Page 28 of Beautiful Scars: Unshakeable (The Beautiful Scars Duet #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Zane

Ty calls for a break, and Sunny drops her hands, chest heaving. Sweat darkens her shirt and plasters strands of hair to her neck. Despite her obvious exhaustion, there's a light in her eyes I haven't seen since before she was taken.

"I want to keep going," she says, reaching for her water bottle. The confidence in her voice makes something in my chest tighten.

Chase and Ty exchange approving looks. "You're doing great," Chase says, tossing her a towel. "Picking it up faster than some of our guys did."

I watch her face carefully as she fidgets with the towel, recognizing the telltale signs of her being uncomfortable. Her shoulders hunch slightly, eyes dropping to the floor.

"Actually..." she starts, then stops and takes another sip of water. "I was wondering if... if you could maybe teach me something specific?"

The hesitation in her voice sets off warning bells in my head. Beside me, Levi leans forward, obviously picking up on it too.

"There's something I really want to learn," she continues, voice barely above a whisper now. "But to be honest, it scares the shit out of me."

My gut clenches. Chase and Ty wait patiently, giving her space to find the words.

"I need..." Sunny swallows hard. "I need to know how to get out of a chokehold. When someone's bigger. Stronger."

An image flashes through my mind of the bruises circling her neck when we found her.

"Fuck," Levi breathes, running a hand through his hair. "Z..."

"I know." My voice comes out rougher than intended. We both understand exactly why she's asking, why it matters so much to her. And why it's going to be hell for us to watch.

On screen, Chase and Ty share a look loaded with understanding. They were there when we rescued her, they know what Garrett did to her.

"We can teach you that," Ty says carefully. "But we'll need to take it slow. Build up to it."

I watch Sunny's face as she processes this, see the mix of relief and determination settle over her features. She straightens up and lifts her chin in that stubborn way that I love so much.

"I can handle it," she says firmly, though her hands tremble slightly as she sets down her water. "I need to know I can handle it."

The pride and pain in my chest threatens to choke me. She's so fucking strong and brave it hurts to watch.

"We should stop them," Levi mutters, though he makes no move to do so. He understands as well as I do that this isn't about us or our need to protect her. This is about Sunny reclaiming something stolen from her.

"No," I reply, forcing myself to unclench my fists. "She needs this."

"Let me show you the technique first," Ty's voice carries through the speakers. "Chase will demonstrate on me so you can see exactly how it works."

I watch as they position themselves, every movement deliberate and explained. Ty walks through the defense step by step while Chase applies minimal pressure.

"The instinct is to grab at the hands choking you," Ty explains, demonstrating. "But that's not effective. Instead, you want to create space. Your arms are stronger than their grip if you use them right."

My jaw clenches as Chase increases the pressure of his hands around Ty's throat. They've done this hundreds of times in training, but watching it now, knowing why Sunny needs to learn this...

"Watch my arms," Ty continues. "I'm going to drive them up between his hands, breaking his grip. Then immediately step back while getting ready to strike or run."

They demonstrate in slow motion. Ty's arms shoot up between Chase's, forcing them apart. In one fluid motion, he steps back and mimics an eye strike.

"The goal isn't necessarily to fight," Chase adds. "It's to create an opportunity for escape. Every movement should be focused on getting away. But, if that’s not possible, it'll give you the space you need to be ready to engage."

Sunny nods, absorbing every detail. Her arms have uncurled from around herself, hands flexing at her sides.

"Want to try the arm movement first? Without the choke?" Ty asks.

"Yes." Her voice is steady despite the fear I can see in her eyes.

They practice the arm motion repeatedly. Up through the center, elbows locked, driving toward the ceiling. Chase adjusts her form with verbal instructions only, never touching.

"Good," he praises. "Now faster. Make it explosive."

I watch her confidence grow with each repetition. The movement becomes more natural, more instinctive. But then Chase asks if she wants to try it with light contact and she freezes.

"We don't have to," Ty says immediately. "We can keep practicing the motion."

"No, I..." She swallows hard. "I need to know it works. That I can do it if..." She doesn't finish the sentence. She doesn't need to.

"I'll do it," Chase offers. "My reach and size is closer to what you'll likely face. Ty can guide you through it."

Sunny nods, but her breathing has gone shallow. Before I realize I'm moving, Levi's hand clamps on my arm.

"Let her do this," he murmurs. "She needs to know she can."

I force myself to stay still as Chase positions himself in front of Sunny. He's being so careful, telegraphing every movement, but I can see her starting to panic.

"Remember," Ty's voice is calm, grounding. "You control this. We stop the second you say stop."

Sunny takes a shaky breath. "Okay."

"I'm going to place my hands very lightly on your shoulders first," Chase tells her. "Just so you get used to the position, the way it feels."

She nods, but when his hands touch her shoulders, she makes a small sound that tears at my chest.

"Breathe," Ty reminds her. "You're safe."

Chase starts to lift his hands toward her neck and she stumbles back, shaking her head. "Wait, I'm sorry, I..."

"Nothing to be sorry for." Chase immediately steps back, giving her space. "This is hard stuff. You're doing great."

"Maybe we should take another break," Ty suggests, but Sunny shakes her head.

"No. I need to do this. I've got to get through it." Her voice breaks halfway through.

"Okay," Chase says softly. "We'll let you work through it. But we'll go even slower. First, just my hands on your shoulders. We'll stay there until you're completely comfortable."

They start again. This time Sunny manages to keep still when Chase's hands rest on her shoulders. Her breathing is deliberate, controlled.

"Good," Ty encourages. "Now, Chase is going to lift his hands very slowly. Remember your escape movement. You can do it any time."

I watch her face as Chase's hands move toward her throat. See the moment real fear starts to set in. She freezes under his touch, but doesn't move away, doesn't stop. He grips her throat, watching as tears fill her eyes.

My heart pounds as I watch Sunny struggle against her rising panic. I can see all of her emotions play across her face. Chase's hands rest light around her neck, but her eyes are wide with terror. Every muscle in my body screams to intervene, to rip his hands away from her.

"Breathe with me," Ty coaches, his voice steady. "In through your nose, out through your mouth."

Beside me, Levi's breath has gone ragged. We're mirror images of helpless anger and protective instinct barely held in check.

"I can't—" Sunny's voice cracks.

"You're okay Sunny," Chase says firmly, his hands still on her neck. "You're here. In the gym. With us. Look at the blue mat under your feet. Feel how solid it is."

Her eyes drop to the mat. Her chest still heaves with panicked breaths, but she doesn't pull away.

"Good," Ty encourages. "Now find three things you can hear."

"The... the fan," she manages. "Your voice. My heartbeat."

"Perfect. Focus on them as you breathe. You're safe. You've got this. Remember your power position—feet grounded, core engaged."

I watch her struggle to center herself, to push back against the memories threatening to drown her. I feel every tremor that moves through her body.

"I've got this," Sunny whispers on repeat, more to herself than anyone else. "I've got this."

"You do," Chase confirms. "Whenever you're ready, show me what you learned."

She takes one more deep breath. Then another. Her hands, which had been hanging limp at her sides, curl into fists. The trembling doesn't stop, but something shifts in her stance.

"That's it," Ty says quietly.

The movement, when it comes, is everything it should be. Her arms drive up between Chase's, and then out while she ducks, breaking his grip cleanly. She follows through just like they taught her—step back, create distance.

"YES!" The word bursts out of me before I can stop it. Beside me, Levi slumps in his chair, tension draining from his shoulders.

On screen, Chase is beaming with pride. "Absolutely perfect! Want to try it again?"

Sunny nods, wiping tears from her cheeks. But she's smiling too—a small, fierce expression that makes my heart clench.

"Same speed?" Ty asks, moving closer to spot her.

"Faster," she decides. "I want to do it faster."

They run through the drill again. And again. Each time, Sunny moves with more confidence, more control. The panic doesn't disappear entirely—I can still see it in her eyes, and the tension in her body—but she pushes through it.

"Look at our girl," Levi murmurs, and I hear the pride warring with pain in his voice.

"Yeah." My throat feels tight. "Look at her go."

On screen, they're teaching Sunny how to break another hold, this time adding the knee strike they taught her earlier. Chase staggers back, laughing with approval.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" He high-fives her. "Adding your own combinations already."

Sunny grins, flushed with success and exertion. "Can we try it one more time? I want to make sure it wasn't just luck."

"It wasn't luck," Ty assures her. "But hell yes, we can try it again. You've got this down."

I watch as they set up for another round. The fear is still there when Chase's hands come up, but now there's determination too.