill. Adrian DeLuca’sform is terrible, his elbow dropping with each extension, but he’s focused, his brow furrowed in concentration.

I correct a few more stances and set them up to practice the jab in pairs. As they work, my thoughts drift back to Charlotte.

I spent most of last night staring at my ceiling, hard as steel, stroking my cock like a lovesick teenager while Charlotte’s face floated behind my eyelids. I came with her name trapped behind my teeth, and the shame that followed was worse than any beating I’ve taken in the ring.

She’s Jason’s daughter, for fuck’s sake. Jason, who’s been my brother in all but blood since we were fifteen. Jason, who trusted me around his little girl. Who would put me in the ground if he knew the thoughts I’ve been having.

“Keep your elbows in!” I bark at no one in particular, needing to expel some of the tension building in my chest.

So why can’t I get her out of my head? I’ve been with beautiful women before. Models, actresses, women who knew exactly what they wanted and how to get it. None of them got under my skin like this. None of them made me feel like I was drowning just by existing.

The worst part is, I think she might feel it too. The way she looked at me at last night. How she blushed when our fingers touched over the coffee cups. The electricity in that small point of contact that shot straight through me.

“Mr. Wilde? Am I doing this right?”

Adrian’s voice pulls me back to reality. He’s standing in front of me, his stance still wrong, but determination etched into every line of his body.

“Close.” I move to correct his form. “Keep this elbow in. Rotate from the hip, not just the arm. There you go.”

He tries again, the punch smoother this time.

“Better. Much better.” I nod in approval. “You’re a quick learner.”

A grin splits his face. “Thanks. I’ve been watching some videos online to prepare.”

“It shows.” I mean it. What he lacks in natural ability, he makes up for in effort. “Keep at it.”

I move to the next pair, but I hear a snicker from behind me.

“Adrian’s just trying to impress some chick at his family’s beauty school,” one of the guys says, loud enough for Adrian to hear.

Adrian mutters, cheeks flushing red. “Shut up, Matt.”

“Nothing wrong with wanting to impress a woman,” I say, keeping my voice neutral despite the sudden tightness in my chest. “Just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.”

The words taste like ash in my mouth. Who am I to give advice about women when I’m fantasizing about my best friend’s daughter?

“She’s nice to me,” Adrian says quietly. “But I don’t think she sees me that way.”

“Give it time.” I pat his shoulder awkwardly. “Focus on becoming the best version of yourself. The rest will follow.”