Free Bad Boy's Honor: An MMA Bad Boy Romance by Jessica Ashe

made it the entire way through college without mindlessly lusting after men, so I could manage a few more months.  
    I couldn’t even justify this as a social experiment anymore. Most of the time, I just sat around talking to Duke and the other regulars. I’d enjoyed finding out their backstories, but after that it felt like we were just hanging out.
    “You alright?” Duke asked as he sat down next to me on one of the workout benches. “You look a little bored.”  
    “I’m fine,” I replied.  
    I wasn’t looking forward to breaking the news to Duke that I wouldn’t be coming by so often. He was bound to take it personally, and I didn’t want him to think I’d grown bored of my father after just a week.
    “Want to get stuck in?” Duke asked, as he motioned to some of the nearby dumbbells. “I’ll spot you if you like.”  
    “No, that’s okay. I’m so weak and feeble compared to everyone else here. You probably don’t have any weights I can lift.”  
    “Nonsense. I’m sure you can hold your own. You should take the opportunity to work out more though. There’s not much point hanging around a gym all day if you’re not going to get in shape.”
    I had been ridiculously lazy. Every morning I got changed into gym clothes, but compared to everyone else here my workouts were tame. Some time on the exercise bike, and a few small weights were about the limit of it.  
    “I was actually thinking about not coming in so much anymore,” I said, looking away from Duke in case I saw disappointment in his eyes.  
    “Oh,” Duke said softly. “That’s a shame. I’d kind of gotten used to having you around.”  
    “I think I might have overstayed my welcome. And you’re right. I need to be a bit more productive. Can’t just sit around here all summer.”
    “How about you spend the summer learning a new skill? One that will set you up for the rest of your life.”
    I frowned and looked at Duke curiously. He looked excited to tell me something, like a kid who couldn’t keep a secret.
    “I’ve just finished a college degree. I need a break from studying.”
    “This is better than any college degree, and you won’t be stuck in the library reading books.”
    “Okay, I’m intrigued,” I admitted. “What do you have in mind?”
    “I run a gym and a fight club. I wouldn’t be much of a father if I didn’t teach my daughter how to look after herself.”  
    That was the first time Duke had referred to me as his daughter since he introduced me to Riker and Gayle. He might have done it deliberately to get me to go along with his idea, but I didn’t think he was that devious.  
    We’d gotten close over the last week, and while we were a long way from being a proper father and daughter, our relationship was already stronger than I thought it ever would be.
    “You want to teach me to fight?” I asked.
    Duke laughed. “No, not me personally. I’m too old for that shit. You could probably kick my ass already, and if not all you’d have to do is run away. I’m not too quick on my feet these days.”
    Women grunted at the far end of the gym as they threw punches into pads Riker held in each hand. I had an awful idea I knew exactly what Duke had in mind.
    “You want me to join Riker’s training class?” I asked.
    Duke nodded. “Kind of. But I want you getting private one-on-one lessons. None of this group training nonsense. That pays the bills, but between you and me, none of them are learning that much. To really learn how to fight you need personal tuition.”
    Alone time with Riker. It sounded like heaven. I would get to look at his half naked, sweaty body, and also punch him as often as I wanted. That was one way to take out my anger at him for his comment about my inheritance.
    But that was an awful idea. My fascination with Riker was my main reason for leaving the gym. Spending more time with him—alone—would not help me get over him. Just look what had happened last time we