“I didn’t know they had a gym,” Hudson says, eyebrow raised.
“They don’t. They offer Yoga classes, but I wanted a way to protect myself. When you’re the girl everyone loves to hate, you learn to fight back, so I found a private corner in the basement. That’s where I’d sneak off to at night.”
Oli’s face falls. “They hurt you there?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” I say, trying to keep my tone light.
Axel’s eyes darken dangerously. “Names,” he demands. “Give me their names.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. It made me stronger, and I’m here now.”
“It does,” Axel says. “We’ll park this conversation for now.”
He grabs his tee from a side bench, tossing it to me with a wink. “Here, you can wear mine.”
“I thought scent was a big deal for you guys…”
“Oh, it is,” he grins, voice dropping an octave. “ButIwant your scent all over me… especially that sweet puss—”
“Alright,” Hudson interrupts, smacking Axel upside the head. “Let’s start training, shall we? Before you embarrass yourself further.”
Axel grabs Hudson’s arm. “Don’t fucking touch me!” he snarls, fists clenching.
I think he might attack Hudson for a moment, but then he laughs, the sound sharp and jarring.
“Just kidding, big guy. Let’s train. I’m dying to get my hands on our wildcat.”
What the actual fuck was that?
After my warm-up on the treadmill, Ethan tosses me a water bottle. “Hydrate. You’re up next. Just don’t push yourself too hard, okay? We don’t need anyone getting hurt.”
“Who says I’ll be the one getting hurt?” I shoot back with a wink. “I can pack a mean punch.”
Axel barks out a laugh. “That you do, wildcat. But there’s more to fighting than sneaking in a punch while your opponent sleeps.”
I scoff, but there’s a slight grin on my face.
Escaping to the basement was my happy place. It was a time to let my mind rest and sweat off the frustrations while plummeting a few imaginary females.
I kick off my shoes and step onto the mat, feeling the eyes of the guys assessing me.
It’s intimidating as hell.
“Have you done any boxing or self-defense training before, Luna?” Ethan asks.
“Just what I could learn online. I practiced punches, kicks, blocks—the whole routine, but it’s hard to know if I’m doing it right when I’m kicking air.”
“Well, today your opponent is very real,” he says, rolling his shoulders. “Come at me. Don’t hold back. I want to see what you’ve got, then we’ll develop a proper training plan.”
I hesitate, glancing at the others watching from the sidelines. Oli nods encouragingly. Axel’s eyes are wild, while Hudson is stoic.
I’m not looking at the other asshole in the corner.
“You sure?” I ask, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Damien snorts.
I shoot him a glare. “I broke Axel’s nose, may I remind you. Want to see if I can match the set?”
