Fierce by Kathryn Thomas

wondering, the more frustrated she’d get, and the more she’d rebel against his coaching. People who patronized her always brought the worst out in her; half her teachers in school had learned that the hard way. And sooner or later, if he didn’t admit that he wanted to sleep with her—even if it was to tell her why it wasn’t a good idea—she’d have to ask him outright. Sure, it would be a cringer, but these games he was paying, pretending there was nothing going on between them one minute, kinda flirting the next, then stonewalling her altogether…it would drive her nuts long before she learned how to slap a choke hold on someone.
     
    But the good news: his man-management skills were amazing. The way he’d resolved the argument between Gino and Rick was something the cops could learn from. He’d spoken their language, laced it with as many fucks as was required, and he’d never talked down to them, not even when they’d spat their respective dummies out. Then he’d tailored his talk to each of them individually, pushing the right buttons to get them to see sense, the way a director might coax his actors to elicit the mood he wanted in a scene. So the guy had patience. He had tact. And the people who knew him liked him. They were willing to see things his way. Luca was an instantly likeable guy, but Avery’s charms took a little digging to find. He had to trust you before he’d let you into his sandbox.
     
    She returned to the office and logged into the computer, brought up the itinerary for Marlon Washington’s upcoming trip to Reno, Nevada. His application to take part in the UFC tournament there had been accepted, and it was the first professional event scheduled for a Wright Hook’s fighter since Gunny’s disgrace. Luca and Avery were nervous about it—especially with the long distance involved. Anything could happen in that sleaze pit of a town, so Luca had suggested taking someone else along with him, an extra chaperon for Marlon for those times when Luca couldn’t be with him. There were promoters to see, fighters to scout, hands to be shaken, plenty of chances for someone to get to Marlon behind his busy manager’s back.
     
    Rose hadn’t met all the gym’s staff yet. One, Rory O’Dell, the resident physio or “cutman”, was still on vacation in Hawaii for another two weeks. Then there were the two step-in coaches, Saul and Benny, who helped out part-time if and when required, an arrangement they also had with another gym in a neighboring town. Both were possibilities, but Luca seemed to want Wright Hook’s other permanent coach, an ex-fighter by the name of Manuel Etcheverria. He’d suffered a severely sprained ankle a couple of weeks back and wasn’t allowed near the gym till it was fully healed—his old lady’s orders. Luca didn’t think Mrs. E would mind if Manny took a trip to Reno, but so far he hadn’t been able to contact them. He’d try again later.
     
    In the meantime, Rose had to book the hotel rooms—including one for the as-yet-unspecified chaperon—organize the flights, file Marlon’s official licensing and medical insurance paperwork, and various other bits and pieces Luca had left blank on the spreadsheet. When she’d finished, leaving only a couple of bits she wasn’t entirely sure of—she’d ask Luca when he got in—she took a walk around the gym to see what everyone was up to.
     
    Several more members had arrived while she’d been plugged into the administrative side of things, including two faces she didn’t recognize. They weren’t much more than boys, 17, 19 at most, but that didn’t stop them from being the first guys in Wright Hook’s to hit on her.
     
    To be fair, she half-expected it when she spied them checking her out from over near the treadmills, exchanging juvenile gestures of approval and flashing their bare arms, the way all insecure guys did when trying to impress. The blonde dude was cute. He had a laid-back, bronzed surfer thing