"I don't know what I would get," she said with a yawn.
"We'll think of something," he said kissing the top of her head. His eyes felt heavy and he was in danger of falling asleep. Next to him, Marie's breath was growing slow and even and it was almost hypnotic, lulling him into a sleep
"I can't sleep down here," Marie said as she slowly sat up. Her tanned body looked especially lovely against the white sheets and he wanted to keep her here in this bed with him. But he knew she had a daughter upstairs. Axel stood up and quickly pulled on his boxers, pants, and undershirt. They left the corset on the bed and he carefully buttoned Marie up into her dress noting that she didn't actually need the corset. He pulled his socks and shoes on and walked with Marie out of the storage unit.
His hand on her back he guided her through the rest of the house, completing her rounds quickly until they were at the back door to the office.
"How did your mom get home?" Marie asked.
"The mayor gave her a ride. He told me if I never needed anything I should just ask. I told her I was staying to help the new caretaker clean up." Marie scoffed and then smiled up at him and he couldn't help but smile back. Her once impeccable hair was now messy and loose on her head. He reached towards her and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "I had a lot of fun. I can't wait to do it again."
"Yeah," Marie said with a smile.
He kissed her one last time. His hands on her soft neck. He pulled her towards him and then finally let her go. He heard her close and lock the door behind him. From the front yard Axel stared up at mansion. He waited a few moments and then a light came on in the apartment in the attic and he knew that the alarm was on and she was safe.
He threw his tuxedo shirt over his shoulder and began to walk home. It was late and dark, but he didn't feel nervous. The town was asleep and he let out a soft whistle as he made his way up Main Street. A heavy tiredness was taking over him. But it was a good tired. He let himself into his apartment and didn't even bother turning on the lights. Once inside he took off his suit and hung it up, and then fell onto his bed, asleep in seconds.
***
By Monday Axel felt back to normal when it came to his training. But he felt good. He was still buzzing from his night with Marie and he knew she would be there at five for her training. He had already talked to Lori and told her she could keep the money, but he was going to take on Marie's training. He hadn't told Hayden yet.
After a punishing workout Hayden finally dismissed him and told him to hit the massage table.
"I'm gonna push through and do some training," Axel said as casually as he could muster.
"What?" Hayden demanded.
"Marie. I've been thinking about it and I want to train her myself," Axel said.
"Are you kidding me? Being with her is one thing but now you want her in the gym with you? You don't have time for this, Axel. You need to rest between sessions or you're going to get burnt out."
"I want to do this and I know I can do both. Training is a good way to improve your own skills. You told me that."
"Don't throw my words back at me. Look at yourself, look at what you're doing. Would the Axel of last year have permitted this? The Axel who ranked in the top five. What happened to focus, man?"
"Hayden you're being ridiculous. I can do both of these things. I'm not a moron. I'll still train for the full eight hours. Let's just consider this a very prolonged cool down."
Hayden shook his head. "This is a bad idea."
"But it is my decision," Axel watched as Hayden stalked off, but he couldn't find it in himself to be mad at the other man. Axel didn't answer to Hayden. He was his coach, sure, but Marie didn't have anything to do with the ring or the fights. She had nothing to do with Axel the MMA fighter; she just wanted Axel Connelly, the kid from nowhere Pennsylvania. Hayden wouldn't understand, but Axel knew he needed to be with Marie. He had been a mess without her and he was better with him; time had proven him right and now Axel wasn't sure if he even could let her go.
"Where's Lori?" Marie asked. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her knuckles were already taped up. She looked ready for business.
"I'm taking you back," Axel said.
She surveyed him and then said, "Okay, but no funny business during training. I'm not paying you for sex, Axel. I'm paying you to train me."
"I've already refunded your money," he said impressed with her forthrightness and her moxie. "It should be back on your card by tomorrow." He personally paid Lori for her time, but he didn't want Marie to have to pay to spend time with him. He would train her for free like a proper man.
"You didn't have to do that," Marie said with a shake of her head.
"Fifteen pushups," he said crossing his arms.
She hesitated for a moment and then went down on the floor. Her form was good. Her back was straight, but her arms were shaking by the tenth pushup. But she finished. Inch by inch she completed her last one before collapsing on the ground.
"We're just starting," Axel said with a shake of his head.
Forty minutes later her face was red and covered with sweat. They were in the ring. Automatically she fell into her stance, her feet shoulder's width apart her hands up and formed into loose fists. Already she was comfortable here and Axel couldn't help but be proud.
"Now, I'm going to show you how to block a punch. This isn't easy, it takes skill, and it's a full body movement." He stood across from her and raised his own fists. "Try and punch me in the face."
Without hesitation she shot out a jab and he easily pushed it aside and moved out of the way. "With your left hand, you want to move the striking hand aside. Don't try to stop it; then you're just taking a hit. Instead, use your opponent's energy against them; move them in another direction. They you step aside and land your own hit."
Marie nodded with a look of fierce determination on her face. He aimed a slow punch at her and was surprised as she quickly batted it aside, shifted her stance, and jabbed a punch that would have landed directly on his left eye.
"Good job," he said with a nod. Then he let loose with a real punch.
She was a little slower this time; she didn't push his hand far enough and she stumbled when she moved. But she wasn't a quitter and she set herself up again quickly. The fifth time she got it. She ducked away from his hand and stopped just short of punching him in the face.
"Good," he said and he meant it.
Then they began to spar. He went easy on her, but not too easy. Her footwork was good and she weaved and bobbed around him. She jabbed at him and tried some combinations. He knocked all of her moves aside, watching as fury grew in her face.
"Stay calm," he said as he continued to move. "Fighting is a mental game. Don't just hit. Think. Watch your opponent, look for weak points, slowness on one side." She nodded and then continued to dance and then suddenly she punched at him. He blocked it and she countered with a kick, which he blocked and then a solid punch to his stomach.
"Good hit," Axel said. He could see her winning a fight now and that made him feel a little better. But he still didn't know who she was up against.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Lice?!" Marie demanded. The daycare was closed. The doors locked, exterminators in white outfits that covered them from head to toe were walking around inside spraying the corners.
"It happens all the time," the daycare worker said as she took a comb through Cate's hair. "But we think we caught it early. So far only two kids have actually come down with it. I'm clean and so are the rest of the staff and it looks like little Cate here is lice free."
"What's lice?" Cate asked.
"They're like little bugs that live in your hair," Marie said. "But they don't hurt and you can get rid of them with a special shampoo."
"Ew! I don't want bugs in my hair," Cate said desperately.
"You don't have any, Cate, so you don't need to worry," the daycare worker said. "The bad news is that the daycare is closed for at least the next two days. We'll refund you for the time and we have the name of a few other babysitters and nannies in town if you're desperate."
"No," Marie said with a shake of her head, "I'm not that desperate. Cate and I can hang out today." She took her daughter by the hand and left the daycare behind.
"I wanted to play with Madeline and Molly today," she said with a petulant stomp of her foot.