Alicia walked straight into the gym, a wave of familiar, unwelcome scrutiny washing over her. She had planned for this session as always, marking it in the schedule she followed with military precision. But today, a strange, restless emptiness gnawed at her.
Out of the blue, she felt bored and intensely alone, like someone who had mastered the art of camouflage but suddenly longed to be seen, even if just for a moment. This internal conflict was exhausting.
She heaved a heavy sigh before entering the main floor. The place was Chris's gym—the best and most well-booked in the entire residency, owned by Lucy's boyfriend. Alicia saw her best friend at the tracing cycles part and quickly went to her, feeling a familiar tension ease a fraction.
"Look who finally made it out of the shell," Lucy applauded, her smile genuine but tinged with playful mockery.
Alicia forced a neutral expression. "You know, you should get an award for the most secretive person ever." Lucy winked, taking another sip from her bottle.
"Cut the crap. I was kind of bored, okay?" Alicia retorted, her voice low and even, betraying nothing of the internal frustration that had driven her out. She sat down heavily on one of the cycles, folding her arms. Her high-end water bottle, phone, and towel were neatly placed in her side bag.
"In fact, today is the last day you're seeing me here."
Lucy smiled halfly and gave her friend's hand a brief, firm shake.
"At least you're here." She took a large swig of water before sitting beside Alicia.
"Tell me. How does your guy manage this place and at the same time have time to run a multinational protection firm?"
Alicia glanced around the vast, modern gym room. She still couldn't understand why a man who controls an international security conglomerate would own a gym. They were all the same—driven by the same stamina, the same relentless pursuit of physical peak. It was a world she understood, but a world she didn't want to inhabit purely for fitness.
"The management group does it all," Lucy explained. "All he does is come and check, and when he's free, he stops by. Like Alicia Kara." Lucy winked, using the name Alicia was known by in the business world—a title that spoke of wealth and influence.
Alicia stared at her best friend and rolled her eyes. It was true. Despite her history as a soldier, she was also an entrepreneur, and she only had time for the public persona of Alicia Kara on her own rigid terms, rarely adjusting her schedule for anything, let alone gym visits.
"Look, there is the treadmill section." Lucy pointed to Alicia's favourite piece of equipment.
"Come on, go there. I know your long legs must be crying to get on it." Lucy teased, aiming to lighten the mood.
"Not funny," Alicia muttered, getting up to head toward the treadmills. She carried herself with an unconscious, controlled grace that immediately set her apart from the other patrons—a residual effect of military training that made every movement precise.
"Today isn't my day. That's why you're mocking me. Don't worry. Yours is at the corner." Alicia revealed a deadly smile and left. It was a classic Alicia threat, delivered with just enough casual intensity to make Lucy pause.
Lucy watched her retreating back. She could no longer smile. She knew Alicia could be deadly. She just wants what she can't have, Lucy thought, referring to the family Alicia never spoke of. And she will burn everything to get it.
Alicia stopped by the treadmill section. It was busy, typical of a premier gym. She looked around, her eyes scanning the room as if checking for threats, a habit she couldn't break. The only time she remembered a gym being this crowded was during her training sessions under her former master—intense, gruelling, and solitary despite the proximity of others.
Placing her phone and water bottle down, she started the machine. She didn't check the pre-programmed settings; she simply went for the maximum level her body could safely sustain. Only God knew how much force she pressed into the belt, driving her body forward. She needed the physical exhaustion to silence the emotional noise.
Alicia felt isolated and powerful once she placed her expensive, noise-cancelling headphones on. She loved to run on that machine. It was a space where she only had to face herself, a ritual she observed every day, even when she was travelling, but always alone.
What she didn't know was that the moment she placed her headphones on, a silence fell over the surrounding area. People literally couldn't take their eyes off her. She radiated an aura of untouchable, disciplined intensity, making her appear less like a runner and more like a warrior in mid-battle.
Especially the opposite sex.
Most of the men close to the treadmill area had stopped what they were doing and could only stare at the beauty goddess running.
They were captivated by the contrast of her fierce determination and her striking, effortless beauty.
Then, nearby, somebody else stopped his heavy routine. Jason also stopped raising his barbells. The iron weights came to rest as his gaze fixed solely on the woman on the treadmill.
Chris, Jason's long-time friend and gym owner, noticed Jason's divided attention. He, too, stopped lifting, setting the barbells down with a heavy thud, and slowly followed his friend's gaze. Chris swallowed very hard.
"What is she doing here?" he muttered to himself. Alicia never comes here. She despises public spaces. He stretched his hand to make Jason snap out of his trance.
But it was too late; Jason was already moving, approaching the lady with the kind of single-minded focus Chris had only ever seen from him during a high-stakes corporate takeover.
Luckily, his distraction arrived in the form of his girlfriend.
"Did you do this?" Chris pointed to Alicia when Lucy got to him, knowing Alicia never ventured out of her private, controlled environments.
"Nah, she said she was bored and wanted to try a new environment," Lucy said, watching her friend with a mix of pride and worry.
Chris agreed, nodding slowly. "Is that Jason over there? Wow! Hope it works. It's high time somebody approached her." She said it out loud, making some of the people close by look at her in wonder.
Alicia Kara was a myth in their social circle, and now she was here, being stalked by the CEO of one of the world's most elite security firms.
*****
Alicia halted the moment a hand flashed in front of the reading on the equipment. The treadmill stopped instantly, jarring her concentration. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the sweatband on her wrist, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. Her personal space had been breached. She turned to see whose hand that belonged to.
"Hi, thought you needed a break." Jason smiled warmly at the lady on the mill, his eyes holding a direct, appreciative gaze. He was utterly attracted to her. He couldn't take his eyes off her the moment he saw her.
Even walking across the crowded floor to that place was challenging, but he saw that he wasn't the only one ogling, and a professional instinct kicked in. He felt a sudden, fierce urge to protect her from those "predators," though he knew that instinct was entirely unfounded.
The lady was a natural, raw beauty. Jason, a regular at the gym, could attest that ninety per cent of the females here relied heavily on makeup. Except for Chris's girl, Lucy, Alicia was a one-off, a true beauty goddess.
She wore a light green thick sports gear—modest, but its cut still highlighted the lean, disciplined lines of her body.
Alicia couldn't help but return a small, faint smile. "Thanks, I didn't check the number."
"I can see you're used to it," Jason replied smoothly, referring to her running speed.
Alicia stepped down, taking a towel to wipe the sweat off her body, her movements fluid and efficient.
Jason watched her every motion. Even the sheen of sweat on her skin was enticing.
"Sorry, but I think I've seen you on TV before." Alicia studied the guy closely, her military-honed observation skills kicking in.
Something about the familiar cut of his jawline, the easy confidence, and the intense focus in his eyes…
She made a sharp whistle with her fingers.
"It's you. Jay Jennings. The head of Blackwatch Security."
Jason was genuinely surprised. He never thought women of her calibre paid attention to the cutthroat world of private security.
His reputation was typically maintained with a professional demeanor; however, in the presence of Alicia, he experienced a peculiar and exhilarating sensation of being acknowledged for his achievements by an individual who evidently commands her own influence.