He’d taken to leaving a change of clothes at the gym so he was always ready to help during training if needed.
When he returned, he found that Dawn had Kiara on the mat with her, while the twins sat side by side at the edge of the mat. He paused just outside the open doorway, taking in the sight of them.
He knew the sisters had been hanging out together, but probably not as much as Duncan would have wished. But Jude thought that would come in time.
When he walked into the gym, Dawn waved him over. “You get to start with me.”
“Feeling the need for some practice, huh?” he asked as Kiara moved over to join Annie and Angela.
“I figured I’d show Kiara and Angela that you aren’t breakable,” Dawn said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jude flexed his hands, preparing for the interaction that was to come.
“They still think they need to take it easy on you.”
Jude lifted an eyebrow at her. “Planning to get a few hits in, are you?”
“You bet.” Dawn rubbed her hands together. “Let’s do this.”
Since they’d sparred a lot over the years, Jude knew Dawn would not pull her punches. They’d both be trying to fight off an attacker.
Jude focused in on Dawn, watching for the tells he’d learned about her through their previous sparring sessions. This wasn’t something he’d do with any of the other three. At least, not yet.
Dawn came at him fast, her movements fluid and controlled. Jude deflected her first strike and countered with a move designed to test her reflexes. She blocked it easily, then spun away from his follow-up attempt.
The familiar rhythm of sparring settled over him—the focused concentration, the calculated movements, the constant assessment of his opponent's next move. But he was acutely aware of Angela watching from the sidelines, and he found himself wanting to show her how he could handle himself.
Dawn swept his legs, and he rolled out of the way, coming up in a defensive crouch. She was good—better than most of his security team—and she wasn't holding back. That was exactly what he needed the women to see.
"Nice try," he said, circling her with careful steps.
"I'm just getting started," Dawn replied, her eyes gleaming with competitive fire.
She feinted left, then came in from the right with a series of quick strikes that Jude blocked, each impact reverberating up his arms. He caught her wrist on the fourth strike and used her momentum to spin her away from him, but she twisted free with practiced ease.
From the corner of his eye, he caught Angela leaning forward, her attention completely focused on their movements. The knowledge that she was watching sent an unwelcome surge of adrenaline through him that had nothing to do with the sparring match.
Dawn took advantage of his momentary distraction, landing a solid hit to his ribs that drove the air out of his lungs. He staggered back a step, grimacing.
"You're distracted," Dawn said, her voice low enough that only he could hear.
Jude narrowed his eyes and refocused, pushing everything else out of his mind. This was about showing Angela and Kiara what they could do if they took their training seriously, not worrying about impressing anyone.
The next time Dawn came at him, he was ready. He blocked her strike, then countered with a swift movement that caught her off balance. Not enough to take her down—Dawn was too good for that—but enough to put him back in control of the exchange.
They continued trading blows, neither gaining a clear advantage, until Dawn finally signaled for them to stop. Both were breathing hard, with a sheen of sweat on their foreheads.
"See?" Dawn said, turning to the women watching from the side. "Even Jude has to work for it. And I guarantee he's not holding back with me."
Jude rolled his shoulder, feeling where one of Dawn's strikes had connected. "Definitely not holding back," he confirmed, meeting Angela's wide-eyed gaze briefly before looking away.
"Angela, you're up," Dawn said, gesturing to the mat. "Let's see what you've learned so far."
Angela hesitated for a moment before standing and making her way to the center of the mat. Jude moved to the side, crossing his arms as he watched her approach.
There was still a bit of hesitation in her movements that spoke of uncertainty. However, she had a more confident lookon her face that told Jude that while she knew she wasn’t going to be able to take Dawn down, she was going to at least try.
"Remember what we've practiced," Dawn said, taking a defensive stance. "I'm going to come at you slowly at first, then we'll build up the intensity."
