Chapter 9: A Taste of Jealousy

Alexa had been floating on a cloud of newfound confidence for three days straight. The sessions with Rosie had awakened her inner warrior, while Stacie's lessons in surrender had taught her depths of trust she'd never imagined possible. For the first time in her life, she felt truly seen, valued, desired in ways that had nothing to do with male approval or societal expectations.

That confidence shattered the moment she walked into Fierce & Fit and saw her.

The woman was everything Alexa had always believed she wasn't—tall, willowy, with the kind of effortless elegance that came from being born beautiful and never having to question it. Her dark hair fell in perfect waves past her shoulders, and she moved through the reception area with the fluid grace of someone who had never doubted their welcome anywhere.

But it wasn't her conventional beauty that made Alexa's stomach drop. It was the way Rosie and Stacie flanked her, giving her the same focused attention that had made Alexa feel so special, so chosen. The same predatory interest that had convinced her she was unique.

"Alexa!" Stacie's voice was warm as she spotted her approach, but there was something different in her tone—a distraction that hadn't been there before. "Perfect timing. I want you to meet someone."

The newcomer turned, and Alexa found herself looking into violet eyes that sparkled with curiosity and something else—a confidence that spoke of someone who had never questioned their right to be desired.

"This is Vera," Stacie continued, her hand resting possessively on the stranger's arm in a gesture that sent acid through Alexa's veins. "She's joining us today. Drew referred her as well."

Drew. The name hit Alexa like a physical blow. Another woman, another pawn in his twisted game, another test of whatever this place really was. But looking at Vera's poised perfection, Alexa couldn't shake the feeling that this one was different. This one looked like she belonged here in ways that Alexa still struggled to believe about herself.

"How lovely to meet you," Vera said, her voice carrying a slight accent that made everything sound more sophisticated. "Stacie was just telling me about the unique training methods here. I'm very curious to experience them myself."

The way she said 'experience' sent a chill through Alexa that had nothing to do with the gym's air conditioning. This woman wasn't nervous or uncertain like Alexa had been. She was hunting.

"Vera has extensive experience with yoga and pilates," Rosie added, her green eyes bright with the same interest that had once been focused entirely on Alexa. "She'll be an excellent addition to our advanced programs."

Advanced programs. The words hit like a slap. Alexa had never been described as advanced, had never been seen as someone who could jump straight into the deeper mysteries of this place. She'd been a project, a broken thing to be fixed, while this woman was being treated as an equal from the moment she walked through the door.

"I should show you the facilities," Stacie said to Vera, and Alexa watched in growing horror as the two women began moving toward the hallway that led to the private studios. "We have some very specialized equipment that I think you'll find... stimulating."

"I'd love to see everything," Vera replied, her laugh low and throaty. "I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy my time here immensely."

They disappeared down the hallway, leaving Alexa standing in the reception area feeling like she'd been punched in the stomach. The easy intimacy between Stacie and the newcomer, the way Rosie had looked at her with obvious approval, the casual dismissal of Alexa's presence—it all combined to create a poisonous cocktail of jealousy and insecurity that made her want to run.

"Difficult, isn't it?" Emilia's voice was soft, knowing. "Watching someone else receive what you've come to think of as yours."

Alexa turned to find the dark-haired woman studying her with those penetrating eyes that seemed to see everything. "I don't know what you mean."

"Of course you do," Emilia said, her smile gentle but implacable. "You're wondering if you were special at all, or if this is just what happens to every woman who walks through that door. You're questioning whether their attention meant anything, or if you were just convenient."

The accuracy of the observation made Alexa's throat tighten. "Was I?"

"That depends," Emilia said, moving around the desk to stand closer. "Are you going to let jealousy turn you back into the insecure woman who fled PowerFlex? Or are you going to fight for what you want?"

"I don't know how to fight for this," Alexa admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then you haven't been paying attention to your lessons," Emilia said, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment. "Rosie taught you about power. Stacie taught you about surrender. But neither of those lessons matter if you don't understand what you're fighting for."

"What am I fighting for?"

"Your place," Emilia said simply. "Your family. Your home. Do you think this is just about sex, about pleasure? Do you think what happened in that sauna was casual?"

The memory of that night—the intensity, the connection, the way all three women had looked at her like she was something precious—sent heat racing through her despite her current emotional turmoil.

"I don't know," she said honestly.

"Then you need to find out," Emilia said, her dark eyes intense. "Because if you let fear and jealousy drive you away now, you'll spend the rest of your life wondering what you walked away from."

Before Alexa could respond, the sound of laughter echoed from the hallway. Feminine voices, intimate and warm, speaking in the low tones of women sharing secrets. The sound made her stomach clench with a mixture of longing and rage that surprised her with its intensity.

"I should go," she said, turning toward the exit.

"Should you?" Emilia's voice was sharp enough to stop her in her tracks. "Or are you going to prove that Drew was right about you after all?"

The challenge hit like a physical blow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"He sent you here broken, convinced you'd never be strong enough to claim your place among powerful women. Convinced you'd always need male approval, male protection, male validation." Emilia's voice was ruthless now, cutting through Alexa's defenses with surgical precision. "Are you going to prove him right by running away the moment you face real competition?"

The words ignited something fierce in Alexa's chest—the same protective fury that Rosie had awakened during their training sessions. But this time, it wasn't directed at external threats. It was focused on the woman who had walked into her sanctuary and claimed the attention that belonged to her.

"What do you suggest I do?" she asked, surprised by the steel in her own voice.

"Stop acting like a victim," Emilia said bluntly. "Start acting like a woman who knows her worth. You've been part of this family for barely a week, and you're already willing to surrender it to the first pretty face who walks through the door?"

"They seem pretty interested in that pretty face," Alexa shot back, hating the petulance in her voice.

"Of course they are," Emilia said, her smile sharp. "They're predators, Alexa. Beautiful, dangerous predators who are attracted to strength and confidence. Do you think they want a woman who wilts at the first sign of competition? Or do you think they want someone who will fight for her place among them?"

The question reframed everything. Alexa had been thinking of Vera as a threat to be avoided, a superior replacement for her inadequate self. But what if she was meant to be a challenge to be met? A test of whether Alexa truly belonged here?

"How do I fight for it?" she asked.

"By remembering what they saw in you," Emilia said, moving closer until they were only inches apart. "By showing them that you're not the broken woman Drew sent here, but the goddess they helped you become. By proving that you deserve to be here not because you need fixing, but because you're exactly what they've been looking for."

The pep talk was interrupted by the return of voices from the hallway. Stacie and Vera emerged, both looking flushed and pleased in ways that made Alexa's blood boil. Behind them came Rosie, her expression unreadable but her eyes sharp with something that might have been approval.

"Alexa," Stacie said, and there was genuine warmth in her voice despite the way her arm was still linked with Vera's. "I was hoping you'd still be here. I wanted to discuss your training schedule."

"My training schedule?" Alexa repeated, hating how uncertain she sounded.

"We're thinking of adding some group sessions," Rosie said, her green eyes moving between Alexa and Vera with calculating interest. "Advanced techniques that require... multiple participants."

The euphemism was clear, and Alexa felt heat flood her cheeks. They wanted her to share. Not just space, not just attention, but the intimate, transformative experiences that had made her feel so special, so chosen.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that," she said, the words coming out more defensive than she'd intended.

"Are you sure?" Vera asked, her violet eyes sparkling with something that might have been amusement. "From what I've heard, you've been making remarkable progress. I'd love to learn from someone with your... experience."

The condescension was subtle but unmistakable, and it ignited something fierce in Alexa's chest. This woman thought she could waltz in here and claim what Alexa had fought so hard to earn? Thought she could treat her like some kind of training wheels for her own journey?

"Actually," Alexa said, her voice stronger than it had been all day, "I think I'd like that very much."

Rosie's smile was sharp with approval. "Excellent. Tomorrow evening, then. Studio Three. We'll see what you're both truly capable of."

As the group began to disperse, Alexa caught Emilia's eye. The other woman's expression was knowing, pleased, like she'd just watched a particularly satisfying chess move play out.

"Well done," Emilia murmured as she passed. "Now the real test begins."

Walking to her car, Alexa felt the jealousy still burning in her chest, but it was different now. Not the helpless rage of someone losing something precious, but the focused fury of someone preparing for battle. Vera might be beautiful, confident, and experienced, but she didn't understand what this place really was. She didn't know about the family that had claimed Alexa, the bonds that had been forged in heat and surrender and trust.

Tomorrow, she would remind them all—including herself—exactly who she was and what she was fighting for.

Tomorrow, she would prove that she deserved to be here.