Page 24

CHAPTER 23

ADAM

T he guys are training, and I watch. I’m always watching. I watch their form, the moves they make, and how they can improve. Whether it’s the combinations, blocks, takedowns, or hits. My eyes remain locked on even the smallest detail so I can help them get better.

Caine is lifting while Drew assists me with class and it’s not one of the classes Max is in, which is why Caine is actually focused on his own training for once. Drew is short with everyone, grunting out his approval or making small adjustments himself. I just watch.

Watching is how I’ve noticed everything going on recently with Max. I’ve seen how Caine stares at her, how tense he is when it comes to anyone coming near her and the look in his eye when she looks at him. I know how he is when he wants something and that he doesn’t have any boundaries to tell him he’s going too far.

That’s why he trains as hard as he does. He wants to be the best and his top priority is to get to the UFC and win.

I offered Max the extra training because I saw how pissed off she was when she came in and I’ve seen how Caine has his sights set on her. He’s gone too far, I’m sure he has. I don’t think he’s actually hurt her, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he does at some point.

And I’m no stranger to wanting to push and go too far. What I want is primal and dirty, rough and raw. Drew can keep up with me and my needs like not many can. I can’t help but wonder if Max could. If she can handle Caine, maybe she could handle me.

Would she want to?

Of course not, I’m too old for her, she wants things I could never give her. But I can give her training, and that’s where any time spent together will stop.

“Alright, cool down,” I announce to the class, which earns me a glare from Drew because he hates when I take charge after I tell him he can lead class.

I give him a look, wondering if he’s going to say anything since we’ve barely talked since our little blowout. He doesn’t. Instead, he walks to the front while everyone finishes up. I wait until everyone has left before I join him.

“Hey,” I say simply, and he looks a little surprised, but is trying to hide it.

“Uh, hi?” I’m sure I caught him off guard with my casualness.

“How’ve things been going?”

He turns toward me, his arms crossed. “What’re you doing?”

“Asking you how you’ve been?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know actually,” I brush off. It doesn’t feel weird between us since our fight. Tense, maybe a little, but it isn’t awkward.

“Hm,” he huffs, turning to type on the computer.

Caine’s fist hitting the bag echoes around us, especially with the silence since everyone has left. I don’t know why I decide to say what I do, maybe it’s to get a reaction from Drew. “Let me know if Max plans on taking me up on my offer for extra training.”

I head to my office without waiting for him to respond. My comment may be immature, but I want him to know I offered that to her. Caine would probably kill me if he knew—at least he’d try.

Drew follows me into my office, shutting the door firmly behind him so it’s just us.

“What do you mean you offered her extra training?” Drew asks, his face blank and not giving away any of his emotions. He’s always been good at hiding how he feels.

“You’re not blind, you’ve seen how Caine is fixated on her and I’m sure whatever you’re doing isn’t helping. I just offered some extra training time for her so she can defend herself if needed.”

“She’s fine,” he insists.

“If you say so.” I sit in my chair behind my small desk.

“Are you trying to make me jealous, now? Because that seems below you.”

“No, and if I was, I don’t think I would use some girl that you two are clearly already pursuing to do it.”

“It just seems weird is all. You never offer extra training to anyone.”

“And you don’t know everything I do or don’t do.”

His eyes narrow on me like he doesn’t believe me.

“What are we doing?” Drew asks, and it takes me back slightly.

“What do you mean?” I ask, genuinely confused.

“Are we done hooking up? Because if we are, then I’d rather that be settled and we can go back to normal.” He shrugs.

I didn’t really think about it one way or another. This was never a relationship; it wasn’t ever going to be, it was just sex. Both of us comfortable with each other and with similar schedules who are able to fuck when we need. Him asking if that’s done shocks me because I would’ve still fucked around regardless of what happened the other night. Shit, regardless of whatever fire he’s playing with, but if he wants to stop then that’s fine too.

“Did you want to be?”

The moment between us is tense, and I can’t tell if it’s the kind of tense that may lead to something sexual which is how it all started anyway, or a tense that’s going to end in us trading blows. I’d rather not fight him; I know he still spars when he thinks I’m not around, but he shattered his knee when that guy kicked it out and that’s not something you easily come back from.

He raises his chin. “What if I say no?”

“Then we won’t be.” I shrug easily.

“What if I say yes?”

“Then we will be,” I say just as calmly.

“And what if I’d want Max to be involved sometimes?”

That earns him a reaction, my eyebrows raising.

“I’d say you may have a death wish with Caine.”

He scoffs. “He doesn’t scare me.”

“Me either, but I’m not fucking around with someone else’s girl.”

“She’s not his girl.”

“Is she yours?”

“Maybe she will be.”

I lean back, my arms folded across my chest, just staring at him. I can’t quite tell if he’s serious, and I also don’t know how we got here, or why. Eventually I shake my head.

“If she’s your girl, then I’m not getting involved. Have your fun,” I dismiss.

“Yeah, but if you change your mind, the offer may not stand,” he says, leaving the office.

I smirk because something tells me that offer will always stand. We talked about sharing a girl between us before. It would be fun, I know that it would, but I’m not about to get caught up in any of the drama potentially brewing here. Uncaged is my safe space, it always has been, and it needs to stay that way.

The gym has always been my peace, ever since I first stepped foot in one after my first coach yanked me from the streets. He had told me to knock my shit off with the underground fighting and that he would show me how to really fight. Of course, I didn’t give a fuck at the time as a pissed off nineteen year old who had never known an ounce of stability. But after a particularly brutal fight, I came to him battered and bloody and told him I didn’t want to die somewhere alone because I lost a bad fight.

He took me in and taught me everything I know now and trained me until I was one of the best. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. And it’s something I can never repay, even if he was still around to cash in on any payment.

I sigh, pulling up the cameras in the gym and don’t see Drew anywhere. Caine is in the cage with Alexander, and I sigh, knowing I’m going to need to go out there so they don’t take it too far. Which is why I do one of the things I do best, I watch.