Knuckle Up

Wild one

For a few moments, I stared at my phone to make head or tail of Sabrina’s message. Over the course of the five years, she’s been working for me—Sabrina has never taken sick leave or any form of leave. Throughout the day I kept pushing the uneasy feeling in my chest aside from worrying too much about her but every time I get to pass her desk and found it empty. I couldn’t help myself from wondering if she was doing alright.

I know I shouldn’t care for an employee like the way I care for her but I couldn’t help it. Her face is always the first thing I see when I get to the office. Her sparkling big cobalt eyes, followed by that irresistible smile of hers.

I tripped over my own two feet at the first glance of her sitting in my office five years ago. Her hair tied up in a braid, dangling at the side of her face and a quizzical look inching over brows when our eyes and hands met. I had all these questions lined up and ready to ask but when I sat down in front of her, the questions vanished.

I tried not to stare at her lips when we talked about our likes and dislikes. Sabrina was the kind of person who doesn’t belong behind the desk with the knowledge she carries around with her. I take her with me to every meeting because I trust her insight on everything and she shows a lot of character. Something I was looking for in a candidate for the personal position and I got more than I bargained for.

I thought I had her figured out but a few days ago, I learned that I don’t really know much about her personal life. The men in the office weren’t the only ones staring at the roundness of her ass and I felt horrible for hearing how uncomfortable she feels with them gawking at her.

By noon I decided to check in on her and make sure she has everything she needs to feel better but my calls went to voice mail. I looked through her file trying to find out where she lives but there was no street or house number. I know she was from Gresham and that she takes the bus but I also know she works out at a gym here in Portland. Maybe her coach can give me insight into how she was doing.

Coach Mason was working on Clay Agos when I arrived at his gym. I was still curious about why he hasn’t got Sabrina signed when it was obvious that he saw the same skills I was seeing.

I watched Clay go toe to toe with his sparring opponent and followed coach Mason’s instructions. There was a moment when I wanted to see Sabrina spar with Clay. I saw her fighting skills back in the underground when I challenged her. She’s fast on her feet, control’s her punches of someone who was professionally trained and focused.

She can become the next Alexandra Anderson if she just gives herself a chance and I don’t know why she is shying away from the idea of the spotlight.

“Jared,” Coach Mason acknowledged when he noticed me.

I shook his hand. “How’s our boy doing?” I asked him.

Coach Mason looked at Clay and nodded his head. “His trainer did a neat job teaching him how to fight. I can see why you signed him,”

“He is young and eager,” I noted.

“Clay reminds me of someone I know,” Coach Mason muttered.

“Sabrina?” I took a chance and when he nodded, he made it clear I wasn’t wrong.

“Why haven’t you signed her?” I asked him.

Coach Mason chuckled. “Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve known her since she was a baby and I watched her grow up. A curious but isolated girl,”

“Sabrina didn’t come into work today—do you know if she is doing alright?” I asked taking another chance.

It didn’t look like he wanted to answer me and I wasn’t going to push him for any answers due to respect for his relationship with Sabrina.

“She barely tells me anything but you can check in for yourself. Her place is just a few streets over from here,” He handed me an address and it look different to the one I had of her. “Sabrina has her reasons for being secretive but she needs a friend and by the looks of it. She trusts you,”

“Aren’t you going to get into trouble for handing out her address?” I asked arching an eyebrow.

Coach Mason raised his shoulders. “Probably,” He didn’t say much as he left to get back to his fighters and at first, I didn’t want to invade Sabrina’s privacy but something didn’t feel right. I was aware she was secretive because she rarely talks about her personal life and there has to be a reason why she doesn’t want people to know where she lives but for some reason, I couldn’t let it go.

I went to the address coach Mason gave me and it led me to an apartment building. I stood in front of the door for a while before I knocked and slipped the piece of paper into my pocket while waiting for Sabrina to answer the door.

The door opened instantly and I didn’t miss the regret in Sabrina’s eyes when she found me standing in front of her. She was wearing snug shorts and a tank top that sit pretty low—showing her cleavage.

“How?” I sensed her confusion and watched her peek around the corner as if she was expecting answers to flow up to her.

“I tried calling you about ten times since you sent me a text that you’re not feeling well,” I brought up the pharmacy bag to show her.

She stepped outside, shutting the door slightly behind her as if she was hiding something and didn’t want me to see. “How did you find my place?”

I didn’t want to lie to her. “I went over to coach Mason’s gym to see if he would know where you stay or can give me an update on your health but by the look of it…” My gaze fell on the right side of her face where I saw a bruise. Did someone beat her up? Is that why she didn’t want to come in?

Without being in control of my movements—I brought up my hand and skimmed my fingers over the swollen and bruised skin of her face. A cold shudder shot up my spine when she flinched slightly as if she expected me to hurt her. She immediately noticed and turned her face away.

“Sorry, I lied,” I don’t know why she was apologizing.

“What happened?” I asked even though I knew she wasn’t going to give me a straight answer. She took off from work to hide it.

“Fight, the guy got a bit rough and I was a bit slow but I finished him off,” I know the underground can get rough because there were no rules but Sabrina being slow? Impossible.

I sensed that she didn’t want to talk about it and I let it slide. “Hope you send him home with two bruised eyes,”

There was relief in her eyes. “I bruised his ego,” Her confidence at least returned.

“You could have told me that you just had to recover from an ugly bruise instead of worrying me that you picked the flu,” I knew about her fighting and she doesn’t have to hide it from me anymore.

“If I told you that I got beaten up, you would have also shown up here with bandages and ice,” She playfully remarked.

True. I didn’t want to make it obvious that I have had a crush on her for years. My crush started years ago when she started working for me. She was still eighteen and I was already twenty-four. I didn’t want to approach her and make it look like I was a predator but over the years I watched her progress and my feelings for her weren’t going anywhere.

“Are you going to invite me in?” I asked and I only meant it as teasing her but she stepped aside taking me by surprise.

“Don’t judge. It’s new. I don’t have much,” Sabrina said with vulnerability combined with confidence.

I stepped inside and realized she only has a bed and her kitchen appliances were still in boxes. “Did you only move in today?” I asked her.

“Yeah,” She avoided my gaze as she passed me. She pulled out a kettle and plugged it into the wall.

“Sabrina, if you feel uncomfortable with having me here. I can go,” I offered.

She smiled and it made me want to go around and kiss her. “I am a bit embarrassed because I can’t offer my boss to sit down and that he is standing in my empty apartment thinking I am poor,”

I shook my head at her. “Not a chance. I also had to start from scratch after my agent betrayed me,” I clarified.

“That’s part of the reason why I started working for you,” She shared. “After your agent stole your money, you didn’t stay down. You made something of it even if it seems impossible at first,” I didn’t know she felt like that.

“Why aren’t you making something of your talent, Sabrina?” We had the same interest but unlike me who didn’t stand a chance after my injury—she still does stand a chance. She’s got everything a fighter needs.

Our gazes locked when she came over to hand me a mug. I wanted to take her hand in mine to stop her from walking away from me but I didn’t want to take advantage of her.

“I can’t really answer that but I am considering it,”

There was determination lurking in her eyes and I didn’t want to ask her what changed her mind. All I could do is focus on not tasting her lips and getting acquainted with her body—finding the sweet spot that will make her moan my name.