“And for your information, I can’t actually tell you where we are.” I spun back around, stopping just before the steel doors and punching in the code. “If anyone who didn’t like me very much found this place, I’d be fucked.”
The fifty-pound doors glided open, the air conditioning waking me up. I let her walk in first, the slight echo of her sneakers soft against the thick, rubber floor. The light was bleeding in through the high windows, cutting clean linesright through the air. It was silent, apart from the echoes of hits into the punching bags, and Meg’s low instructions to whoever she was training off in the corner.
I watched Cora’s eyes sweep the space, slow and searching, judging every detail, no doubt. Everything from the wall of med balls stacked in perfect order to the ropes hanging from the ceiling, dangling in front of the old Romano logo hammered into the wall with bolts I drilled myself.
I watched her take it all in, not cautiously, just… curiously. Like a kitten discovering it's new home.
She’d been quiet when she opened the door this morning, but all I cared about was that her eyes weren’t as red as they were last night. Every ounce of that sadness was gone, replaced by something quieter. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me happy, knowing she was okay, knowing she’d slept.
She wandered a few steps in on tentative legs, tilting her head at the shadow of the logo where the sun caught it.
“It’s off-grid, unofficial. Location’s compromised,” I added as I stayed a few paces behind her, voice low. “We rotate our training centres every six months, but this one… this one I keep under wraps.”
She turned to face me, her arms folded around her torso. “So when you said training, you meant actual training? Not just mental gymnastics and psych-outs that I could just pretend to listen to?”
My mouth pulled into a tight smile as I dropped my bag to the floor. “You said you wanted to fight. I couldn’t think of a better place to bring you.”
“Hey, a little early for you, ain’t it, Marky? Sun’s barely up.” I shifted to find all six feet of Meghan heading towards us, her trainee hunched over and panting by the punching bag he was just leathering.
I cringed my face and hissed between my teeth, pointing at the poor guy. “Christ, Meg, the goal isn’t to kill them before they even get assigned.”
She blew out a laugh as she rolled up her sleeves, the black fabric bunching around her tanned elbows. “You wanted resilience. Don’t question my methods.” She threw out her arms and embraced me before letting go and standing by my side, dark eyes settling on Cora. “This her?” she asked, gathering up her long brown hair, violet streaks catching in the light, and tying it at the top of her head.
I nodded, my eyes darting to the girl I’d never seen look so nervous before. “Cora Holland, Meg Romano.”
Meg stepped forward, hand outstretched. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Marcus won’t shut up about you whenever he decides to drag his lazy arse in here.”
I scoffed. “I think this one and her… ways… are to blame for my lack of training, thank you very much.”
Cora’s eyes rolled at me before landing on Meg, something about it hesitant, before she slid her hand in hers. “Hiya. I love your hair.”
Meg looked flattered as she stood back beside me. “Right back at you. I’m waiting for the right sign to do the big chop.”
Cora shrugged, sweeping her side bangs behind her ears. “I’m the sign. Do it. It dries in like, thirty seconds.” She let agiggle slip, and it echoed along with Meg’s, and soon enough, the wretches from the poor guy she was training mingled alongside them, too.
Meg stepped out. “Best go see if he’s actually alive.” She landed a hand on Cora’s shoulder as she passed her. “It was really nice meeting you, Cora.”
“You too,” my trainee muttered back with a quick smile.
Meg smiled before her eyes cast to the back of the room, sighing once she saw the state of him. “Adam, I told you, you have to breathe through them… no… no, you willnotthrow up again. I just finished mopping!”
As both our hazy smiles faded and reality played, my attention flew back to Cora, whose soft gaze had been swapped for one powered by fury. “What’s wrong?”
Her arms folded, and her head tilted as she nudged her hip to the side. “I didn’t realise mywaysand I were keeping you from your gym time and your… wife.”
Laughter bellowed out of me as my head sank, before meeting her gaze, my smile wide.
"What?" The corners of her mouth lifted, her smile laced with confusuon as I kept laughing. Soon enough the back of her palm met my ribs. "Why are you laughing?"
I straightened up as I caught my breath. “Okayyy, Meg? Cousin, not wife. And two,” I gripped the hem of my shirt and lifted it just enough to show off my abs. “I think I can afford to miss the gym a few times to help you.”
She rolled her eyes, turning away. “You mean take over my life?”
I gripped her shoulder and gently turned her back. “I mean, help you not get attacked again.”
That paled her.
I sucked in a breath, nodding behind her. “Changing rooms are back there. Meet me out here in five.” I stalked off to check in on Meg, ignoring Cora’s grunt and the sound of the changing room door slamming moments later.
