Ace-The Secret Assasin

Chapter Five- The Gym

Emma POV (Three days later)

     As I read through the thick files I make mental notes on each one. Four files lay in front of me on my desk. One file is for a pimp who has killed three of his own girl’s for getting pregnant. The second file shows a politicians wife having an affair with another man. File number three is for a drug dealer who’s been mixing stuff into the drugs causing a quicker overdose. And last but not least is a pedophile who is suspected to be behind three abductions of five year old boys in the area. 

     This just makes me sick, I know I’m just like them. Put me in the same categories as killers/ murderers but I don’t want to be like this. So at least I do it for good reasons. I don't kill anyone who doesn’t deserve it.

     When someone hires me they know they are hiring the best, but if they hire me with bad intentions then the customer becomes the target. For example take the politicians wife case. I know cheating isn’t bad so digging a little deeper I found that her husband has been cheating on her, beating her and he also has a reputation for s****l assault with the women in his campaign committee. He’s a piece of s**t and now he wants his wife dead for cheating after all he’s done? Oh he’s really gonna get what’s coming to him. 

     My office door swings opens surprising me but then I see James standing in the doorway. 

     “How are the new files coming along sunshine?” He asks me

     “Fine, I have some good candidate's and by what I see all of them are gonna be quick and easy.” 

     “That’s my girl, now how are you doing?” Causing me to roll my eyes at him. He’s a great parent when it comes down to it. Always checking in and taking care of me. He worries to much though. 

     “James I’m fine you know that.” Ever since I took over the ‘Family Business’ he worries even more, but does he forget he was the one who trained me for this. He gives me a nod anyway but as he was about to say something else my phone goes off. It’s a text from Liam,we exchanaged numbers are the club so we could stay in touch. He texted me a couple of funny memes which always seems to make me laugh.

     Letting out a small giggle I look back up and realize that James is staring at me. “Who was that?” He asks questioningly.

     “Oh, just a friend from the gym.”

     “Is this friend a boy?” He raises his eyebrows at me and a slight frown forms on his mouth.

     “Yes but trust me, we are just friends. I know the rules.” 

     “Ok well I would be carful. Don’t let him get too close,  I wouldn’t want something to happen to either of you.” He says with worry in his voice as he turns and walks out the door closing it behind him.

     I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. Letting my face fall into my palms. God he’s right. I need to be more careful. 

     I get up shaking my head and realize I need to let out some of this frustration. I need to head to the gym. 

.....

     I walk in the gym and realize it’s basically empty except for the sound of “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osborn blaring over the overhead speakers. I walk past the lockers setting my stuff on the bench and walk around looking for anyone. 

     Then I see him. He’s in fighting stance right in front of the punching bag. Sweat dripping down his bare back. His muscles at full attention with each punch. He is in the zone, so much he hasn’t even noticed me walk in. Plus with the music so loud I’m not surprised he didn’t hear me. 

     He lands a hard right kick to the bag and steps back into position “you know if you followed through with a left uppercut you could get a good advantage.” I say matter of factly and with a little sarcasm. He jumps at the surprise of another presence in the room. Putting his hand on his chest right over his heart. 

     “God you scared the s**t out of me Emma.” He says to me. Wow he looks good. I eye him for another second before looking away. 

     “Ha yeah sorry” I laugh nervously and scratch the back of my neck “I came to get a work out in. I didn’t know anyone else would be here usually mason has it closed until 2 today.”

     “I know that’s why I asked him for a key, I wanted to get some extra solo time before my fight tonight.” He said still sounding a little out of breathe.

     “Oh gotcha, I’m sorry than I can just go.” I turn around and start walking away. 

     “Wait no it’s cool,” I turned back around to look at him “I know you won’t be in my way or anything so if you want to stay?” I can tell he’s being honest so I think to myself for a minute. 

     “I promise I won’t bother you or anything. I’ll just toss my head phones on and be over by the treadmills.” I said nodding in verification and turning around again trying not to stare at his distractingly sweaty hot body. 

     I stretch and make my way onto the machine with my iPod, Bluetooth headphones and my water bottle. Putting my settings on I notice some movement in the corner of my eye. Liam steps up to the machine next to me and starts it up. I pull my headphones down to my neck not stopping my run. 

     He looks over and smiles “I thought I could use some extra cardio if that’s cool with you?” He is still shirtless and a little distracting if you ask me but I would never tell him that. 

     “Yeah totally.” trying to act cool I continue on with my run focusing on my breathing

     “So how did you meet mason?” Does he seriously want to have a conversation right now? 

     “Um well James knew masons dad who owned the gym and when his dad was ready to retire mason took over. They have been training me for years. Mason and I basically grew up together since I was eighteen.” I say which is the truth masons dad was a great trainer and so is mason. James trusts them with his life and that’s good enough for me.

     “Who’s James?” He asks a little confused. I totally forgot he doesn’t know anything about that.

     “Well when I was homeless as a foster child I ran into James. He offered to adopt me and take care of me and he’s been like a father to me ever since.” James was an angel that came straight from heaven who was sent to save a devil like me. “I never liked calling him dad but he was always ok with that.” 

     Liam nodded in understanding and kept running a little longer until he interrupted the silence again. “So would you want to come to my match tonight?” He asks looking over at me nervously waiting for my response. “Mason will be there so you can bring Jo.” He adds quickly letting me know I wouldn’t be alone.

     Giving him the sweetest smile I can accomplish while I’m still trying to focus on the equalness of my breathing I decide that it’s just a fight so it’ll be fine if I go. Plus other friends will be there. “That sounds like a lot of fun, what time?”

     His face split into a s**t eating grin that made me laugh out loud “ Seven but I’m the first and last fight.” 

     “Wow, two fights in one night?” I ask a little surprised

     “Yeah it’s normal in the preliminary rounds of a tournament. Gotta knock out all of the losers early to get to the good competitions.” He says smiling a mischievous smile at me. I slowly roll my eyes and focus back on my running. 

     After five miles I decide to go do some fight training on my own but Liam insisted on coming with me. He held the punching bag as I practiced my strikes and combos. We talked a little about his childhood and how his family were the most important people in his life. How he won fights all over the world but now he was going for the US champion title. He talked most of the time, which was fine with me so I just kept asking him questions about his life, work and family. He gushed about his baby sister and his younger brother. Mostly things I already knew but some fun stories about their childhood and the crazy adventures they would go on. I was so interested because I was wanted to know what it was like having a real sibling. Foster siblings were usually awful and anyone that wasn’t didn’t stick around long enough to get really close to. 

     “So how do you do that elbow move again? Like this?” I ask for the third time trying to recreate the new move he just showed me but it was harder than it looked. Seeing my frustration he let go of the punching bag and stood behind me. Grabbing my shoulders he turned them into a better angle then using his hands he slowly ran them down my sides to my hips, sending electricity through my spine. He twisted my hips and leaned forward into my ear feeling his bare chest against my back “Now use the power from your right foot to guide the punch then swing your left elbow forward into the middle of the rib area.”

Trying to focus I do exactly what he said and recreated the move perfectly. Then  jumping out of his grasp in excitement of getting it. I realized how close he really was and I couldn’t think clearly. Stepping back another foot I look around and decide that I needed to make more space.     

      “So I think I’m done, I’m gonna hit the showers.” I say quickly to distract myself 

“Ok I’ll see you tonight then?” He asks in a sultry but soft voice. I guess I affect him as much as he effects me. 

     “Of course I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I say a little too honestly 

     “Great I’ll see you then.” he says not taking his eyes off me. 

     Pulling myself away from his deep sexy stare I walk and grab my bag and head to the showers. Plugging my music into the overhead bathroom speakers, I pick my favorite song “Bad Intentions” by Niykee Heaton. It’s been my singing song for awhile now. 

     After I step out of my sweaty clothes I turn on the showers and felt the steam rising up in the room as the song started to play. I belted out every word like it was my last breath. 

.....

Liams POV

     As I sit on the bench all I can think about is her. What is wrong with my karma? When I came to the gym to get my mind off of Emma but I can’t get away from her. It’s like everything is tempting me right now. She’s perfect, she’s smart, funny, head strong, and absolutely beautiful. I just don’t know why this can’t work. She won’t let it work, there has to be a reason. I will respect her although I’m not letting her out of my sight. I can’t just let her go, so if the only way to be around her is by being her friend then I’ll take it. I’ll take anything she’ll give me. If she told me to jump off a bridge I’m pretty sure I would do it. 

     Hopefully I’m not pushing her though, she seems cool with everything but she’s so closed off. She’ll give me bits and pieces of her life but never more than that. 

     I told her everything about me , she listened and asked questions. She seemed happy to hear me talk so I did what any smart man would do and kept talking just to see her smile. Her questions about my family brought me back to her telling me she was adopted. When she told me I could tell it wasn’t an easy thing for her to talk about so I didn’t want to push it. Maybe someday I can get her to trust me. I’ll do whatever I have to do.

     As I sat there and think I am taken back by the most beautiful sound in the world. I stand up following the voice to the lady’s locker room. I pushed my ear against the door to listen closer as what sounded like Emma singing the most sultry and sexy song I’ve ever heard. She had this raspiness that gave you goosebumps. I wanted to open the door but didn’t want to walk in on her taking a shower so instead I sat down with my ear to the door listening to the angel singing on the other side. What was she doing to me. Ive never been this obsessed, I have always been a love them and leave them type of guy. Not into a lot of relationships but I wasn’t a douche either. 

     God I hope she comes to my fight tonight. I can’t disappoint her, so I will make sure I win no matter what. She could be my lucky charm or so I’ll tell her just so I can make sure she’s at all of my fights. That would be perfect. I can’t loose with those big beautiful blue eyes staring at me and cheering me on. Well unless she’s the one I’m fighting. I laugh to myself. The absolute perfect women, she might even be the one.

On that note I get up to head to the Sauna to loosen up my muscles before the fight tonight. I need to be ready, I can’t let anyone down, especially her.