Free Stone Cold Knockout (House of Pain Book 1) by Lavender Parker

“Real. None of that frozen shit. And I want a whole pitcher.”
    “ Deal,” Erica said with a smile, following her. Avoiding looking at Mikhail, Gennifer headed straight for the free weights along the mirrored wall.
    “ Don't be too friendly,” Gennifer said, motioning at the men around the room. “They're usually okay, but you never know. If they know you're with Hector, they'll probably cut you some slack.” She dropped her gloves on a nearby bench and took her position in front of the mirror.
    “ Oh. I mean, we're friends. Hector and I,” Erica said, meeting her eyes in the mirror.
    “ Just friends?” Gennifer grabbed a twenty-five pound weight. She pointed at a smaller weight for Erica. “Try a ten pound.” Erica followed Gennifer's lead and did bicep curls. “How did you and Hector meet?” Gennifer couldn't resist asking.
    “ Oh, it's a funny story, kind of.” Erica winced as she raised the weight. “It was raining— like monsoon rain—and I had forgotten my umbrella at work, so I stopped outside. Right there.” She pointed to the plate glass window at the front of the gym. “Under the awning. I had on these new blue suede heels and they were getting ruined.” Gennifer nodded, her eyes straying to Mikhail's reflection in the mirror. His back was to her but she could sense he knew she was looking. “Anyway, Hector came outside with an umbrella and we started talking. Then the rain stopped and I had to run and I forgot to get his number.”
    “ That is funny,” Gennifer said vaguely.
    “ I mean, he comes out with those muscles flexing and that big smile flashing, and I just kind of lost all sense,” Erica sighed. “He's got dimples, too.”
    “ I noticed.” Gennifer's eyes flicked to Mikhail's back again.
    “ Like my mother would say, that is one good lookin' man,” Erica said with a laugh and Gennifer caught the hint of a southern accent in her voice. “Are you and Hector related? I mean, if you don't mind me asking.”
    “ Hector's Puerto Rican. I'm Dominican.” Gennifer couldn't help herself.
    “ Oh.” Erica blushed bright red and Gennifer took pity on her.
    “ He's my foster brother. We grew up together.”
    “ Oh. ” Her eyes widened and Gennifer could see a million questions stacking up in her mind. Questions that she had no interest in answering.
    “ Curl like this,” Gennifer demonstrated the proper way to lift the weight. Erica followed suit.
    “ How long have you been coming here?” Erica asked after a moment.
    “ To House of Pain?” Gennifer did quick math in her head. “Twenty years, almost.”
    “ Twenty years?”
    “ Yeah. Used to be a towel girl in the glory days. Big J put us kids to work early on.” Gennifer snorted out a laugh and glanced up again. The laughter died in her throat when she realized Mikhail was gone. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs and told herself to focus. She still had to prepare for Bout It, with or without Mikhail. “Do three reps of fifteen, then we'll move to the speed bag.”
    “ Solnyshka , come keep me company,” a familiar voice called out and Gennifer felt a flutter of excitement go through her. She turned around and Mikhail was in the ring, leaning on the ropes, his wild grey eyes aimed right on her. She bit her lip to suppress a smile.
    “ I'm busy. Can't you see?” Gennifer held up the weight in her hand.
    “ I have the ring all to myself. You want to train or not?” He cocked his head.
    “ I don't know,” she forced herself to sound nonchalant. “Are you going to go easy on me?”
    “ Never,” he murmured. The word sent a chill through her, but she reminded herself that she was not going to sleep with him. No matter how he looked at her, no matter what he said. No fucking. Period.
    “ Who's that?” Erica asked, eyeing Mikhail in the mirror.
    “ My trainer,” Gennifer said, dropping her weight on the rack. A brilliant idea popped in her head. “Why don't you come ringside? I'll show you some