Fight Like A Girl (Part One) Read Online Free Page B

but I knew I
couldn’t change my father’s actions. Instead, I changed my last
name.
    The fortunate part was that people didn’t
remember the curly haired girl named Maxi who followed John around.
I was a tiny girl back then, thin with almost no muscle. But I had
bulked up, gotten taller, and permanently straightened all that
curly blonde hair. When I emerged back on the scene, no one even
recognized me, let alone had any inkling I was John’s daughter. And
with a different last name, I had nothing to worry about.
    Freddie took it all with a grain of salt.
He’d owned the gym when I was younger and I spent a lot of time
there, hanging out while my dad worked out. When I returned, I
didn’t try to hide who I was from Freddie. I simply told him I was
starting over and he said he wanted to help. He didn’t tell anyone
about me, and for that reason alone, I trusted him.
    He’d confided in me over the years that he
didn’t think my father was a murderer, but I honestly didn’t care.
A man who ran away from the truth, whether he was guilty or not,
was a coward in my book. And I despised cowards.
    In his absence, I’d become someone I could
look in the mirror at and be proud of, someone I actually liked. I
had integrity and honor, two attributes I couldn’t say I inherited
from him. Wherever he was, I hoped he knew how much better off I
was without him.
     

 
Four

    I tried not to be nervous when the door at
the gym opened. Not wanting to psych myself out, I focused my
attention on the punching bag in front of me and completely ignored
the stranger among us. After a few minutes, I peeked around the gym
and saw Freddie talking to someone in his office. My hands shook,
but I wouldn’t let another asshole like Jeff into my life; I was
stronger than ever, both physically and mentally, and I would not
be pushed around.
    I kept up at the bag, giving it all I had.
After a few minutes, I was acutely aware of someone watching me. I
didn’t turn, though.
    “So where do you want to start?”
    I whirled around, recognizing the voice
instantly. My one night stand stood there, bulky arms folded across
his chest and a sly grin on his face. I set my hands on my hips.
“Is this some kind of joke?” Because, honestly, my reality couldn’t be that bad.
    But it was. “Actually, your friend Freddie
asked me to come train you. It’s not a joke.” He was serious, but
his eyes shone with amusement.
    Fuck.
    “Such language,” he chastised me and I
realized I’d said the word aloud.
    I shook my head. “No, really. What are you
doing here?”
    His grin widened. “I’m your new trainer.”
    “But why?”
    He held back laughter. “Freddie called me. He
didn’t mention that you weren’t very smart… I might have to up my
fees if I have to keep repeating myself.”
    “Fuck you,” I mumbled and walked past him,
straight toward Freddie’s office. “What the hell is this?” I all
but shouted as soon as I crossed the threshold.
    He looked up at me, surprised. “What do you
mean? King will be a great trainer. And he said you two already
knew each other, so win-win.”
    I closed my eyes to ward off the rage that
seemed to want to fill me. I took several breaths and then looked
at Freddie again, certain I wouldn’t rip his fucking head off.
“There’s some kind of mistake. He and I do not know each other, and
there’s no way in hell I’m training with him.” There, I said it. I
didn’t even raise my voice. I lifted my chin, proud of my feat.
    “We do know each other,” a voice said from
behind me.
    I turned to glare at him. “This is a private
conversation.” I moved to close the door in his face.
    “Actually,” he said, a firm hand on the door,
“since I’m you’re trainer, I think I should be privy to all
conversations between you and the gym owner.”
    I saw red. “You aren’t my trainer,” I
grit out.
    “Alright, fine. Why don’t you ask Freddie who
else is available?”
    Finally . “I was just about to