Kyle's Return (3 page)

I shook my head. “I don’t want an apology. All I want
is to talk to her, to show her I’m getting better and it’s all
because of her. I’ve been in hell for two years. I’m ready to make
amends,” I glanced around his gym, “and to get my life back on
track. I miss fighting.”

Megan was the one who burst out in laughter. “Oh my
God, you’re not seriously wanting to work out
here
are you?
Have you seen the looks those guys are giving you right now?” she
asked, flourishing her hand toward a group of men.

Tyler looked at her and then out at the others in his
gym. His eyes lit up and he turned a mischievous gaze my way.
“Actually, I don’t think it’s a bad idea. As far as Kacey is
concerned, she’ll talk to you when she’s ready. But if you want to
deal with the guys here, then be my guest.”

Megan threw her hands in the air. “I am so going to
need a raise after this. I’ll be cleaning up blood every effing
day.”

“And you can blame it on him,” Tyler mentioned
smugly, nodding at me. “Oh, and get him the paperwork, Megan. He
may be my brother-in-law soon, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to
work out for free.”

“You’re getting married?” I asked, knowing very well
that one day it would come to that.

“Were you expecting an invitation?” Megan cut in
incredulously, handing me the paperwork.

Tyler glared at her and she closed her mouth. “You’re
not surprised by that are you?” he asked.

I started filling out the paperwork. “No,” was all I
could say. After our parents died, Kacey always told me I would be
the one to give her away at her wedding. That wasn’t going to
happen now.

Once I finished the paperwork, I handed it to Megan
and gave her my credit card. She ran it and entered in my
information. “All right, Mr. Andrews, you’re all set. Good luck out
there.”

“Thanks,” I said, taking my card. I was going to need
it.

As I was putting my card back into my wallet, I
couldn’t help but overhear Tyler and Megan’s conversation. “I’m
trying to find someone to assist you in the self-defense classes. I
have a couple of people interested. Do you mind working with
someone else for a while?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I don’t mind doing it myself. The
ladies are comfortable with me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“All right, classes will begin again next week.”

Once Tyler walked away, I leaned my elbows on the
desk.

Sighing, she kept her eyes on the computer. “Can I
help you?”

“I don’t know, but I was thinking I could help
you
.”

“Dude, I don’t want or need anything from you. You’re
a liar and a manipulator. Run along, please.”

The girl definitely had fire.

Accepting defeat, I walked out to my truck and
grabbed my gym bag. Looking at the gym, I breathed deep and smiled.
Kyle Andrews has returned.

***

THE ASSHOLE WORKED out as if he was in his own
world. Never once did he show anger when one of the guys would bump
into him or call him names. I also noticed that his legs weren’t as
strong as he wanted people to believe. For days now, he’d worked
his arms, abs and chest, but neglected his legs. It was always when
the gym began to clear out when he started on his leg
exercises.

“You sure are staring at him awfully hard,” Tyler
made notice.

I rolled my eyes and kept my voice down. “It’s not
like that. I’m just watching the way he moves.”

“Well make sure to watch from far away. If he messes
with you, I’ll kick his ass.”

“Thanks, boss,” I said, slapping his hand. I noticed
he had already changed into a T-shirt and jeans. “Are you out for
the night?”

“Do you mind?” he asked, staring at me with pleading
gray eyes.

“No, silly, just go. I don’t mind being here. I
actually enjoy it. Besides, you’re the one who gave me this job
with more than enough pay. I owe you.”

He grinned down at me. “You deserve it. Besides, we
take care of our own here. Any friend of Ryley and Gabby’s is a
friend of mine.”

I watched him walk through the gym and stick to the
shadows at the back, keeping his gaze on Kyle. He studied him for a
few and then nodded at me before disappearing out the back door.
Kyle was the only one left in the gym.

“You need to work your legs more,” I called out.

Kyle had his back to me and froze. “I am.”

Rolling my eyes, I stalked toward him. “No, you’re
not. They’re your weakest links right now. Go deeper with your
squats.”

He set down his weight. “Are you trying to provoke
me?”

For once, I wasn’t. “No, I was just noticing the way
you were doing your squats. You’d have a much better turnout if you
go deeper. I assume they aren’t as strong as they used to be.”

“No shit,” he growled.

“Don’t no shit me,” I snapped. “I’m trying to help.
But if you want to feel sorry for yourself and half-ass your work
out that’s on you. You’re not going to get back into the ring doing
it like that.” I started to walk off, but he held out his arm,
stopping me.

“All right, I shouldn’t have bitched at you. And
you’re right, I am half-assing it.”

Picking up a twenty pound weight, I sat down into a
squat, and then another. “I tell you what. Every time I do a squat,
you do one. Surely you can keep up with me, right?”

A sly smile spread across his face and he picked his
weight back up. “Okay, love. Let’s see what you got.”

For the next fifteen minutes, my legs were on fire.
Sweat broke out over Kyle’s brow, yet he kept going, even when his
legs started shaking. Before long, I collapsed onto the mat and so
did he, both breathing hard.

“Holy hell, my legs are on fire,” I laughed, looking
over at him.

He grimaced. “Mine are too.”

“What was it like not being able to feel them? I
can’t imagine how scary that must’ve been.”

He slowly got to his feet and wiped his brow with a
towel, snorting. “If I knew you were really interested, I’d tell
you. The last thing I want is your pity.”

“Is that what you think this is?” I asked
incredulously.

He shrugged. “Fuck if I know. That’s all I’ve gotten
for the past two years. For all I know you’re probably just
screwing around with me as a joke.”

“Yeah, because I want to sit here and help you after
hours when I could be at home,” I scoffed, getting up and marching
away. “I guess I know not to waste my time ever again.” Grabbing my
phone and bag off the desk, I turned and pointed to the door.

“Megan, I . . .”

“Save it. The gym’s closed. Please see yourself out
so I can go home.”

Nodding, he picked up his bag and slowly made his way
to the door. “Thank you for helping me tonight.”

I turned my head away. “Mmm-hmm.”

As soon as the door shut, I rushed over and locked
it. If anyone was trying to play a joke, it had to be him. Someone
as evil as Kyle Andrews couldn’t come back from the shit he’d done
and be fully changed. It just wasn’t possible.

***

I HAD COME to the realization I wasn’t going to
belong in Vegas. So far Megan was the only one who actually talked
to me like I was a real person. Why? I have no fucking clue. Tyler
ignored me for the most part, which was actually a good sign.

Maybe there was hope for Kacey and me to mend our
relationship. If not, I was packing my shit up and moving across
the country. Without Kacey’s forgiveness, there was nothing for me
in Sin City. Even my own mother disowned me when I stopped
supplying her with funds. I often wondered if Kacey would’ve helped
me if she knew I was alone. I was about to find out.

Some would call it stalkerish, but I liked to think
of it as determination. I’d been in the parking lot of her
restaurant for three hours, not knowing when or if she’d show up. I
didn’t want to confront her with Tyler around. Thankfully, she
showed up right at ten o’ clock, most likely to get ready for the
lunch crowd. As soon as she got out of her car, I made my move.

“Kacey,” I called.

With her back to me, she froze in place for a second
before twisting around. Eyes wide, she dropped her purse and put a
hand over her mouth. “Kyle? How in the . . . how is this possible?
I thought you’d never be able to walk again.”

“It was touch and go for quite a while, but I told
myself I’d come out here as soon as I could make the trip on my
own. I take it Tyler didn’t tell you I was here.”

She closed her eyes and her jaw clenched. “Nope, he
must’ve forgotten to give me that little bit of information.”

“He’s just protecting you. Anyway, I figured it would
be harder to ignore me when I’m standing right in front of
you.”

She nodded and looked down at the ground. “I see. So
are you here to gloat?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I’m here to see you, to make
things right between us. You’re all I have left.”

She snorted. “I find that hard to believe. Where are
all your friends? What about our mother?”

“I don’t give a shit about my old friends or our
mother. She left me high and dry the moment she found out I
wouldn’t be able to walk again.”

Tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh my God. So you made a
comeback all on your own? If I’d have known . . .”

“Then you would’ve felt bad and helped me out of
pity. That’s the last thing I wanted.”

“So what exactly are you hoping to gain by coming to
see me? You want forgiveness for everything you’ve done?”

“It’s a start. Or at least give me the hope that you
can, someday in the future.”

She took a step forward, her saddened green gaze
regarding me wearily. “There are so many other people you hurt,
Kyle. A few of them happen to be my friends. If you want my
forgiveness you need to get theirs too.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I shouted. “You must
seriously want me dead.”