Page 9 of Nicoletta
I nod to the two bags on the table. “Are you going to let me see what else you brought?”
“You sound like a kid.” He laughs around his words.
“Worse.”
He opens the first bag and removes two Styrofoam containers and does the same with the second bag.
“I have no idea what you have there, but it smells delicious.”
He flips open the tops. “Huevos rancheros—fried eggs on tortilla with salsa, huevos Mexicana—scrambled eggs cooked with diced tomatoes, onions and chili peppers, and my favorite molletes—a toasted roll, sliced in half and topped with refried beans, melted cheese and salsa.”
“I didn’t think anything could top this coffee, but I was wrong.”
Bolt hands me a knife and fork, then waves his hand over the array of mouthwatering food. “Try it all. This place is the best. Even Marisol, Smoke’s woman, thinks it’s the best Mexican food, and she’s a native and a fuckin’ outstanding cook herself.”
We both dig in, and after trying everything, I point to the huevos rancheros. “I think this is the winner for me.” I reach for another tortilla and take a big bite. “Yup, definitely the winner,” I say around a mouthful of what just became my favorite breakfast.
“Eat up, ‘cause we got a busy day.”
“We?” I ask.
“I gotta head over to the gym and train with Blood, then I got two new guys I have to train for the fight on Saturday night, and you’re coming with me.”
“I am?”
“Yup, Smoke’s orders. I’m not to let you outta my sight, so my day is your day.”
“Okay. I guess it beats sitting in the interrogation room at LAPD.”
“You’ll love it. I’ll introduce you to Martina and Maxie. They’re part of the Royal Harlots I was telling you about. They’re also the top female fighters at the club.”
“Sounds interesting.” I’ve met daughters of foreign dignitaries, daughters of movie studio heads, even some well-known actresses, but I’ve never met women who actually fought in a cage.
Bolt waves his hand at me. “Although, you look sexy as fuck in my t-shirt, I think you better change. Put on those leggings and a sports top.” He grins. “Who knows, maybe she’ll get you in the ring, and you can show her your moves.”
Swapped catty words with snobby socialites? Sure. Throwing punches with jacked female fighters? No.
CHAPTER 4
NICOLETTA
The ride on Bolt’s Harley was as good as I remembered from the first night, only way too short. The exhilaration of flying down the street with the wind in my face couldn’t be explained.
We dismount, enter the gym, and the sound of heavy metal music surrounds us. Bolt guides me to the back end of the gym, then stops by a woman spotting another woman doing chest presses. The amount of weight she’s pressing is astonishing for her size, but she lifts the weights with ease.
“Hey, Bolt.” The woman doing the spotting smiles and nods in my direction. “A new recruit?”
“Something like that.”
Actually, nothing like that, but I keep my thoughts to myself.
“Maxie, this is Nicoletta.” Bolt motions between us.
Maxie’s dark eyes appraise me, not unlike walking into Riviera Beach for a gala event.
“Just show her around. She’s gonna be with us for a fewdays.” Bolt kept his explanation short and brief, and Maxie didn’t ask any questions.
I also noticed that since we entered the gym, Bolt has kept a fair amount of distance from me. Way different than when we were in his apartment eating, and every few minutes, he found a reason to touch me in some way.
