Isaak: The Counterpunch Series Book 1 Read online

  We’re quiet for a beat, and I can't stand it. We need to find a comfortable conversation, but all I can come up with is the fact that she’s passionate about her job. So, I just go with that as I don’t really know anything else about her.

  “How did you get into this type of work anyway,” I ask, trying to keep it neutral and light. She seems to relax her shoulders at the mention of her work, and I see a genuine smile across her face for the first time today.

  “I wanted to help people. I always knew I would venture down that route from a young age. The joy I get from helping people who have lost all hope in life and are about ready to give up makes it all worthwhile,” she tells me openly.

  “Have you been doing it for long? You look younger than most in your line of work. If you don’t mind me saying.”

  “How young do you think I am, Isaak? If you must know, I’m a year older than you.”

  I stop in my tracks, falling behind. Only when she turns her head to look at me when I don’t say anything, does she notice I’ve stopped.

  “Isaak?”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “You never asked. So why would you.” She shrugs it off. “So, what or should I say who, got you into boxing?”

  “What makes you think there is a who?” This is dangerous ground we’re about to cross. I don’t talk about my past to anyone. The only person who knows any of that is Owen, mainly because he was there for most of, if not all of it. I would much rather talk about the Shantel issue than breach the subject of my past, but we can come back to that another time.

  “Isaak, you don’t get to where you are in life without someone being in your corner and pushing you ferociously.”

  She’s ever so observant isn’t she.

  I find myself willing to open up to her, which is another first for me.

  “My dad got me into boxing at a really young age. He passed away a few years back, just as I got into semi-professional boxing. Since then, Owen and Saxon have been the ones who have pushed me and had my back every day after that.” I don’t tell her all the ins and outs—just enough to quench her thirst shall we say.

  “What about your mum? What’s she like?” she asks innocently.

  I really don’t want to go down the road of talking about my mum, but I find myself opening up more with her anyway.

  “I don’t have a lot to do with her. The last time I spoke to her was at my dad’s funeral. Even that was brief. Then she walked away hand-in-hand with my Uncle Benny. I've had nothing to do with either of them since.” Talking about my mum has me thinking back to the weird flashback I had on the night I fought Alexander. She never turned up on my ninth birthday, and for a few years after that, I never saw her. Only when I turned eighteen did she start making an appearance again. I still don’t know to this day why. Never wanted to ask either.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories. Where did the name ‘Bruiser’ come from? Besides the obvious I mean.”

  “Remme, I don’t like talking about my past, especially when every single word I say people can twist, turn and sell to the highest bidder for the world to hear about,” I tell her truthfully. It’s hard for me to trust people.

  “I would never tell a soul a thing about you, Isaak. It’s my job to keep your best interests at heart and with patient confidentiality, I wouldn’t be able to even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.”

  We carry on walking down the road that leads to a few shops and coffee shops. She turns her head in my direction and just openly stares at me. “I’m not like most people, Isaak. I don’t want nor do I need to gain anything from you; I just want to help you.” She offers me a small smile.

  “I know you’re different. I noticed it the moment I saw you. There is no one like you, Remme. I find myself being drawn to you, like you’re my Northern star pointing me on the right path. That in itself terrifies me.” I find myself saying all kinds of sweet and adorable things to her. I don’t know why. Maybe she brings out the best in me. “It sounds stupid right, but I feel like I was passing through life waiting for you to cross my path.” I can’t seem to shut my mouth now I’ve started.

  “It’s not stupid at all, Isaak. I think I get what you mean as I feel the same. No matter how confusing it seems to be, I find myself wanting to know more about you. If you’ll let me, strictly platonic of course.” She smirks at me, her features now mirroring my own.

  Today could be a good day after all.

  Chapter Twenty

  Remme

  We’re walking towards the coffee shop I happened to pass by when I was driving over to Isaak’s this morning, when an idea forms in my head. For today’s session, I could keep us out of the house and get him doing some light exercises.

  We fall into a comfortable silence, just enjoying the peaceful walk together, and I suppose each other’s company. It’s nice. It makes a change from having to fight the urge to jump him and ride him until the cows come home.

  This is a side to Isaak I’ve never seen before, or maybe only ever got glimpses of here or there.

  Maybe now is a good time to address the issue from the other day. I want to ask what Shantel is to him and what he’d meant about having his reasons to protect me. Taking a deep breath, I mentally pull up my big girl's pants.

  “Isaak?”

  He looks up from the pavement, his eyes brightly shining. “Yeah...” Inhaling another big breath, I forge ahead in my quest. “About the other day?” Wow I’m so nervous. “I mean what happened with us and well afterwards with Shantel. What did you mean?”

  Isaak clears his throat, now as uncomfortable as I am. “You know I said I have my reasons, and I do. I want to explain them to you if you are ready to listen.”

  Just hearing that Isaak wants to explain fills me with joy. “Okay then, hit me with it.”

  “I have one request first?” he says confidently.

  “And what’s that?” I’m in two minds whether I want to know or not. It seriously could be anything.

  “Just that you listen and don’t judge me for what I’m about to say or for what I did with her? Fuck, I just don’t want you to hold it against me, or let it cloud your opinion of me” The look of desperation on his face is my undoing.

  “Alright, Isaak, you have my undivided attention.” It’s his turn to take a deep breath now.

  “Me and Shantel were never any more than fuck buddies—a means to an end.” He winces, but carries on when he sees I’m not going to say a word. “I was never really into her that way but somewhere along the line we got our wires crossed. She wanted more out of our...arrangement. Anyway, I didn’t. I told her that what we had was all I was willing to give her. Shantel said it was okay, and we carried on as we were. I sensed a change in her from then on. In hindsight, I should have cut her loose back then, but being in the public eye the way we both are...well it's hard to find someone to be intimate with that won’t go looking for a payday from it. Now, I’m not saying that what I did—or rather what me and Shantel did—was right or wrong but it worked at the beginning.”

  He risks a glance at me once more, and I nod for him to continue on.

  “Shantel would show up at mine whenever she needed…” He pauses like he’s trying to find the right words to phrase what he wants to say to me next. “When she needed...taken care of, if you get my drift, and well...vice versa. She allowed me to be myself in the bedroom. I have a need to…take control. I don’t get much say in what people see of me, but that aspect of my life, I get to control what happens. If that makes sense.”

  “You mean in the sense that most of your life is in the public eye, so whatever you do in private, you feel you have to be dominant whilst you can. So, you can be yourself, type of thing?” I say, understanding him to a point.

  “Yeah, kind of. Like I have a point to prove, but only to myself,” he adds.

  “Okay, I think I understand what you mean,” I say, nodding.

&
nbsp; “Anyway, she wanted more and I was pulling away from her. I was going to her less and less trying to soften the blow. I had made up my mind: it was time to end the deal we had. She started to notice and was getting really clingy, showing up in unwanted places. The last place I saw her was at my last fight, right before I took that hit and went down, she was there at ring side. Then she showed up at the hospital where she was quickly kicked out, and then I hadn’t seen her until the day she showed up looking for me, after me and you…”

  I hold up my hand not needing him to say it. “Okay, I know what happened that day. I was there, remember? What I don’t know is why you treated me the way you did if she meant nothing to you when I was the one there with you. To me that is a big deal, Isaak.”

  He has the good sense to look a little ashen. “Rem, I’m sorry I made you feel that way. That was never my intention. But I know her—I know what she is capable of. Believe me when I say I was protecting you. Shantel is a grade A bitch that would stop at nothing to drag you down if she thought you were getting in her way. Her knowing what we had just done would only have put a huge target on your back. I didn't want you to have to deal with the fallout of my mess. She would drive a wedge between us to keep you away from me just so she could try and worm her way in again. The fact of the matter is, what Shantel wants with me, is what I want with you, Remme.”

  I stop walking, completely taken back by what he’s just admitted. This causes him to stop with me. Looking up at him, I can see the sincerity in his eyes. If it wasn’t for the way he is looking at me, I would have just thought he meant he wants me to fill the void of not having Shantel around anymore, but I know the statement he’s just made means so much more.

  “Isaak... I... I don’t know what to say.” I look at the ground and begin walking again, he follows, yet still doesn’t say anything more.

  I need one more question answered and I bite my bottom lip contemplating whether to ask or not.

  “I see your brain working overtime there, Sweetcheeks. Say it. Whatever it is you want to say, just say it.”

  I clear my throat and think about it again. Well fuck it. He was just honest with me; I need to do the same so I ask. “Was I just a fuck? You know a ‘means to an end’?”

  I can feel the blush rising from my chest right up my neck and my cheeks feel like they are ablaze. I have never felt more vulnerable as I do right now.

  “Did you listen to anything I just said? You should know that wasn’t the case, Rem. I know you felt the connection between us; it was hard to ignore. Tell me you felt it, too?”

  Feeling the pressure of the conversation and the heaviness of his loaded question, I take a moment for myself, deciding if I want to tell him how I really feel or if I want to keep fighting with the way I’m tormented over him. “As much as I want to take that leap, I can’t. At least not right now. I have too much to lose. If work got wind of us, I could potentially lose my job, and I’ve worked too hard to get where I am now.” I tell him truthfully.

  “Okay, so how about we keep it on the low—just you and me. See how it goes. I want this, Remme, more than I’ve ever wanted anything in life. I’ve never had this connection with someone before and I don’t wanna lose it. We could be good together, if you’d be willing to try and at least take a chance on me like I am you. If not, then I’ll wait for you,” he pleads, full of so much emotion.

  “You mean you want me as your dirty little secret, Isaak?” I ask, playfully.

  “A secret: only if that’s what you want. Dirty: hell fucking yeah,” he jokes as he begins to walk on, still not knowing where he’s heading.

  I feel so much lighter after having this conversation with him. “For some reason, I found myself liking the sound of that more than I should. What am I letting myself in for?” I say catching up with him.

  “A whole lot of pleasure and me of course,” he tells me as he waves his hands down the front of his body, ending at his groin.

  I can’t stop the laughter from erupting. He has a very valid point, but there is so much more to Isaak than his lean chest and satisfying cock.

  “So, what's on the agenda for me today then? I mean, not that I don't want to take a walk with you, but what does it have to do with my rehab?” he asks.

  “Okay, so coffee and breakfast and then we can get started for today,” I announce to him just as we reach the door leading into the dainty little coffee shop. It’s quiet for half nine in the morning and there are not many customers inside, so there isn’t any chance of getting spotted by the media, fingers crossed, but I’ll take that chance today.

  “Coffee and breakfast? You taking me on an early morning first date, Sweetcheeks?” He throws me one of his cocky smirks, the one I’m actually starting to like and wanting to see more of.

  “Funny, but no. Oh, and you’re paying, so I hope you’ve brought cash.” I rub my fingers together to get my point across as I walk in ahead of him.

  “It’s like that is it. So technically, I’m taking you on a date. I mean for a first date; I would have taken you somewhere a bit more...flashy.”

  I hear him chuckle to himself and shake my head, strolling towards a table at the back in the corner, out of sight of passing people and prying eyes.

  “It’s how I roll,” I say playfully. “Oh God, that’s not what I mean. I’m not a bloody gold digger or anything. Bollocks, I didn’t mean…” I drop my head into my hands, covering up my face and embarrassment.

  “Remme, I know you’re not after my money.” He removes my head from my hands and leans in closer to my ear as he whispers, for only me to hear. “Just my huge dick.” He doesn’t miss the intake of air I suck in through the small gap of my lips, and no doubt he can see the flushed look coating my cheeks. “Not that I blame you. Just say the word and he’s yours,” he adds, laughing as he stands up straight. “What do you want?”

  “I... want, I want erm…” I don’t know how to answer him. I don’t really understand what he is asking me.

  “I mean to eat and drink, Sweetcheeks, not what your body needs. Even though that delicious body of yours is betraying you right now. I can see you squeezing your thighs together under the table, the rise and fall of your breasts as you try to control your breathing. Your body speaks to me, Remme, more than you know.” He stands back and waits for me to speak, but I find myself needing to take a few seconds to compose myself. I curse my traitorous body for always reacting to him like a damn moth to a flame.

  “Tea, milk no sugar and a sausage butty, please,” I eventually say, still not making eye contact with him. I shouldn’t be acting like this in public.

  “Coming right up. I know how much you love a good sausage.” He turns on his heels and walks towards the counter to place the order. I’m shocked, but I still find myself mentally checking him out from a distance. Even though his body is hidden underneath his clothes, I can still see how muscular and well-toned he is. Don’t even get me started on that arse of his: it’s firm and solid. Just like the rest of him.

  I must have been daydreaming and perving at him longer than I thought because he’s already making his way back over to the table.

  “Enjoy the view from back here, Sweetcheeks?” Busted. I don’t give him a response. I just watch as he sits down opposite me and places my plate and cup in front of me.

  “Thanks.” I make myself busy by opening a ketchup packet and squeezing some sauce onto my butty—anything to keep my hands and mind busy.

  “I can feel you staring at me, Isaak. Spit it out,” I tell him as I take a bite of my food.

  “Nothing. I just like watching you.”

  I lift up one of my eyebrows. “You do realise how creepy that sounded, right?” I say letting out a small laugh.

  “I meant that in a non-creepy way. You’re beautiful, Remme.” The words roll from his mouth effortlessly.

  “You don’t need to sweet talk me, Isaak; you’ve already gotten into my knickers.” I surprise myself wit
h what is falling from my loose lips. I can’t seem to stop contradicting myself. Even though we have now decided to take things further, however slow that might be, I still have a job to do, and I’m currently on the clock so should at least try to remain somewhat professional.

  “That’s not what I’m trying to do, Remme. Although, if it’s working, I’ll carry on.” He winks over at me.

  “Nice try, Bruiser. You never answered my question, did you. Why Bruiser?” I ask again.

  “My dad used to call me it when I was younger. It used to be our thing. To my dad, I was always his little bruiser. I go by the name Isaak ‘The Bruiser’ Brookes for him, besides the obvious. My punches leave nasty bruises on my opponents.”

  “You don’t talk about your dad much.” I know I’m stepping on icy waters but I find myself so intrigued by him. I want to know more.

  “There’s not much to talk about. I pretty much told you everything before. I was close with him growing up, even though he was hardly at home. He died when I was twenty-two.”

  “Is that why you’re so close to Owen and the reason you find it hard to trust other people?” I question.

  “Kind of. Owen and I grew up together, so he’s been through it all with me. He’s like the brother I never had. Anyway, enough about me. I wanna know about you.”

  Nice switch in tactics.

  “There’s not really much to tell. What do you want to know?” I ask before I take a sip of my cup of tea.

  “What you like, dislike. Family. The stuff normal people talk about on a date.”

  “You’re still set on this being a date, aren’t you?”

  He’s insatiable.

  “Seeing as though I’m paying, I can call it what I want,” he states, but I choose to ignore it.

  “I’m just your typical kinda girl. I love my job. I have a small circle of friends. I live with my best friend, Spence. My parents are still happily married, but they live in Australia. I speak to them when I can as I’m always busy working. As you already know, I love what I do, and I’ll continue to do so for as long as I can, hence where you came into my life.”