Free The Hardest Hit by Jennifer Fusco

bother him, like reading the tiny print on his cell phone screen, or the flashing colors and movement from video games. Needless to say, he hadn’t played much Call of Duty lately and his online teammates blamed his absence on his fight training, which was fine with him.
    He’d just completed his morning run and was headed into Stamina when his trainer met him at the doorway.
    â€œJust in time.” Daniella greeted him with a smile. “I was hoping I’d catch you before you ran into the locker room.”
    Trevor slowed into a jog. “Sure, what’s up?”
    Daniella rubbed her hand over her pregnant belly protectively. “Just some pre-fight paperwork and an exam.”
    He felt his facial muscles tense. “Exam?” He laughed. “Like a test?”
    She returned his laughter. “No. Your physical exam. It’s routine, nothing to worry about. You just have to be cleared to fight.”
    His insides stirred. Nothing about him was routine. Even though he felt good today, the best he had all week, he hoped whoever poked and prodded him wouldn’t see what he worked so hard to hide.
    â€œNo problem.” He tried to play the news of an exam off with easy confidence.
    â€œGreat. I’ve cleared the locker room so that your examination can take place there. Just go on in, and the doctor is waiting for you.” Daniella smiled.
    He nodded at Daniella’s instruction. What was the most he’d have to do? Pee in a cup? Maybe the doctor would listen to his breathing, sign a form, and call it good. What could a doctor really tell from a locker room exam?
    He breezed inside the room until she stopped him in his tracks. “What are you doing here?”
    God, he hadn’t seen Dr. Fox since the day he marched out of her office, and he’d been fairly certain he’d never see her again. But there she was. Standing in his locker room, dressed in tight black pants and a button-down shirt he wanted so desperately to undo.
    With his teeth.
    By the scowl on her face, he knew, she wasn’t as happy to see him as he was her.
    â€œYou are unbelievable,” she said through gritted teeth.
    He flashed a boyish smile, trying to rebuff just how badly busted he was. “Glad to see you finally came around. Had second thoughts about that date?”
    Her expression flattened. “You’re not funny. When Daniella called and asked me to come over to perform a pre-fight exam for one of her boxers, I readily agreed. I had no idea who it was until I got here. And when I found out it was you, well, you can imagine I had to see for myself how blatantly you disregarded my orders.”
    â€œOooh, orders.” His voice smoothed like silk. “You can order me around all you want, sweetheart.”
    Her face reddened. Narrowing her blue eyes, she let out a tiny huff.
    He could tell she was ready to explode.
    â€œDon’t you care about yourself at all?” Her nostrils flared.
    He shrugged.
    â€œI simply can’t believe this.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Pigheaded. Why are men so pigheaded!”
    He dropped down on a bench in front of his locker. “Maybe we’re not.”
    â€œPffft,” she said. “Name one who isn’t.”
    â€œMaybe all I want is to realize my dream and whatever happens, happens.”
    She rolled her eyes. “That’s the dumbest and most irresponsible thing I’ve ever heard.”
    â€œIs it?” He turned his body toward her.
    For a moment, he thought she was going to outstretch her hands and wrap them around his neck to strangle him. Instead, they landed on his shoulders as she faced him and said, “Do you have any idea what you could be facing down the road? Athletes who have suffered severe blows to the head can succumb to conditions like depression and memory loss, and depletion of muscular function, deafness, and tremors. And usually those athletes are seeing these