Page 17

CHAPTER 16

AURORA

“Kick his ass!” Willow shouts.

I throw my fist toward Jaxson’s face, which he deflects before charging me. I roll onto my back, kicking my legs up and hitting him directly in the gut. He flies over my head, landing on his back. I spring back onto my feet before he recovers and piledrive my elbow into his gut, knocking the wind out of him.

“Time out, killer,” Hudson calls, rushing onto the mat.

In the past few weeks, I've learned many strategic moves from Jaxson. He’s a fantastic teacher and the one who volunteered to teach me hand-to-hand combat techniques. One time, he clipped my cheek, bruising the left side of my face, and swore he was done. It took a lot of begging and pleading, and Hudson convincing him nothing was broken, but eventually, he caved and resumed my training after the bruise faded.

Today is the first time I’ve put Jaxson on his ass. I’m usually the one limping out and taking an Epsom salt bath to relieve my sore muscles. A small part of me hopes this time it’s him that needs help.

Jaxson bounds to his feet and smirks in my direction. “It’ll take a lot more than that to keep me down, Parks.”

Oh yeah, and now he’s calling me Parks.

“Is that why Hudson had to run to the rescue?” I taunt.

Jaxson scowls. “Dammit, Hudson! You’re ruining my street cred!”

Hudson holds his hands up. “Sorry, sorry.”

Willow comes down from the stands to hand me a water bottle. Even with my long hair in a ponytail, I’m drenched from our sparring session. I’m comfortable wearing my hair up around the guys and Willow, but around anyone else, I still wear it down since it could lead to a million questions I refuse to answer. Swiping the sweat off my forehead, I uncap the straw and take a long pull of the ice-cold water.

“Damn girl,” Willow says. “You got moves.”

Carver saunters over and drapes his arm around her. “I taught her everything she knows.”

Willow steps out of his hold to stand by me, batting her lashes at him. “Think you can teach me too, stud?”

“Well… uh… Yeah, sure,” he stammers, rubbing the back of his neck. “I-I-I can do that.”

Willow and I both look at each other before breaking out into hysterics.

“I think you broke him,” I whisper yell to her.

Willow winks at me. “Not yet.”

She marches over to Carver and pulls his head down a little. She stands on her toes, whispers something into his ear, steps back, and shakes her hips as she takes her place on the bleachers.

Carver grabs his chest and sinks to the ground. “I’m gonna marry her.”

What the hell did Willow say to him?

Thomas whistles. “Back to your corners, children.”

“Ding, ding,” Carver hollers as if we’re at a wrestling match.

Jaxson flips him off before waving me to the middle of the mat. “Let’s practice the move where I grab you from behind,” he says carefully. “Are you okay with trying?”

I gulp. The last few times Jaxson tried grabbing me from behind to teach me to get out of his grasp, I tensed up and had a panic attack followed by a flashback. It took him thirty minutes to calm me down. We weren’t going to attempt those moves anymore, but I’ve been working through them with Jessa, and she gave me some coping mechanisms to help me focus. Today will be the first day I get to experiment. Besides, who says an attacker is always going to come at you from where you can see them? The Russians sure didn’t.

I shiver and take a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

“Bennett,” Jaxson calls. Bennett swaggers over to us. “Keep an eye out for any distress.”

Bennett raises his brow in question. “Oh, shit… You’re not gonna do what I think you’re gonna do, are you?”

I nod. “I’m ready.”

Bennett and Jaxson share a look I can’t decipher before Bennett moves to the side, ready to intervene if it gets to be too much. Jackson leads me to the edge of the mat on the other side of the gym.

He points to Willow. “I want you to walk toward Willow without turning around. I don’t want you to anticipate my attack.”

“Okay,” I say, breathlessly, wishing Lykos was here.

We learned right away we couldn’t bring Lykos to these training exercises. Even when I would tell him to be calm or stay, his hackles would raise, and he’d growl and snap. One time was all it took for a unanimous decision to leave him at home.

Putting one foot in front of the other, I focus on Willow’s encouraging smile. Goosebumps break out all over my body, and my chest tightens. I clench my fists and close my eyes to steady myself when Jaxson attacks.

He wraps his arm around my neck, and I instinctively drop my chin to prevent him from putting any more pressure on my esophagus. Black spots cloud my vision, and my legs shake uncontrollably.

Dmitri’s smug face appears in front of me, taunting me. “Give up, pet.”

“Fuck you!” I spit.

I grab his forearm with both of my hands and step to the side. Swinging down with my right fist, I clock him in the nuts. He grunts and leans forward slightly. Pulling my right fist back up and crossing my arm across my chest, I swing back hard with that elbow directly into Dmitri’s face. I stumble forward when I’m suddenly released.

“Son of a bitch!” a voice behind me shouts.

The red haze eventually clears, and I swing around to see blood pouring out of Jaxson’s nose, not Dmitri’s. Everyone is staring at me, frozen in shock.

I can’t believe I hurt Jaxson like that. What the hell did I do?

“Holy shit!” I rush to him which sends everyone sprinting into action. “I’m sorry, Jaxson.”

Hudson nudges me out of the way. “Never thought I’d see the day.” He shoves cotton up Jaxson’s nose and breaks an instant ice pack. “For your dick.”

Jaxson wheezes. “Fuck!”

Willow runs up next to me. “Are you okay, Aurora?”

“Um, babe,” Carver interjects. “I think it’s Jaxson you should be asking about.”

“Not your babe,” she hisses.

“Yet.”

“What?”

He grins. “Never mind, continue.”

Willow grabs my hand. “As I was saying before I was interrupted, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I reassure her. “I can’t believe I did that. Omigod, I could’ve broken his nose!” All of a sudden, I can’t catch my breath because the air is too thick around me.

One of the people I would never want to hurt… And I did. He’s done so much for me.

Hudson steps in front of me. “Aurora, focus on me. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.” I mimic him the best I can. “Good, again.”

Once I have control over myself, I ask, “Is his nose broke?” Hudson shakes his head and is about to speak before I hear my name.

“Aurora,” Jaxson calls. I peek around Hudson and see Jaxson standing.

I walk slowly toward him. Blood soaks his beige t-shirt, and bruising is starting to form under his eyes. I wince. “I’m so sorry.”

The corners of his mouth twitch. “You already said that.”

“I don’t know what happened.”

“Your fight or flight instincts took over,” Bennett pipes in.

Thomas nods in agreement. “Did you see her eyes?”

“My eyes?” My brows furrow.

Thomas taps his temples. “You looked defeated, ready to tap out. Then they were burning bright. Hard to explain, but I see it in soldiers when the adrenaline is really pumping.”

“Oorah,” a chorus erupts around me.

I bump my shoulder into Jaxson. “No hard feelings?”

“No,” he replies. “This is what we’re training you for.”

Not exactly the response I was going for. What about ‘you kicked my ass… congratulations’… Something!

“Fellas, it’s been fun and all, but I think Aurora is way overdue for some quality girl time.” Willow grabs my hand and tugs me toward the exit.

“Wait!” Carver hollers. “Can I come?”

“No!” we both yell over our shoulders as we race out the door.

Ten minutes later, we burst into my dad’s house and Lykos greets us in the foyer.

Willow scratches him behind his ears and pats his back. “Who’s a good boy?” Lykos licks her hand and soaks up the attention.

My dog’s an attention whore.

“C’mon, I need a shower.”

We race into my room like we’re teenagers again, Lykos trailing behind us.

“I can’t believe you beat the shit out of Jaxson,” Willow says, plopping down on the bed. Lykos jumps up and makes himself comfortable next to her.

“It was an accident,” I admit, sitting next to them. “I’ve never done that before.”

“Girl, you kicked ass today. I had no idea you were learning how to do all that.” She fans herself. “I might have a crush on you.”

I throw a pillow at her face. “Speaking of crushes… What the hell was that between you and Carver?”

Her cheeks turn bright red. “Nothing”

“Oh no you don’t, Willow Marie Grant,” I chastise. “What did you whisper to him?”

Her face turns an ever darker shade of red. “I might’ve implied that there’s nothing he can teach me but there’s a whole lot I can teach him, and if he ever wants to see heaven, all he has to do is ask.”

My mouth drops. “No wonder he was clutching his chest.”

“Enough about me,” she says, dismissively. “What about you and Jaxson?”

“What about him?”

“Seriously?” She raises her brows. “He totally wants you.”

I vigorously shake my head. “No, he doesn’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Willow, I’m not the same woman I was six months ago.” I pick at my bedspread. “Jaxson saw those monsters doing things to me he’ll never be able to unsee. He’s never going to want someone who’s used up.”

“Aurora Parks, you look at me right now,” she orders. My eyes lock with hers. “You are not used up. I can guaranfuckintee you that Jaxson could care less about that. He sees you for the strong, independent, loveable woman you are.”

A tear slides down my cheek. “I don’t know if I can ever…”

“There’s no pressure,” she assures. “Just don’t close yourself off to the possibility.”

“I’m gonna grab a quick shower.” I stretch, and my muscles ache in protest. “Keep Lykos company?”

“Sure.” She flips on the television. “Maybe we can watch Beauty and the Beast.”

I laugh. “Always a smartass.”

“You love my smart ass.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Ditto.”

I close the bathroom door and start the shower. Steam fills the room, and I slowly strip out of my sweat drenched clothes. I let the hot water cascade over my body, loosening the knots in my back. I shampoo and condition my hair before applying a generous amount of body wash to my loofah.

When I’m clean, I step out of the shower and wrap myself in my towel. I walk through my bedroom toward my closet, yank open the door, and squeal when Ted Jr. falls at my feet. Lykos jumps off the bed and stalks forward, growling.

“Settle,” I command.

“Aurora, why is there a dummy in your closet?”

I blow out a breath. “This is Ted Jr. He’s Lykos’ attack training simulator.”

“I thought he was already trained?” she asks, confused.

“He is,” I say. “You have to swear what I’m about to tell you stays between us.”

“You know I’ll never tell anyone.”

She’s right. There’s no one I trust more in this world than Willow.

Except my dad… And Jaxson.

I quickly explain how Jaxon and Carver made me a practice doll with light-up pressure points.

Her eyes sparkle with recognition. “Like 3 Ninjas ?”

“See, you get it.” I wave my hand toward Ted Jr. “Lykos needs something to practice on, but Ted is made out of sheets, and I knew he’d tear it to shreds. So, I went online and found this six-foot grappling dummy for martial artists.”

“Still doesn’t explain why you need it if Lykos is already trained to attack.”

“Look closely around his waist area.”

Willow’s eyes dart to Ted Jr.’s middle. “Holy shit!” she shrieks. “What the hell happened to his crotch?”

I grin. “That’s what I’m teaching Lykos… To rip the balls off someone.”

She stares at me for a long moment before a smile spreads across her face. “Diabolical! I love it.”

Knock. Knock.

“Just a minute, I’m getting dressed,” I call. I stuff Ted Jr. in the closet and haphazardly throw on some clean clothes.

I pull open the door to find Vera on the other side.

“Ladies,” she greets, peering inside. “Aurora, your father and I have a dinner tonight in Norfolk. Would you and Willow like to accompany us?”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “No thanks, Vera. We’re going to have a relaxing night here. We have a date with old movies and take-out food.”

Willow waves from my bed. “Hi, Vera.”

“Hello, sweetie,” she says. “It’s good to see you. Well, I’ll leave you girls to your fun. We’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” we both say.

The rest of the night, Willow and I catch up while we give each other pedicures and manicures. We stuff our faces with junk and binge watch our favorite nineties movies.

This is exactly what I needed.