"That sounds helpful," she finally said, and I heard the disappointment in her voice when I remained silent. "When did you have that in mind?"
"Tomorrow? The gym at The Royal has private rooms. Your security can observe, of course."
The casual way he dismissed my presence as a mere observer made my jaw clench. I should be the one with my hands on her, teaching her to defend herself, protecting her in every way possible. Instead, I was handing her over to another man because I was too fucking scared of my own feelings.
"I'll be there," she agreed, and ended the call.
She looked at me challengingly, clearly expecting me to forbid it. Instead, I nodded once, hating myself for the choice I was making. "I'll drive you."
Chapter Twenty-Five
James
The next afternoon found us at The Royal's exclusive gym, where Frederick was waiting in workout clothes that looked like they'd never seen actual exercise. He greeted Evangeline with a kiss on each cheek that lingered too long, his hands resting on her shoulders as he pulled back.
"You look lovely," he said, his eyes traveling down her form in a way that made my fingers twitch toward the knife in my boot.
I positioned myself against the wall of the private studio, arms crossed, watching as Frederick began showing basic defensive stances. His instruction was surprisingly competent, though his hands—on adjustments to Evangeline's form were unnecessary and lingering.
"The key is using your attacker's weight against them," he explained, moving behind her. "If someone grabs you from behind?—"
He demonstrated by wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. I saw her stiffen slightlybefore forcing herself to relax, to follow his instructions on how to break the hold.
"Good," he praised, his voice dropping lower. "Now, if someone pins you to a wall?—"
He guided her backwards until her back hit the mirrored wall, then placed his hands on either side of her head, caging her in.
"First, you want to create space," he continued, his face entirely too close to hers. "Use your forearms to break their posture."
Evangeline followed his instructions, but I could see the discomfort in her eyes now, the way she was trying to edge away from his proximity.
"Perfect," Frederick murmured. "Now, the most vulnerable points are the eyes, throat, and groin. If you can reach any of those?—"
He demonstrated a slow-motion strike that brought his body flush against hers, his hand sliding down her arm in a caress that had nothing to do with self-defense.
My breath hitched, my muscles tensed, and the surrounding air crackled with an unspoken threat as their bodies collided. Frederick’s body pressed against hers, his hands lingering far too long in places that had nothing to do with self-defence. My vision tunneled, and I exploded, a volcano of fury finally erupting with rage.
"Get your fucking hands off her" I growled, positioning myself between Frederick and Evangeline. The civility I'd been clinging to evaporated completely. "Now."
Frederick turned to me with an infuriating smirk, clearly enjoying my loss of control. "Just teaching the princess some valuable skills, Banks. Surely you don't object to her being able to protect herself?"
"If she needs to learn self-defense, I'll teach her," I stated, my voice deadly quiet.
"Will you?" he challenged, eyes glittering with malice. "Because from where I stand, you seem more interested in keeping your distance. Someone needs to step up."
The implication in his words—that I was failing her, that he was better suited to take care of her—made my vision narrow to a dangerous point. My hands clenched into fists at my sides.
Behind him, Evangeline's eyes widened, not with fear, but with something that looked like satisfaction at seeing my mask finally slip.
"James," she said, but there was no warning in her tone now. Instead, her voice carried a note of challenge. "You told me you were fine with this. You said you'd drive me here."
My blood ran cold. She was deliberately defying me, choosing him over my protection. Every muscle in my body coiled tight, my hands clenching into fists as I watched Frederick's satisfied smirk. The rational part of my mind screamed warnings, but the primitive, possessive part was roaring louder.
"Evangeline," I said, my voice dropping to a deadly quiet that made Frederick take an involuntary step back. "You're making a mistake."
But she lifted her chin defiantly, her eyes flashing with challenge. "The only mistake I'm making is listening to someone who can't make up his mind about what he wants."
"No, Evangeline” I said firmly, stepping away from me and back toward Frederick. "We're not leaving. Frederick, please continue with the lesson."
