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being stripped bare.
    ‘You seem familiar. Have we met?’
    ‘I think so. You’re a bouncer right? You probably don’t remember me from a few weeks ago — ’
    ‘Oh, the girl in the black dress,’ he said. ‘How could I forget?’
    Jaz swallowed hard. He remembered her and her dress. Wowzers.
    Ryan began to fill in the paperwork. ‘You know, I’ve been here a few times before and I don’t remember you.’
    Jaz just shrugged. ‘Yeah well, I don’t remember you either.’
    She saw his eyes flash with humour; did he find her smart mouth amusing?
    ‘So when will Pax be back?’
    Jaz put her hand on her hip, and leant the other one against the table. ‘Whenever he wants.’
    The guy sighed and rested his hip against the desk. ‘Are you always so curt?’
    ‘Do you always ask so many questions?’
    The guy smiled at her cockiness.
    ‘My name’s Ryan,’ he said holding out his hand.
    ‘I know,’ she said shaking it. He tilted his head at her curiously. ‘It’s on your form,’ she said pointing to his paperwork and laughing.
    Ryan dragged his hand down his face before glancing at her.
    ‘My name’s Jaz, it’s nice to meet you Ryan. So how well do you know Pax?’
    ‘Um, we see each other from time to time and I try to keep in touch but it’s hard with work. I’m travelling a fair bit but I’m home for a while and I’m going nuts with nothing to do, and so I’m here.’
    Jaz watched him carefully; did she detect his evasion of her question? She reached over into the desk drawer, pulled out a key, and threw it at him.
    ‘This is for your locker which is through that door,’ she pointed to the back corner. ‘Showers and change rooms are also in there.’
    ‘Thanks, I’ll come back later.’ He turned towards the door.
    ‘Ryan?’
    ‘Yeah?’ He turned to face her.
    Jaz walked to him and handed him a piece of paper. ‘These are the times for the gym, and one of our regulars takes boxing lessons if you’re interested.’
    ‘Cheers, but I’m happy just doing my own training.’
    She nodded. ‘No worries. See you around.’ She watched him leave. Watched him walk past the window with his long strides and his cute butt. Then she turned on her heel and headed back to the mat cleaning while she thought of his eyes and the mystery they held.

Chapter 5
    Jaz had fencing practice after school so she’d organised Tick to open up the gym. It’s not like they ever had hordes of new people signing up to the gym. Ryan was the newest member in over five months. She’d thought about him a few times, wondering how he knew Pax. It had nothing to do with his strong jaw, manly build or his fine brown hair that was trimmed to perfection.
    But Ryan had drifted quickly from her mind when Taylor appeared at practice. He made his white protective gear look so cool, while the rest resembled Froot Loops in straitjackets. Her day got better as they teamed up to practice together.
    ‘I liked it better when I could kick your arse easily,’ puffed Taylor as he took off his mask and clapped Jaz on the back. ‘But then again, it’s nice to actually have a worthy opponent who makes me work for it.’
    Oh how she wished she could make him work for it, but he wasn’t interested. Yet! Don’t worry, she was still trying. Jaz took off her mask and walked with him towards the coach, who was already bellowing.
    ‘Don’t forget, the other school will be arriving in a few days. I want you kids ready by nine o’clock on Thursday. We will meet again then. Chop, chop, off you go.’ The coach scratched his goatee as they headed for the change rooms.
    ‘What’s Anna doing?’ asked Taylor as they paused outside the change room door.
    ‘She’s researching at the library…something that’s way over my head…and then she’ll come to The Ring.’
    ‘You off to The Ring now?’
    ‘Yep, no rest for the wicked. You wanna come and keep me company?’ Say yes, please say yes , she begged. Taylor was leaning his shoulder