"You're late."

"We didn't even agree on a time!" I exclaimed, dropping my bag in the corner of the room.

Jack grinned, tawny eyes dancing as he stretched his arms. "You're still late."

"I'm gonna lay your ass out. Just you wait."

"All talk, but I'm not seeing any actions."

"I'm not rising to your baiting techniques, but nice try," I said, sitting down to do my own stretches before we started.

"Worth a shot." He joined me on the ground to do the stretches he always coached me through. "You ran in here like a bat out of hell. You okay?"

"Yeah," I assured him, fighting the smile that wanted to overtake my own face. "I actually was feeling like I was late, so I ran the whole way here."

"Didn't you mention living on like, the opposite side of town?"

"Yes."

"Psychopath."

A laugh fell from my lips as I leaned towards my toes. "You're the one who encourages it."

"Fair enough," he hefted himself to his feet. His hand extended toward me, and I let him pull me up as well.

"What're we doing today?"

"Let's evaluate where your skills are at with everything we've done so far, and we'll adjust from there."

"Deal." I sank back into the stance he had shown me. "Don't hold back."

His grin turned wicked. "Not a chance."

He was on me before I could even blink. Sometimes, I forgot how fast the man moved. It took every ounce of strength to maneuver us to my advantage. While he had the brute strength – and skill – I was small and quick. It typically worked in my favor. So much so, that after a month of training I had begun to feel like I could hold my own against Jack.

He was very quickly proving me wrong. Maybe he had been going easy on me all the times before.

"Ow." I hissed as he slammed me into the mat. "I know I said don't hold back but Jesus."

"C'mon. Weight training. Don't give me that," he said in response to the drawn-out groan that slipped through my lips. "You're not nearly as strong as you want to be. Let's go."

"I'm going out tonight," I told him, hoisting myself back onto my feet. "I had better be able to move after we're done here."

A huff ripped out of him as he rolled his eyes at me. He got me set up with the weights he wanted me to work with, coaching me through how to move and lift them. We fell into a rhythm. His voice became an anchor as I pushed my muscles as far as they would let me, and before I knew it our two hours were up. My entire body felt like it had been reduced to jello.

Jack tossed me a water bottle as I slumped to the floor. "How are you feeling?' he asked, mirth dancing in his eyes.

"I hate you," I muttered.

"You'll survive," he said, a deep laugh rumbling in his chest and he sank down beside me. "Are you going to make it tonight?" he teased.

"My best friend would quite literally kill me if I bailed on her, so I don't have much of a choice." The water was so cold I could feel the path it tracked all the way down into my stomach. A shiver wracked my frame as I pressed my forehead against the side of the bottle.

"Girl's night?"

"That's the plan."

"Is it just the two of you?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Juliette, you're coming to me for self-defense. Your initial reason for coming here was because you were on your own a lot at night. You've improved significantly since we started, but that doesn't mean I think it's smart to go out without a little . . ." he trailed off, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. "Extra protection."

My brows arched. "How very sexist of you, Jack."

He tossed me a dirty look. "A gun, Jules. I meant do you have a gun?"

"Yes," I squeaked, cheeks flaming. "Sorry."

"Have you practiced with it?"

"Jack."

Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone so fast I couldn't name it. "Sorry, sorry." He blew out a breath, puffing out his cheeks. "I just worry about you."

"I appreciate it, but really, I'll be fine." I had more than enough people worrying about me as it was.

"Same time next week?"

"You got it!"

He walked me to the door, holding it open for me. It had gotten late while I'd been inside the gym, and Jack's face was half covered in the darkness cast from the awning over the door. I went to brush past him, and his hand caught me by the crook of my elbow. When I turned back to him, I sucked in a breath at how close we were. Jack's eyes looked molten in the waning light. They searched my face, the same way they had done days ago when I had him pinned. He raised a hand to my face, slowly, as if giving me the chance to pull away. When I didn't, he brushed the piece of hair that had fallen into my eyes back behind my ear. His fingers trailed the edge of my jaw to the very tip of my chin before he let his hand fall back to his side.

I couldn't look away from him, and I couldn't make my lungs function.

"Be careful, tonight," he said. There was an undercurrent of warning in his voice. A darkness to his tone that reminded me of Vincent's.

"I will," I whispered, my breath leaving me in a near audible whoosh.

Jack nodded. He took a step back and the door closed behind him soon after, cutting off my view of him. It took me a few seconds to regain my composure, but then I turned on my heel and headed home. I wasn't quite sure what had just sparked between us, but I didn't want to investigate it. Vincent was more than enough to handle. And I wasn't going to endanger what I had with Jack with any other sort of entanglement. He was a good trainer, and that was all he was going to stay.

Even if that darkness that had coated his voice sang to the same part of me that Vincent's aura did.

"You're a damn idiot, Juliette," I muttered to myself, picking up my pace.

I made it back to my apartment in record time, but still only had little over an hour to get ready. Dexter snuffled at my feet as I hurried into the bathroom to shower. My body was an aching mess after forcing myself to speed walk home, but it would be worth it if I avoided Devyn's endless teasing. Turning the water to the hottest setting, I sent her a quick text letting her know I was running behind.

No surprise there. She shot back only a few seconds later.

My eyes rolled. She was just as bad as me most of the time, so she could shove it. A smile pulled at my mouth before I stepped under the water, hissing at how hot it was. It took me a second to adjust the temperature, clinging to the side of the wall like some kind of insect to avoid the near boiling water. I wanted nothing more than to let the hot water soothe away every ache in my bones after that session with Jack, but knew I needed to get a move on. I washed my hair and body quickly, and I made a last-minute decision to ditch shaving.

Dexter watched me with keen eyes as I flew through the apartment. It had been quite a while since Devyn and I had actually gone out, and I was buzzing with excitement. Even though I knew that the night would no doubt entail her grilling me on my relationship with Vincent, I couldn't wait. A night out was just what I needed.

I was swiping a second coat of mascara over my lashes when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" I yelled, leaning closer to the mirror.

"You look like a fish," Devyn said as she popped her head into the bathroom.

"Hello to you too."

"Do you need me to take Dex out while you finish up?"

"Yes, please!" I threw everything back into my makeup bag and pitched it under the sink. "You're a life-saver."

Devyn grinned, her blood red lips stretching over her teeth in a blinding smile. Not for the first time, I let myself appreciate how beautiful she was. Her hair fell in a sleek curtain over one shoulder, framing her heart shaped face. She had lined her eyes with a dark sweep of coal, making them look even more doe-like than they normally did. Her eyes were only a few shades darker than my own, but they were warm and reminded me of home. She reminded me of home, the only family I had had for so long.

"Why do you look like you're about to cry?" she asked, arching her pierced brow.

"Because I love you, leave me alone."

"I love you, too, dumbass. Don't smear your makeup before we even leave." Despite her flippant words, her eyes softened. She reached forward and touched my hand before turning to find Dexter's lead. Her trotted beside her, bouncing around her legs like an overexcited rabbit.

"I'll only be a few more minutes!" I called after them, making to head into the bedroom.

"What's this?"

Turning, I saw that she was staring at the security panel on the wall. Both eyebrows were about at her hairline as she tilted her head to meet my gaze. I snagged my bottom lip between my teeth.

Shit.

"It's a security system."

"Bitch, this thing costs more than this apartment. How did you . . ." she trailed off, realization sparkling in her dark eyes. "Did the banger buy this for you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Double shit.

"Can we talk about this after a few drinks?" I asked, giving her a sheepish smile.

"Oh, you better believe we're talking about this. Don't you dare try to distract me away from it either." She narrowed her eyes and shook her finger at me before leading Dexter outside.

My eyes rolled skyward. And she called Dante a hormonal mother hen.

I pulled on a pair of destroyed black skinny jeans, hopping to force them over my hips. I was standing in front of my closet, clad in nothing more than my black lace bra and the jeans, when Devyn appeared in the doorway ten minutes later. I had my arms crossed, examining my closet as I tried to decide on what to wear. My bare foot tapped against the floor. I was overthinking, I knew that. But I wanted to feel good, feel sexy.

"Wanna help?" I tossed over my shoulder.

"What shoes are you wearing?" I pointed to a pair of combat boots with a chunky 4-inch heel. Something that would give me some damn height for once, but that I could also run in easily enough if I needed. And with the way my life had been going the past few months, that wasn't outside of the realm of possibility. "Are you wearing your leather jacket?"

"I was planning on it."

Her face turned contemplative as her eyes scanned my closet. She stepped forward, reaching for one of the pieces shoved to the very back. She held the black corset up to inspect it. It was one of the more daring tops that I had since the panels along the ribs were sheer. A smile broke across her face as she tossed it to me and then continued to paw through my clothes. I didn't even bother trying to second guess her. I pitched the bra I had on into the corner of the room and slipped into the corset. Thankfully, it wasn't a traditional one with the laces, just stretchy material to give the illusion of them.

"Wear this instead of your black one," Devyn said, catching my attention as she handed me the burgundy leather jacket I had completely forgotten that I owned.

"You're a genius," I told her, pulling the jacket on. She simply grinned at me before snatching my hand and all but dragging me out the door. She barely gave me the time to engage the security system before we left. By the time we were outside, there a was silver sedan idling at the curb. I bristled, clutching my phone in my hand. If Vincent had gone back on his word –

"Who are you here to pick up?" Devyn asked the driver as the window rolled down. Letting out a breath, I realized she had called for a car. After he verified he was there for us, we piled into the backseat. The man had a broad smile on his face, his eyes crinkling around the edges. He reminded me of Kyle, which made me realize I still needed to go see him soon. Devyn and the driver made small talk as he headed into the heart of the city.

"Tuxedo first?" I asked once there was a lull in their conversation.

"Yep. If we even leave at all."

She had a point. There was a reason Tuxedo was one of the most popular clubs in the city. It was good. The drinks were good no matter which one of us made them, and our liquor selection was wide enough to be able to accommodate any taste. Add that to the fact that Dante was picky as all hell with who he let DJ, and we were rarely at anything less than capacity on the weekends.

When we pulled up to the front of the club, I groaned at the line that stretched for nearly a block. Devyn arched a brow at me. She thanked the driver, handed him a tip, and then shooed me from the car. The night was blissfully warm considering the weather was beginning to take the turn into fall. With my light jacket, I was perfectly comfortable. As I felt the bass from the club pulse under my shoes even from outside, my blood began to hum in my veins.

Maybe I was a little excited.

I made to head to the back of the line, but Devyn grabbed my arm and yanked me towards the alley that led around to the back of the club. My eyes rolled. Of course, she wasn't planning on waiting in the line.

"This is an abuse of power you know," I said as I sped up so that she wasn't dragging me behind her.

"Oh, shut up," she said, canary yellow nails flashing as she waved me off. "You know damn well you didn't want to wait either. And this way, we can keep our purses and shit in the back where we don't have to keep an eye on it."

She had a point.

We shouldered the back door open and all but spilled into the backroom. The door to Dante's office was open and we could see him sitting at his desk. He raised his head at the commotion, and once his eyes landed on us, I could see the curse that fell from his lips. It made me laugh as I waved at him. He heaved himself up and looked like he was still muttering to himself as he walked up to us.

"How much trouble are you two going to cause tonight?' he asked, looking pointedly at Devyn.

"I'm wounded. Jules is the one fucking a gangster."

"Devyn," I hissed, wincing as Dante turned his attention on me. He just crossed his arms and leaned against doorway. "It's nothing." Devyn snorted as she shrugged out of her ripped denim jacket and hung it on the rack.

"Juliette."

"Dante," I said, my voice flat. I crossed my arms and planted my feet shoulder width apart, as if I were squaring up for a fight. Which by the look of reproach on both of their faces, I damn well might be. "I thought we were over the warnings and bullshit."

Devyn opened her mouth, but Dante cut her off. "You're right," he said, blowing out a breath. He ran a hand over his bald head before dragging it down his face. His warm brown eyes studied me, taking in the stance as well as the unwavering glare on my face. "You're right," he repeated. "I've said my piece. You know how I feel about the situation. But you're not a kid anymore. I get that. But I want you to let him know that if he steps one toe out of line, I'll remind him just why I've never had any issues with gangs in this club."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. Sometimes I forgot about how dark Dante's past had been before he started the club. Before he started something legitimate to get out of one of the worst gangs in the city. Forgot that I had once seen him break a bone in his arm clean in two and barely react to the pain, even though the bone had pierced his skin. A shiver raked down my spine at the memory, and I physically shook my head to clear it.

"Thank you," I said, letting my arms drop and a smile light my face.

"Don't drink all my tequila," was all he said as he dipped back into the office and shut the door behind him.

"You've still got some explaining to do as far as I'm concerned," Devyn groused. I rolled my eyes at her and moved to her side to drop my own purse onto the shelf. Sliding my debit card and phone into my back pocket, I managed to snag the last open hook for my own jacket. As cute as it was, I knew I'd be sweating within minutes of stepping out onto the dance floor if I kept it on. Devyn linked her arm with mine as we made our way out into the bar.

Anthony looked up from where he was polishing glasses. His hazel eyes sparkled as he spotted us. He moved to the swinging door that opened from behind the bar to the floor and pushed it open for us. As we passed him, he sketched a deep bow. Devyn shoved his shoulder, causing him to stumble into the wall. His laughter trailed us as we took up two stools on Anthony's side of the bar. I saw Ember, one of our newer starts, on the other side. She had fit in around here quickly, her tongue almost as sharp as Devyn's. She nodded her head in acknowledgement before turning back to her customers.

"How much trouble are you two going to give me tonight?" Anthony asked, leaning on the bar directly in front of us.

"Who me?" Devyn cooed, fluttering her thick lashes at him. He just rolled his eyes and placed two shot glasses in front of us.

"Don't even pull that shit, Dev," he said as he poured a hefty amount of tequila into one of the shakers to chill it. "First one's on me, then you two heathens are on your own."

"We love you too," I threw in, grinning at him.

He pitched us the saltshaker and limes before heading off to take more orders. Devyn raised her shot to me, and we clinked glasses before tossing the liquor back. It burned straight down my throat before the warmth began to leak out towards my fingers and toes. The lime wedge dulled the afterbite, and I tossed it into my empty glass when I was done. The small breakfast I had shared with Vincent was long gone, so the shot went to work relaxing my muscles almost immediately.

"So?" Devyn started, pivoting on her stool to face me.

"So?" I mimicked.

"Are you going to make me drag this out of you?"

"Maybe."

She sighed. "If you really don't want to tell me, Jules, I get it. Dante and I have kind of been up your ass about this whole thing. But if you tell me you're happy, I'll lay off." She paused. "A little."

"I don't even know where to start," I admitted, running my fingers through my hair.

"How about the beginning?"