And I hatemyself for it.
With Cross’s paper clutched tightly in my hand, I stumble into the gym with Tyler following after me. Apparently, my dearest stepbrother forgot to mention that I was going to have a handler all day long in addition to completinghishomework.
“I think I can manage the rest of the way,” I bite out. “Thank you very much.”
Tyler chuckles from beside me. “Cross told me not to trust you, so I’m walking you all the way over to him until he takes you.”
I roll my eyes and exhale loudly. The paper in my hand crumples even more as I tighten my fingers, stomping across the gym floor toward the raised fighter’s ring.
It’s empty. Our echoing footsteps blend in with the punches Cross throws toward a mat that some guy holds up in front of him.
The man barks, “Again!”
Cross does as he says, his muscles rippling back and forth as he works his body in ways that only a true fighter could do. He dances around on light feet, and I can’t help but stare.
My lips part the longer I watch. Sweat droplets roll against Cross’s skin, the tattoos on his arm appearing wet and glossy.
“Fuck. Okay, I’m done,” Cross wheezes.
He turns and locks onto Tyler first then immediately drops his eyes to me.
Just to prove a point, I glance away and turn my chin up in his direction.
Tyler chuckles again, but this time, he tries to cover it with a clearing of his throat.
“Delivery!” he calls out, referring to me.
I cross my arms. “I’m not a fucking package.”
“More like a gift,” someone muses.
Tyler sucks in air from beside me at the same time I hear a wheeze. I peer up at the cage, and the trainer that Cross was working with is bent over at the waist, cradling his stomach.
“What…the…fuck,Cross?”
Cross puts his back to the trainer and stalks toward the door. He calls over his shoulder, “Don’t talk about her like that.”
My mouth falls open.
Cross hops down onto the floor in front of Tyler and me, and I peer up at him. A sweat droplet hangs off the end of his nose, falling in between us as he reaches forward to grip my chin in between his fingers. He closes my mouth and stares down at me.
“Don’t mistake my chivalry for something other than it is. I’m just sticking up for my sister.”
Embarrassment hits my stomach.
I bite down on my tongue, the taste of metal filling my mouth.
“Oh, and I’ll take this.” He pulls the paper out of my hand with ease.
I’m too angry and confused to bite back some type of insult. I take a step backward and run into something hard.
“Whoa.” Tyler’s hands fall to my waist from behind. “Careful, Scar.”
My spine goes rigid, a breath lodging inside my throat.
Cross moves quickly. He moves between me and Tyler, half-shielding me from his friend. “Don’t call her that.”
I exhale and quickly shake myself out of it.
