Chapter 104 : Inside the Gym

With a gentle push, Ibrahim opened the heavy oak door, and what awaited him was a striking difference from the luxurious Rahman Mansion. Up on the top floor, hidden away like a secret sanctuary, was the gym. It had a unique style that blended industrial elements with modern aesthetics. The narrow windows allowed streams of sunlight to filter in, casting elongated shadows on the rows of machines that glistened with a polished sheen. The machines, made of shiny chrome and adorned with leather surfaces, looked both elegant and sturdy in the soft, muted light.

Ava's eyes widened. "Wow," she breathed, "Is this... your gym?"

Ibrahim chuckled, "Yes. But for today, it's your training ground."

"Training ground?" Ava looked at him, "Are you turning me into a black belt ninja now?"

He feigned seriousness, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Perhaps," he teased, his brown eyes sparkling with amusement, "But first, we start with the basics. Survival 101."

But atmosphere shifted subtly. The playful banter faded, replaced by a focused intensity that crackled in the air. Actually Ibrahim had to go office but now he had more important things to do. He slowly began to unbutton his shirt, one button at a time. Each button released with a soft click, revealing a glimpse of his sculpted chest beneath.

Ava's eyes followed his every movement. She watched as he threw his shirt nearby in bench. She blinked, a blush creeping up her cheeks despite the countless times she'd seen him shirtless. His broad shoulders and sculpted torso, usually clothed in power suits, now seemed raw and vulnerable under the gym's dim lights.

 "You will teach me like that?" Ava asked in disbelief.

Ibrahim noticed her flush, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ofcourse, this way I can demonstrate better."

Now Ibrahim was standing before her with just his black pants. Ava swallowed hard, her gaze flickering between the sleek muscle of his bicep and the inviting dip of his collarbone. She felt like a character in a bodice-ripper, thrown into a scene of illicit training, and it sent a giddy mix of fear and excitement coursing through her.

Ava couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "You know all the tricks to make me uncomfortable."

Ibrahim's chuckle deepened, his gaze lingering on her flushed cheeks. "Alright, alright," he teased. "Come on, hit me."

Ava blinked, "Hit you?"

"Mmhmm, Show me your best punch, babygirl. Any where you like. My whole body is yours. I have to see your strength." Ibrahim confirmed, spreading his arms wide like a canvas.

 Ava's cheeks burned hotter. Anywhere she liked? His whole body was one thing to imagine it, another to be faced with the reality of his broad chest, the well defined abs. She swallowed, the sudden dryness in her throat making her gulp. The scent of his masculine cologne filling her senses. 

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and aimed a hesitant punch towards his stomach. It landed with a soft thud, barely a whisper against his taut skin. 

Ibrahim chuckled, a deep rumble that tickled her ear. "Even ants bite with more energy, baby."

Ava pouted. What should she do? She didn't have any knowledge about self defence. Till now there were no need to learn that. She already had a brother who is police officer. 

Suddenly, He grabbed Ava's hand, pulling her close, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. "Imagine a stranger grabbed you like this," he murmured, his voice husky. "What would you do?"

Ava's heart hammered against her ribs. She instinctively tried to pull away, but Ibrahim's grip tightened, holding her captive. "Struggling won't help, Ava." he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. "Think and Act. I won't let you go if you just struggle."

His words, his nearness, everything about the situation sent adrenaline surging through Ava's veins. She remembered his challenge – hit him anywhere. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before doing anything. And then, she leaned forward, her teeth sinking into the soft flesh of his chest just below the collarbone.

Ibrahim's breath hitched. He let out a low moan that resonated through her. He didn't pull away, but held her close, his grip slackening momentarily before tightening again around her wrist as if savoring the unexpected sensation. It was less a bite and more a desperate press of her teeth against his skin.

Ava, startled by her own reaction, pulled away, a jolt of shame coursing through her. Her breath hitched in her throat, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and bewilderment. What had she just done?

"Enjoying yourself, babygirl?" he teased, his eyes twinkling with a dark humor. "Would you bite a stranger like that?"

Ava stammered, "I didn't mean to… I don't… actually want to bite… "

She trailed off when a slow smile spread across his face, a smirk that sent shivers down her spine. He trailed his fingertips over the red crescent mark her teeth had left, tracing the outline with a deliberate sensuality that made her knees weak.

Enjoying it? The word felt alien, almost absurd, yet the tingle on her tongue, the echo of his warmth against her teeth, whispered a different story. She hadn't meant to bite, it had been an instinctive reaction but.....

The realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. This wasn't just about self-defense. This was about power, about claiming her territory, about staking her claim on the man who had become her world. And maybe, just maybe, it was about a flicker of something else, a spark of desire she hadn't dared to acknowledge before.

Ava met his gaze, "No. Why would I bite a stranger? I wouldn't." 

Ibrahim's smirk widened, the playful glint in his eyes hardening into something more darker, something possessive. He leaned closer, his breath warm against her skin. "Good," he murmured, his voice low and husky. "Because this," he tapped the mark on his chest, "is yours."

Ava chewed on her bottom lip, a nervous habit that accentuated the flush already painting her cheeks. "I think I'll head downstairs," she mumbled. 

Ava turned to leave. But Ibrahim was Ibrahim. He had other plans. With a swift movement, he caught her oversized t-shirt from behind, "Not so fast."

Ava whirled around, "Let me go. Ibrahim. I won't stay here."

Ibrahim gently tugged on the t-shirt, pulling her closer until they were standing face-to-face, "We haven't even started yet, babygirl." 

Ava tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. He dragged her towards the center of the gym, "You see, you don't have any muscles. Before we even think about training, you need to build some strength. You have to do excercise everyday." 

Ava's eyes widened in disbelief. "Excercise?" she scoffed, the word tasting bitter on her tongue. "I hate exercise."

Ibrahim now stopped dragging her. He walked over to a nearby corner and returned with two thick exercise mats, placing them side-by-side in the center of the room. "Let's start small. No need to conquer Everest on your first climb. Start with ten push-ups. Easy right?" 

Ava stared at the pristine mats, then back at Ibrahim's impossibly sculpted chest. Easy? "But, Ibrahim…" 

Ibrahim cut her off with a gentle but firm shake of his head. "No buts. Just start."

And so, with a heavy heart Ava found herself sprawled face-down on the mat, hands shoulder-width apart. She glanced at Ibrahim, who had already effortlessly dropped into a perfect push-up position on his own mat, his bare chest gleaming under the gym lights. 

He moved with the precision of a dancer, his back straight, his core engaged. Each push-up was a testament to his strength and control, his body a well-oiled machine in motion.

Ava gritted her teeth and lowered herself down, her chest hovering inches from the mat. Her arms trembled, her muscles screaming in protest. She tried, she really did. 

One… two… three… four… her breath came in ragged gasps, her body aching with each repetition. But she didn't give up. She pushed through the pain, fueled by a stubborn streak that surprised even herself. She had done five! Five whole push-ups!

Ava stopped to take a break but Ibrahim's voice, a steady drumbeat in her ear, spurred her on. "Five more, my love. You can do it."

Four. Five. Six. Her arms wobbled, her vision blurred, but she kept going, fueled by a stubborn fire that had ignited within her. Finally, with a shaky gasp, she reached ten, collapsing onto the mat like a deflated balloon. Her lungs burnt with exhaustion.

Ibrahim, however, was already on his feet, his chest heaving with exertion. He flashed her a proud smile, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "Good job, babygirl," he praised, offering her a hand to help her up. "Now, twenty squats."

Ava groaned, her legs trembling in protest, "No, please. I don't have any strength left."

He helped her to her feet, "No excuses, babygirl. You have to do this, every day." 

Ava stood there, feeling like a wilting flower under his insistent gaze. Finally, she mumbled, "I.....I hate you." 

And Ibrahim threw back his head and laughed, a rich, infectious sound that echoed through the gym. "I love you too, my stubborn princess. Now, squat it is."

The squat session had started. Minutes passed. And after thirteen grueling squats, Ava sat again on mat. She felt like she might die.

Her lungs burned like a pyre, her legs felt like lead weights anchored to the floor, and her vision swam with the aftershocks of exertion.

Thirteen squats. They seemed like a small number before, mere blips on a workout sheet. But now, they felt like mountains scaled, Everest conquered piece by sweaty, trembling piece.

"Seven more, babygirl," Ibrahim's voice, deceptively cheerful, pierced the fog of her fatigue.

Ava groaned, a sound that escaped her lips like a wounded animal. "I'll… die, No more… today." She collapsed her back onto the mat.

Ibrahim chuckled, "Alright, alright. First-day privilege, I suppose."

Ava offered a weak smile. "Thanks, Ibrahim," she mumbled, closing her eyes to savor the brief respite.

He knelt beside her on his own mat, his gaze lingering on her flushed face, the way her hair stuck to her forehead in damp tendrils. "I will like to hear that 'thanks' when I will thrust ..... inside you." 

Ava's eyes flew open, wide with disbelief. "Shameless man! How can you say things like that?" she gasped. This man, this infuriatingly charming, infuriatingly fit man, had a knack for making her blush even in the direst of situations.

 "Just wait till you hear the things I'll make you say inside the bedroom," Ibrahim teased.

Ava gulped. Without any another word, she gathered her remaining strength and stumbled to her feet. She fled the gym, leaving Ibrahim alone with his smirk. 

Ibrahim watched her go, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He sighed, "The time isn't far, babygirl. The time when I'll claim what's mine. Be prepared."