“Hmm.”
“Listen, I know you’re tired and just want to rest, but you’ll be back at it in the gym tomorrow, right?”
Jasper wilted at the thought of another day’s training.
“Maybe if my trainer had stuck around I’d be more inclined to go,” he replied, deciding to be bold and tackle the issue of his dismissed trainer head on.
“I had to let him go,” Carl lowered his head apologetically. “I’m sure you can figure out why.”
“Yes,” Jasper nodded. “But you could have run it past me first. Of all the things that could go, I didn’t think my trainer was one of them.”
“I’m just doing my best to keep you afloat,” Carl said, sounding hurt. “I made an executive decision. Once you’re back on top and winning again, you can fly him back in. Until then, you’re on your own when it comes to training. But that’s not so bad is it? I mean, you didn’t have a trainer back when you were starting out.”
“No,” Jasper agreed. He didn’t have a trainer back then, but he had the hunger. He wanted to win more than anything in the world; nothing else mattered. But now there were other things in his life like Kait. The hunger to win wasn’t nearly as veracious as it once had been. Thinking about Kait made Jasper feel even more exhausted. He’d lied to her, and he hated himself for that. She was always just trying to help, to look out for him, and he repaid her time and again by pushing her away.
“Let’s get you back to your place,” Carl said, holding open the door for Jasper to awkwardly hobble through. “All you need is a good night’s sleep to get you back on track.”
Chapter 82
“You need to head over to his place right now!” Anna fumed down the phone. Kait was lingering in the car park of the gym, her cell phone glued to her ear.
“Really?” Kait squeaked in response.
“Yes!” Anna insisted fiercely. “He’s probably over there right now doing who knows what with God knows who! You need to catch him in the act and put him in his place!”
Kait just wanted to go back to her apartment and hide under her duvet. The thought of finding Jasper in bed with someone else was making her feel physically sick.
“Kait, you deserve the truth from him.”
“I know, I know,” Kait kicked at a loose stone and watched it skitter across the tarmac.
“All I want is for you to be happy.”
“I know.”
“And a relationship can’t thrive when it’s built on lies.” Ever since getting serious with Robert, Anna had morphed in to one of those annoying types who suddenly felt like they were romance experts. Most of the time Kait didn’t mind, but at times like this, it really annoyed her.
“If he’s lying, he’ll have good reason to,” Kait defended. She was starting to regret having called her friend in a panicked moment of weakness. Nothing Anna had said had made her feel better about Jasper lying to her.
“Like what? He’s in bed with someone else and doesn’t want you to know?”
“It might not be that!” Kait snapped, tears brimming behind her eyes.
“Okay, then go over to his apartment and find out for sure.”
“You think?”
“Yes!” Anna insisted shrilly. Then, more gently she asked, “Want me to come along?”
“No, no,” Kait was already striding off in the direction of Jasper’s plush apartment building. “I can do this on my own.”
“That’s right! Pull up your big girl pants, and show him who’s boss!”
“Yeah,” Kait sighed. She wanted to be angry and brimming with indignation, but she was more scared than anything. Just when she thought things were finally getting serious with Jasper, that he was finally letting her in, he goes and shuts her out all over again. It was beyond demoralizing and left Kait feeling suspicious and betrayed.
“You’ve got this, Kait,” Anna told her sincerely. “And whatever happens, I’m right here for you. Don’t forget that.”
“Thanks, I won’t.”
Chapter 83
Jasper was slumped against the wall of the elevator as it silently climbed to his floor. Carl was gone, despite having offered to help Jasper up to his apartment. Jasper had declined; he just wanted to be alone. Besides, he needed to quickly learn how to support himself on his bad leg else there was no way he’d be able to get back in the ring again.
The sleek elevator doors opened, and Jasper hobbled out on to his floor, taking his time as he traversed the plush hallway. He turned and headed towards his own door before abruptly stopping. He rarely ever encountered anyone on his floor. It was the top level consisting of three penthouse suites. He didn’t even know who lived in the other two. But now there was someone leaning against his door. Jasper froze as Kait lifted her head to look at him, tears streaked down her cheeks.