Page 64 of Find Me

“You don’t like anyone,” I pointed out and then smiled proudly. “Well, except for me.”

He frowned. “I said I care about you, not that I like you.”

I shrugged. “To-may-to, to-mah-to.”

“I guess this means you two worked things out?” Keelan asked.

Knox’s and my eyes locked.

“I’m no longer upset with him, if that answers your question,” I said, breaking our staring contest to scoop up Knox’s pity house key. “Knox gave me a key to your house.”

Keelan brows rose. “He did?”

I grinned at Knox. “Yup. He felt it was only fair since you all have a key to my house, right, Knox?”

The corner of his mouth twitched, but his frowny face stayed in place. “Sure.”

22

For the most part,school was peaceful this week and flew by. With Amber suspended for a few days and Cassy and her friends being closely watched by Mr. Morgan, I was left alone for the most part. People still whispered about me when they saw me, but my scars were considered old news now that some girl had gotten caught blowing a football player behind the school gym. My lunch detention last Friday had been uneventful. I’d spent the entire time getting ahead on homework.

It was already the weekend. Keelan and I were attempting to spar again. This time I actually made it past the front desk and was in the room where Keelan taught his classes. The room was large and long. The walls and floor were lined with padding. By the door there was a small section of hardwood flooring and shoe cubbies. Keelan had me remove my shoes there before stepping on the padded floor.

“Why don’t we start by going over what your uncle has taught you? I know you know some jiu-jitsu. Do you have any other training?” Keelan asked. He was standing in front of me, with his hands on his hips. He was wearing his gi pants and a form-fitting black shirt.

I had chosen to wear red leggings with the Flash’s lightning bolt running down the side of the leg and a matching shirt. I liked how I’d gotten a smile from Keelan when he had seen what I was wearing.

“He taught me a little bit of boxing and some judo,” I said. “But the majority of what he taught me was jiu-jitsu.”

Keelan nodded. “Why don’t we start off with holds and how well you can get out of them?”

“Okay.” I watched as he came up to me and grabbed my wrist. I frowned up at him. “Really?”

He smiled. “Try to get free.” His grip tightened and he started to pull me. With my free hand I grabbed my other and easily yanked my wrist free.

“Good,” he praised.

Next, he put me in a standing rear choke hold. To escape, I twisted my body to the side, threw my thigh behind his, and with all my strength, because he was a lot bigger than me, I pulled us backward to the ground. With my thigh behind his, he had no choice but to take the brunt of the fall. As soon as we hit the ground, I was able to slide my head out from under his armpit and get free.

He chuckled as he got back to his feet. “You don’t hesitate or hold back. That’s good.”

His gaze jumped to my ponytail.

I cut him off before he could suggest what we would do next. “If you go for my hair, Keelan, I’ll have you face down on this floor and begging in less than five seconds.”

My threat only made him grin. “Alright, baby girl. I won't pull your hair…this time.”

His tone suggested something other than sparring and my mind filled with filthy thoughts.

My face must have shown what I was thinking, because Keelan smirked. “Sorry. I know I shouldn’t tease you, but the way you react is so adorable, I can’t seem to help myself.”

I put my hands on my hips and tried to look perturbed. “Shall we continue?”

Keelan got back into serious mode and we moved to the floor. I was to lay on my back as Keelan straddled my hips. He started off by pinning my wrists above my head. “Get free,” he said, staring down at me.

I brought my feet as close as I could to my butt and thrust my pelvis up, propelling him forward, as I slid my wrists to the sides at the same time. Keelan had two options. One: refuse to let go of my wrists and nosedive into the floor above my head. Or two: let go and catch himself. He chose to save himself. I threw my free arms around his exposed middle, used his body as a way to pull my butt out from between his legs to gain leverage, then hooked my upper arm over one of his as I bent one of my legs again and rolled us until he was the one on his back. I gave him a bright smile. “What’s next?”

Keelan tested me again and again until he got a good idea of how advanced my training was, and then we switched to sparring. That was when the fun began. We were both sweaty, breathing heavy, and I had my legs wrapped around his arm and neck. “Quit holding back on me,” I growled.