Challenge Accepted

SHAY

Zane let go of my hands and stepped back. He picked up the clothes with a smirk on his face and handed them to me. My cheeks were still warm from his kiss.

“You need to focus before you face those two. They won’t hesitate to hurt you if you’re not paying attention.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I glanced at the bulge in his jeans. “Looks like I’m not the only one who needs to get a grip, huh?”

He moved closer, his eyes burning with desire. It was a look that was almost scary.

“I can handle myself, sweetheart. But that’s a problem for later. Right now, you need to get dressed and prepare for the challenge you’ve thrown at my guys. You can change here or in the bathroom. Your call.”

He leaned against the wall, his gaze undressing me.

“I’m not changing with you in the room! Please leave.”

He didn’t move. I headed for the bathroom, and he followed closely. I spun around, coming face-to-chest with him.

“I said—”

Before I could finish, he scooped me up, tossed me over his shoulder, and carried me to the bathroom.

“You’ll learn, one way or another, that I don’t take defiance lightly. I always get what I want.”

He walked into the spacious bathroom, closed the door, and set me down. He leaned against the door, his gaze commanding.

“Get dressed. We’re running out of time. The guys are probably waiting for us.”

“Not with you—” Before I could finish, he scooped me up again and gave my ass a hard smack. I retaliated by punching him in the back.

“Bad move, sweetheart. Now get dressed, or I’ll do it for you. Your choice.”

He set me down again and leaned against the door. His captivating eyes followed my every move.

I sighed and looked around the bathroom. A mirror stretched across the entire wall. The toilet was hidden behind a few pillars, but the mirror reflected everything. There was no place to hide.

I decided to change in the shower. Zane didn’t move, but I saw his eyes flick to the mirror as I undressed. ~At least I’m wearing underwear~, I thought.

I put on the clothes he gave me: black workout shorts that reached my knees, a white spaghetti-strap tank top, and a sports bra underneath. After hanging up the dress I’d worn at the club, I walked back towards him.

He took in my outfit, his eyes roaming over every curve of my body.

“What’s this?” He pointed to a partially hidden tattoo on my back.

“An old bet I lost with a friend. Nothing worth discussing.”

He pulled me into his arms. “Will you tell me about it later tonight?”

“I told you—”

Once again, I found myself over his shoulder, my ass stinging from another smack. I punched his back again, though I doubted it had any effect.

“You will answer when I ask a question. And if you hit my back again, there will be consequences.”

“Then stop smacking my ass so hard,” I retorted.

He laughed, opened the door, and carried me out over his shoulder. Once we were in the hallway, he set me down and took my hand, leading me back to the elevator and down to the first floor.

From the elevator, we turned right and walked down a long hallway, passing a shooting range. I paused to look through the glass window at the top-notch equipment.

Zane tugged gently at my hand. “The guys are getting impatient, sweetheart. I promise I’ll show you the rest of the house later.”

We continued to the end of the hallway and through a set of double doors into a massive gym. It was filled with all kinds of workout equipment—weights, strength training machines, even a track that circled the top of the gym.

“This is amazing.” I marveled at the expensive equipment.

“We have to stay in shape somehow. This is how we do it. Everything here is top of the line. There’s your ring.”

He pointed to a competition-sized kickboxing ring at the far end of the gym. We walked over to where Conner and Noah were waiting for us outside the ropes.

“Took you long enough, boss,” Noah said. “We thought she was going to chicken out.”

“No, she’s just learning her place with me.”

Conner started to smile, but Zane cut him off. “Not like that; she got her ass smacked for not following orders.”

“Alright, but let’s get this over with. I’m getting hungry.” Noah rolled backwards under the ropes and jumped up into a fighting stance.

I rolled my eyes at him, and he dropped his hands. “Did you just roll your eyes at me?”

“And what if I did?” I crawled under the ropes onto the mat.

“She’s got some nerve. Now I see why the boss likes her.” Conner jumped down onto the mat and got a smack on the back of his head. “What? I was complimenting you both.”

“Whatever,” Zane growled. “How do you want to do this, sweetheart? Until one of you taps out?”

“Sounds like a good way to make a man admit defeat,” I said, grinning at Noah.

“Alright, no hitting above the neck. Got it, Noah?”

“Yeah, boss, I won’t hurt her too much.” Noah smirked at me, and we took our stances.

“Fight!” Zane slapped the mat, and Noah and I began to circle each other.

I studied him, looking for a weakness, but found none. He shifted his weight to his left foot and lunged at me. I spun out of the way and kicked hard into his back, sending him into the ropes.

He spun around. “Alright, girl. Gloves are off!”

Noah lunged at me, but I dropped into a split and punched him in the balls. He choked and backed away.

“That’s”—~cough—~“not fair!”

“In love and war, everything’s fair,” I retorted, bouncing back into my fighting stance. He shook off the pain and charged at me again.

I aimed a kick at his chest. Bad move; he was built like a rock. He caught my foot, twisted my leg, and I ended up face down on the mat.

I swung my other foot up and hit him hard in the chin.

He stumbled back, clutching his chin. “I thought we agreed no face hits.”

“Oops, my bad. I forgot,” I said, grinning at him.

We continued like this for about ten minutes, trading blows with our fists and feet. I finally managed to knock him off balance, hit him in the back, and pinned his arm behind him.

“Give up!” I demanded, pushing his arm up toward his head. Noah grunted but didn’t give in. I pushed harder, and he groaned. ~“Give up!”~

Finally, he did, and I released him and stood up.

Noah got to his feet and hugged me. “You might be small, but damn, you’re good.”

Conner was laughing. “I think I’ll pass on my turn. You look beat.”

“A bit. Noah, you’re like a brick wall that won’t budge. That was one of the best fights I’ve had in a long time.”

“Same here. I don’t usually hit women, but you can make a man forget that in a few seconds.” He was still panting, just like I was.

“When did you realize that? When she hit you in the back or when she crushed your balls?” Conner was still laughing. Noah walked over and punched him hard in the face.

“Enough, you two. Noah, hit the showers. You too, sweetheart. Dinner will be ready in forty-five minutes, so clean up.”

“Alright.” Noah walked out, and Conner looked at me with a red mark on his face. I walked up to him and touched it, then stood on my tiptoes to kiss it.

“That should help,” I said, smiling at his surprised expression.

“Boss, I didn’t touch her. She did that on her own,” he said, looking at Zane with panic in his eyes.

“I know she did.” Zane’s jaw was clenched so tight I was surprised his teeth didn’t crack.

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked, looking between them.

“Boss doesn’t like his woman touching another man. Doesn’t matter who it is.”

“Sorry, Noah punched you for no reason, and it looked—” I was scooped up again.

Zane started carrying me out of the gym and back to the elevator. Conner was right behind us, grinning at me.

“What?” I asked, pointing a finger at him.

“You’ll learn one day, Shay. Either you’ll fall in line or else—”

~SMACK!~

“Ouch, you jerk!”

~SMACK!~

I clenched my fist, and Conner shook his head, warning me. I ignored him and punched Zane hard in the middle of his back, and he let out a small grunt.

“What did I say would happen if you hit me again, sweetheart?”

“Stop smacking me, and I’ll stop hitting you!” I said, tapping my fingers on his back in annoyance.

The elevator door opened, and we got in. Zane still had me over his shoulder, holding me down with one arm. We went back to the third floor and stepped out.

Conner went one way while we went the other. Zane kicked the bedroom door open, took me straight to the bathroom, and locked the door behind us. After he finally set me down, I rubbed my butt, still smarting.

“Do you have to hit so hard?”

He pinned me against the wall again, emotions swirling in his coal-black eyes.

“You’ll learn your place with me or end up with a black and blue butt.”

His lips crashed down on mine again as he balled up my top in his fist. Pulling it over my head, he looked down at me. “Strip; you need a shower.”

He went to start the shower.

“Without you here,” I demanded.

He was back in front of me in a flash, standing toe to toe.

“What did I tell you? If you like these clothes, I suggest you strip before I rip them off your sweaty body.”

Rolling my eyes and scoffing, I turned away from him. I felt his hands on me, and then I heard the ripping of fabric. I shrieked as he tore my pants off and dropped them on the floor.

“I don’t play games, Shay. Strip, and then we’re showering together.”

He walked away, and I stood there, shaking slightly at his forcefulness. Who had I gotten myself involved with? I hoped he wouldn’t end up hurting me because of my stubbornness.