“Enjoy your visit, Mr. Martin.” I handed him back his membership card and gave him a fake smile that he seemed to see right through.

“I suppose. I’ll be seeing you, Lake.” He started for the locker rooms and I knew I wouldn’t see him again until next time.

My phone vibrated in my back pocket so I fished it out.

K: Where the fuck r u?

Lake: Working. A girl's gotta eat.

K: Monroe…

Lake: Yes?

K: Where. R. U?

Lake: The gym

He didn’t text back after that so I went back to working. I ended up talking to one of the regulars that Charlie tried to hook me up with on numerous occasions, despite the fact that I just became legal two days ago. He was one of those guys whose muscles had muscles. It made me appreciate Keiran’s body even more. He was lean and muscular and natural.

And not yours.

“Am I any closer to getting you to agree to go out with me? I can show you a really good time if you let me.” I had the feeling he wasn’t just talking about dinner and movie.

“Thanks Chad, but I’m –”

“Taken,” a voice bit out behind me. I knew who it was without turning around. He always did have a knack for sneaking up on me.

“Somehow I don’t think that’s what the lady was about to say. So why don’t you run along, little boy.”

“I’m saying it for her. She’s mine. You want to try to take her from me?” He fists clenched as he stepped toe to toe which Chad.

Was he seriously trying to start a fight?

I looked around for Charlie who seemed to have disappeared. There was no way I would be able to stop them if they fought so I had to try to defuse the situation.

“She doesn’t look like yours. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been over here flirting with my dick.” The words were barely out of Chad’s mouth before he was flipped over the weight bench by a fierce right hook from Keiran. I was pretty sure I saw a couple of teeth fly too.

“Stop! What the hell do you think you are doing?” I grabbed onto Keiran’s arm to stop him from pursuing Chad who was still laid out on the floor, motionless. He ripped his arm away and glared down at me, his face a mask of uncontrolled fury.

“Get your shit and let’s go.”

“What? No.”

“Monroe!” he roared and I nearly jumped out of my skin. His temple was throbbing again and he looked ready to strangle me. Charlie had finally appeared and was attempting to revive Chad.

“I can’t leave my job. Are you insane?”

As soon as the words were out I was hauled over his shoulder and being carted out of the door. A gym full of people and no one stepped forward to stop the unstable teen. Unbelievable.  His challenger was double parked outside with the engine running. Something told me he was already planning to do this. It made me long for the Keiran who bullied me from a distance.

“Why did you come here? I told you I was working,” I said while he dumped me into the backseat. A second later I heard the locks engage and he was walking back inside the gym. I unlocked the door and tried to open it but it wouldn’t budge so I tried the other and it did the same. Did he freaking child lock me in?

I contemplated kicking the window in for payback but knew that I wouldn’t get far before he caught me so I climbed into the front seat and by the time I was opening the door, he was walking back out. I hurried back into the backseat but it was too late. He’d already caught me trying to escape.

“How long have you been working there?”

“A year. What gives you the right to jeopardize my job like that? I could be fired.”

“I already took care of that.”

“What?”

“I told them you quit. You aren’t going back there.”

* * *

I told my aunt I had really bad stomach pains and couldn’t talk long when she called. It was partially true although the real reason was more because of Keiran. He watched me like a hawk when I talked to her and I didn’t want to risk my aunt detecting something wrong so I kept the call short.

He immediately left when I ended the call, saying he had to go out of town, but took my car keys with a warning to stay and that he would be back. I didn’t understand him. Why go through all that trouble to find me if he wasn’t going to stick around? I thought for sure he would demand sex although I didn’t think my body could handle another night like last night. I could feel the soreness between my thighs even now.

I thought about calling the gym and apologizing for what happened and maybe even begging to keep my job but the humiliation was too fresh so I put it off for tomorrow and decided to do homework instead. I had to stay ahead so I wouldn’t fall behind. I wished my parents could see me now. They were so devastated when I was diagnosed with dyslexia. It was one of my clearest memories. I learned that it wasn’t the end of the world when I realized that the disability to learn normally didn’t mean an inability to learn. One thing it did make me do was appreciate learning and education more. It was why I want to become a teacher. Dyslexia wasn’t something that I could outgrow but it was something that I could conquer.

I was in the living room searching for my favorite writing pen my aunt bought me on one of her trips when I noticed the corner of something black peeking out from underneath the couch near the side table. I bent to pick up the object, realizing it was an envelope addressed to me.

There was a birthday card inside so I flipped open the card and what I saw caused my heart to stop and I felt gut punched. Inside was a picture of a little girl.