“True.”
I threw a jab at his face. He jerked to the side with his vampire speed, at least that’s the glossy lie I told myself. It missed.
“Pathetic,” he drawled, “now hit me.”
The training continued with me on the ground more than I stood and throwing punch after punch into open air. When I had enough, my body exhausted and aching, I lay flat on my back on the mat, arms up over my head, sucking in air.
“Up,” he said.
“No, no more,” I whined, rubbing my tender arms.
“Get up, Amy.”
I stood, albeit slowly.
“Right, now we train.”
“What—I thought that was training?”
“No, we are only just beginning.” He gave me a sly smile.
We started with the punching bag, then sit-ups, chins-up, push-ups, jump-ups, until the sweat ran from my body in a salty, sticky stream. My lungs screamed for air, every muscle shook. I flopped to the floor, flat on my back, knees bent, chest heaving, arms at my side, too tired to lift them up. Exhausted beyond any exhaustion I had ever known.
He held out his hand. I ignored it for a long beat. He shook it. “Take it.”
I reached up and he hauled me to my feet.
“Tomorrow we do this again, and then we run.”
“Oh, God,” I whined, “I think I need a new trainer, this one is broken.”
He threw his arm around my shoulders. “You asked, I delivered.”
“Just don’t expect a thank you.” I shot at him a sharp look, genuinely annoyed that he’d pushed me so hard. He answered with a smooth smile. I headed to take a long, hot, soothing shower, but not before I threw up.
Chapter 50
Run Far Away
Icame down the stairs an hour or so later, muscles I didn’t even know I had aching. My legs quivered with exhaustion. My whole body felt as if it was carved from sand. Stifling a groan, I held the rail to make it down the stairs. But despite my sore body I had a feeling of exhilaration that came from training hard. That feeling came to a screeching halt when Karson walked out from the kitchen.
I twisted all up inside. I shouldn’t care for him. I should be scared of him—terrified. Anyone in their right mind would be. That was obviously the problem, there was something irrevocably wrong with the gray matter between my ears.
I’d intended on eating something then heading out, but I needed to escape. The house, his penetrating stare. I pretended he simply wasn’t there, running my fingers through the strands of my hair and dropping my head to hide my face. Scared of what he might see if he read my eyes.
“Why are you walking like that, are you hurt?” He actually sounded concerned.
I snorted bitter laughter and refused to answer. I grabbed the keys off the hallway stand and my handbag from beneath and threw it over my shoulder.
He appeared in front of me. So close, if I leaned in we’d be touching. “Where do you think you’re going?”
I lifted my chin. “That would be none of your business.”
“It is my business and was my business from the moment you waltzed into The Bite. And I thought you understood, it’s not safe for you yet, and it’s best you’re with one of us at all times,” he said, trying to reason.
I stepped back and placed my hands on my hips. “No, you decided, not me, and it seems, Karson, it’s not safe around you, either. I’d prefer to take my chances out there.” I fired a bullet, but it missed the target.
He threaded his fingers through his hair. “You are upset, Amelia.”
