Then he lunges at me. I sidestep quickly and spin around just in time to miss his fist flying at my head. I drop to the ground and ram my head into his belly, wrapping my arms around his powerful form and pushing him back a few steps. He lets out a scratchy laugh before leaning down and wrapping his arms around my body, flipping me so I land on my back, staring up at him.

“That was unfair,” I grunt.

“On your feet, try again. If you want this, Laney, you have to work hard for it.”

I get to my feet and yell, “I do work hard. Harder than these other naturally built, naturally muscled, naturally able to take down a criminal, men! I don’t have the muscle you guys do, so I work a whole lot harder than them.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he says, jumping from one foot to the other. “But you still need to prove to me that you can do it.”

“Fine,” I grunt.

Then I lunge at him, swinging my right arm. He goes to swat it away and I grin, swinging my leg up and turning my body, swiftly hitting him in the hip. He grunts and spins around, throwing a punch towards my stomach. I take a few steps back and the moment I stop moving he lunges at me, all six feet of terrifying male. I think quickly and drop down low, catching him around the thighs and using all my body strength to drive my shoulder into the soft flesh there.

“Fuck, I have balls, woman!” he grunts.

“You never said I had to play fair.” I pant, shoving my shoulder harder into his groin. “You just said I have to take you down.”

“Without making me infertile,” he barks, using his foot to kick mine out from beneath me.

I go down, my face falling right into his groin as my legs go out from beneath me. My open, gasping mouth hits his … well … manly parts and I let go quickly, stumbling back onto the mat. I screech to the high heavens as laughter fills the room, and I realize everyone just saw my mouth cover my boss’ dick. I stick my tongue out and start rubbing it frantically. “Gross, oh God!”

“How does boss cock taste?” Devon, another one of the team members, yells out through laughter.

“Shut up, Dev,” Nak barks, but I can hear the humor in his voice.

I look up at him, standing over me. “Why did you do that? I just got a mouthful of … of … ugh, oh my god.”

He smirks. “I didn’t know you were going to try and take a bite, sweetheart.”

“I wasn’t trying to take a bite,” I yell, standing and continuing to rub my fingers over my tongue as if that will do anything.

“Looks like princess has a new move.” Kyle laughs from the sidelines. “So tell me, Laney, are you going to take down a guy by having a bite of his dick? I guess it’s an effective method. Whatever works for you. You are only a girl, after all.”

My cheeks burn and shame rises in my belly. They think I’m a great big joke. All of them are standing there, laughing, so sure I’m never going to be a part of their team.

“How do sweaty balls taste?” someone else yells out.

“Aw, stop it,” Kyle croons. “Princess is upset.”

They’ve called me princess since the moment I joined the team, and right up until now I’ve been okay with it—I took it good-naturedly. Not today, though. Anger bubbles in my chest and shame rips through my veins, making my whole body feel tingly and hot. I shoot daggers at Kyle, and before I think about it, I charge towards him.

His eyes widen for a split second before he takes a step back and his hands go up. He’s not quick enough, I catch him around the waist and he stumbles backwards, losing his footing. His big body sways and it’s not hard to shove once more with all my might and take him down. We go together, me landing on top of him. I straddle his hips and lift a hand, slapping his face so hard his head swings to the side.

“Who’s a princess now, jackass!” I bark.

Then I get off him, glaring at the rest of the team as I storm into the elevator.

CHAPTER THREE

Knock knock.

I ignore the knocking sound on my office door.

Knock knock.

Nope. I won’t look up.

Whoever it is decides they’re going to come in anyway, and when I look up from the case paperwork I am studying, I see Nak standing in the doorway with a coffee in hand. He smiles at me and extends the cup.

“Is that an ‘I forgive you for trying to eat my penis’ gift?” I mutter.

He chuckles and walks in, closing the door behind him. He pulls the seat across from me out and sits down, sliding the cup towards me. “No, it’s because the way those men treated you out there was unfair.”

“No, it was fact,” I say, staring at my hands. “They think I’m a big joke, and why wouldn’t they? I have yet to take any of them down.”

“You got Kyle pretty good up in there.”

I look up and his eyes are soft as he leans in close, putting his elbows on the table. “You’ve got what it takes, Laney, I don’t doubt it for a second. But I can’t let you out into the world until I’m confident you won’t get hurt. I care about my team, and I’m not ashamed of having a woman on that team.”

“Aren’t you?” I whisper, meeting his eyes.

“Shit no,” he says. “I didn’t hire you because I felt sorry for you, Laney. You’ve seen my team, I only take the best.”

I drop my gaze to my hands. “Then you must have had a brain fart the day you met me, because I’m far from the best.”

“Look at me,” he orders and I immediately look up. “I see raw talent in you, Delaney. I have seen it from the moment you walked in my doors looking for a job. Being a woman has nothing to do with having talent. You have to work harder, you have to be more focused, but it doesn’t mean you are incapable of doing the job. With the right training, a woman that’s half the size of you can take down a fully grown man.”

“I’ve done all the training,” I whisper.

“Yeah, you have. You just don’t believe in yourself.”

I flinch, his words hitting me like a slap. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Nothing comes out because he’s right. I don’t believe in myself. Not really. I believe I’m capable, but I never push myself that extra mile. I guess I hold back because I’m scared. What waits outside those doors terrifies me and I’m so afraid of failing, of letting the team town, of letting myself down.

“I do, it’s just…”

“You don’t feel like you’re a part of the team,” he finishes for me.

I look down again.

He reaches over the desk and flicks my hand, making me look back up at him. “You’re as much a part of this team as any of those men in there, Delaney. Don’t let them make you feel any different. Prove yourself to them. You have all the training to take me down, to take any of them down. If you want a case, if you truly want it, show me.”

With that, he stands up and exits the office. I sigh and put my head down on the desk.

Show him?

Do I truly have what it takes?

God dammit, yes, I do.

Tomorrow I’ll make sure I believe it, because I’m going to make him believe it too.

*   *   *

Shutting my mind off as I enter the training room the next morning isn’t easy. My face is expressionless as I walk with purpose towards Nak who is in the middle of the fighting pads, wrestling Duke. I’ve been thinking about this all night, and because of that I tossed and turned, but I’m still determined to show him I can do this. I can be the woman he believes me to be.