Jaz was a little flummoxed. Ryan said himself he wanted her safe. What did he mean by that? What did it all mean? This whole night had been weird and she found herself wondering if someone hadn’t spiked her drink, causing her to hallucinate. Feeling vague, she started to wander back through the crowd for her friends.
‘Hey, Jaz, we’ve been looking for you. God, don’t scare us like that, we thought we’d lost you!’
‘I’m okay, Anna. I just ran into Ryan and he had to break up a fight. I think we should leave.’
‘Oh we saw some of that, it was big,’ said Taylor. ‘Are you okay? You look a little hazy.’
‘I had another drink and I’m not feeling that flash,’ she lied. What else could she say? I did some weird spying for my hot stalker and I was given drugs and I’m totally confused by all the events.
‘Let’s go. That fight freaked me out and my feet are killing me,’ said Anna. ‘I’m so glad Tay was there.’
Jaz smiled and agreed. Together they headed for the exit.
At the last minute, Jaz glanced back and saw Ryan watching her leave. How was it that in a crowded room she could find him as if he was a lighthouse on a rocky side? He was standing by the wall, no doubt waiting for the men to return from the passageway. Ryan nodded for her to keep going and mouthed ‘go’. She didn’t need to be told twice. Turning, she headed down the steps, hot on Anna’s heels.
Riding in the taxi back to Taylor’s house, Anna started talking about the club and wondering if they should go again next week. And while Taylor and Anna made plans, Jaz just laid her head against Taylor’s shoulder to rest. She was too caught up to talk with them. The whole night was just a mix of Ryan’s face now. She couldn’t get his vision from her mind. There was just something about him. Danger. Mystery. Smoking hot. What did she just get herself into?
Chapter 8
‘Come on, think you can take me?’ said Tick as Jaz stood on the mat in front of him. ‘Little miss. I’ll toughen you up, come on.’
Jaz stood still, watching Tick try to scare her with his tactics.
A panicked shout rang out behind her. ‘Jaz!’
Ryan ran towards the mat, bag in hand and a worried expression on his face.
She laughed, he probably thought she was going to get slaughtered by Tick. I’ll show him, she thought. So she threw the first punch at her opponent.
Tick blocked her punch and fired off one of his own. Jaz saw Ryan from the corner of her eyes. He was about to run in and rescue her. How sweet. But his step faltered yet again as Jaz threw up her hand and blocked Tick’s oncoming fist. Not only did she block him, she followed it with a knee to his gut that connected. Tick’s stomach was not soft either; it was rippled with muscle and was like kneeing a brick wall.
Ryan’s bag dropped to the floor along with his jaw, but she focused on Tick and unleashed a frenzy of kicks and punches.
‘Oh, you think because you won a fencing tournament that you can hurt Tick now, hey?’ Tick taunted.
‘I don’t know. How did that last kick feel?’ Jaz asked, her pink lips curling up into a cheeky smile.
She assumed by now Ryan must realise they were just sparring and having fun. He hadn’t run in to stop them.
Jaz jumped and swung her leg out as she spun, aiming for Tick’s head. If Tick hadn’t moved his head back in the nick of time, it wouldn’t be sitting on his shoulders. Her foot brushed past his nose by millimetres.
‘Remember,’ said Tick. ‘It’s get in and get out.’ And he showed her what he meant by slapping her in the face and sliding away and down so her return swing missed him. ‘Be on your feet ready to instantly move down and away.’
Ryan walked to the edge of the mat. After ten minutes, Jaz put up her hand and called a truce. The slap Tick gave her still stung her cheek but it also made her feel alive and invigorated. ‘Enough, I’ve still got stuff to clean,’ she laughed. ‘I don’t need blood on the mats too.’
Jaz hugged Tick as they laughed, and compared fresh bruises.
Ryan put his hands together and clapped. ‘Well, that was brilliant.’
Jaz smiled as she wiped the sweat from her brow. ‘Hey Ryan, this is Tick. Tick, meet Ryan. He’s just signed up for a few months.’
Tick held out his tattooed arm. Ryan shook it as he admired the artwork.
‘So you saw me take it easy on Jaz then, huh?’ said Tick full of bravado.
Jaz scoffed and flicked her towel at him. ‘Bullshit, Tick. You weren’t holding back.’ She felt pumped up and invigorated, her skin tingled from the work-out.
Ryan chuckled while they argued. No one had taken it easy on the other and it was just how Jaz liked it. Sometimes they went a little far and she went home with split lips or a blood nose, which would cause her mum to complain. Then she’d have to remind the guys to not aim for her face.