Accidentally Yours (Merffy Kizzmet) novel Chapter 218

Rafael

The gym was quieter than usual.

Not silent, Iron Den was never silent but the noise had changed, Fewer jokes, fewer shouts, the kind of hush that followed after you watched someone get humbled. Yesterday had been a massacre. His best guys, heavyweights who’d been training for years, dropped one after another by a five–foot–nothing woman with a smile sharp enough to cut skin.

He’d reviewed the footage twice. No wasted movement, no hesitation. just control. It wasn’t brute force; it was precision, and precision came from pain learned the hard way.

The guys still nursing bruises called her the witch.

He didn’t correct them.

He was mid–wrap on his hands when the music cut off.

A heartbeat of static, then bass. Loud, cocky, way too catchy to belong in a fight gym.

Every head lifted.

Rafael blinked once, a slow grin creeping in.

Oh, hell no…

The door banged open and there she was.

Red. Not auburn or copper or subtle, fire–engine, come–at–me red. Hair twisted into twin buns that somehow looked dangerous, hoodie cropped to her ribs, smirk already loaded. The energy in the room shifted like someone had thrown gasoline on a lit fuse.

She strode across the mats, duffel swinging from her shoulder, eyes locking straight on him.

“Morning, Coach,” she called, voice bright over the music.

He pointed toward the ceiling speakers. “Did you hack my sound system?”

“Maybe,” she said, grin widening. “Had to play my intro song.”

The fighters nearest the ring were trying not to laugh. Rafael didn’t bother hiding his. “Of course you’ve got an intro song.”

“Duh.” She tossed her bag down, kicked off her sneakers. “Every good villain does.”

He leaned against the ropes, head tilting as he took her in. “Back to the red, huh?”

She looked up, the grin already spreading. “Yeah. Figured it was time to bring her back.”

“Her?”

Lola’s eyes sparkled, “You’ll find out soon enough, Pretty sure there’s something somewhere in that file you’ve got on me. She sang the last words, lilting, taunting, “Guecesss we’ll seeeee.”

The men around the ring exchanged glances–half impressed, half terrified.

Jesus, she’s fast.

“Light enough for you, Coach?” she asked, barely winded.

He barked a laugh, shaking his head. “Remind me never to spar before caffeine again.”

“Excuses already?” she teased, rolling her shoulders like she was just warming up.

The men around them started placing quiet bets, murmurs slipping into laughter as Rafael reset. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to push harder after that, ego maybe, or curiosity but he came at her again, and this time, she met him head–on.

The crack of impact echoed through the gym her block solid, her counter a blur.

Rafael grinned through the sting in his arm. “Alright, bruja,” he said, voice rough with amusement. “Now we’re talking.”

Lola’s smile turned feral. “Finally.”

Lola

Her lungs were on fire. Her legs? Betrayers. Her arms? About five seconds from staging a mutiny.

But she smiled.

Always smile. Always look like you’re the one having fun.