Bear enters the glass front doors and stands there holding them open for me. I know it looks like he’s being polite, but I see it his eyes. He’s not letting me get away from him.
It’s not like I’m going to run now, it would cause way too much of a scene. And I don’t like fucking scenes. I don’t like negative attention on me. I’m a confrontational prick in the cage… or was, but in public I like issues settled quietly.
Walking past him, I get hit with a wave of emotions and memories. This place was a home for me, where I learned who I was and what I could do. Learned to be a man practically, me and Tommy both.
Walking up to the desk, I look all around me, at all the familiar faces and strangers. Anyone who knows me and takes notice just nods or smiles. No looks of incrimination or disgust, no awkward glares. Just as if I never left, everything is business as usual.
It’s as fucking jarring as it is comforting.
I see Chase standing behind the main counter of the gym, talking to Avery and a petite blonde chick who looks like she could be a model on some runway if she wasn’t so short. She’s not even that short really, but everyone who ever ends up next to Chase always ends up looking like fucking munchkins.
“Emmett!” Avery beams at me as she rushes around the counter and wraps me up in a quick hug.
Fuck. I hate hugging people. I never know how long to return it or if I even should. It’s always creeped me out actually. But with Chase’s dark fucking eyes daring me to be a dick to his wife, I give in and give her a quick hug back.
“Hey Avery,” I say with a smile, “nice to see you.”
“It’s good for you to be seen here in our lowly establishment.” She smirks at me. “I was beginning to think you forgot where you’re supposed to be.”
There’s a couple of smartass answers I could give her, but even if Chase wasn’t around, I don’t feel like bothering.
Avery’s one of those pure people. She doesn’t harbor bad thoughts and shit, she cares and loves everyone. She’s genuinely a warm, kindhearted soul.
She takes in all the kids in the gym and is like a mother to them all. This gym used to be only about MMA fighters and their training, but Chase and Avery have made it so much more. They actively recruit kids from the bad neighborhoods, and they give shelter and food to those in need.
Being a dick to her isn’t in the cards.
“Yeah,” I say as I rub the back of my neck, “been awhile.”
“Don’t worry, everything’s the same. Everything except for our new administrator, Bree.” Avery smiles as she leads me over to the front desk.
“Bree, this is Emmett. Emmett, Bree,” Avery says, introducing us, and gives me a nudge to extend my hand.
Fuck what I said about being model material, this chick is straight up insanely hot.
Taking her petite hand in mine, I give it a quick shake before letting go. I don’t need to get my dirty fucking mitts all over hers.
“Nice to meet you,” I mumble out.
“You too,” she says with questioning smile to Avery. “Are you in the tournament today?”
Fuck no, I shout in my head. My out-of-shape ass would get pounded in front of her, which would suck big fucking balls.
“Nah, he isn’t ready for fighting just yet, Bree,” Dale’s cantankerous ass says from behind me.
And just like that, all thoughts of the blonde angel standing in front of me are wiped completely from my head.
Fucking Dale.
Turning to the shitbird, I’m tempted to give him the finger, but I just shake my head and start walking after him instead.
“It was nice meeting you…” I hear Bree say from behind me, and again I feel like an ass.
Turning to face her, I see there’s a faint blush on her cheeks, but she gives me a warm smile.
“You too, Bree,” I say, and then turn to face the shitstorm my life is about to become.
“Now that you’re done fucking around with the staff, we’ve got things to do today,” Dale growls at me in his usual fucking manner.