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“Well, you’re going to be paying for it today,” Max says, smirking and stretching out. “Okay, we’ll do some combinations. Right jab, left hook, duck, right kick.” He rolls his shoulders. “I’ll even do them with you because I’m sweet like that.”

I get into position. Max adjusts my stance, and I try not to bristle in frustration.

“Twenty rounds, then one minute break, then twenty, one minute break, and so on, until I tell you to stop.”

My muscles quake in protest after the first five rounds, but I try to push through the pain, leaning into the fear I’ve not only lived with for the past month but most of my life. I make it to the third set before my limbs start to shake with fatigue. Max watches me as he effortlessly goes through the motions, not even slightly out of breath.Dick.

“Faster,” he says, increasing his speed, though I suspect he’s been doing so every round. My body can feel the toil from it. After another five rounds, I feel like I’m going to pass out. Max is moving much faster now, and my competitive side is coming out to play. It’s so potent that I barely notice as I brush against my internal power. It flickers in excitement as I reach for it, needing to be faster, better, stronger. The power answers my call, and the second I recognize the faint caress along my spine, I oust it completely, stopping mid-round. My heart thunders in my chest. I bend over, bracing my hands on my knees and gulping down air.

“That’s enough for today.”

“I didn’t say stop,” Max says, crossing his arms over his chest, not even a little winded. Again, dick. “Quitting is a damsel move,” he continues, knowing it’ll rile me.

“You’re going too fast,” I snarl.

Max shrugs. “If you can’t keep up because you’re weak, fine. I’ll slow down.”

I look at him, seriously having to take a moment to decide whether to set him on fire. Unwilling to deal with the headmaster at this hour, I opt to just leave the gym.

“So, we’re rocking the wound today?” Alice asks as we leave the dorm later that morning. I nod, feeling the cut throb.

“Decided to let some fresh air at it.”

Connor is standing outside Kelpie when we exit, holding a cardboard cupholder with three coffees.

“Oh, hi, big guy!”

Connor smiles, but I can feel a little tension radiating from him. “Thought I’d deliver your coffee today.” I convinced him to go home last night because his brothers were having a game night that they had been planning for weeks. He was reluctant to leave me, but he needed some time alone with his brothers, and I needed some time with Alice. But the anxiety radiating off him today is making me regret that decision.

I take a cup and push to my tiptoes, brushing my lips over his. “Thank you.”

“Good morning, babe.”

Alice barges past me. “It’s too early to watch you guys be all mushy and gross.” She takes one of the two remaining cups. “Especially before coffee.”

She walks ahead, and I kiss Connor again before we follow her. I slide my hand into Connor’s as we cross the campus. Connor squeezes my hand and kisses my head more than once.

I look up at him and step closer, my hip brushing his as we walk. “You okay, big guy?”

Connor glances at me, a little puzzled. “Me? Yeah, perfect.”

I nod, sipping my coffee, but I can feel the tension vibrating in him. I glance at him again and notice he is looking around suspiciously, almost accusingly.

I stop walking. Connor’s hand tightens on mine, and he whips around, his eyes searching for the threat.

“Con.” I wait until his gaze meets mine. “You gotta stop. I’m fine.”

He blinks down at me, his shoulders tight. “What do you mean?” I quirk an eyebrow, and he blinks again, the picture of innocence. “I’m just… observing.”

“Con.”

“What?”

“Nothing is going to happen to me. Relax.”

Connor shrugs nonchalantly. “I’m totally relaxed,” he says, and I don’t have to be an angel to know he is lying.

I give him a skeptical look.