"See what he can do, Mia?" Stefan's words were unclear due to the wiring around his jaw.
I felt the rage that I felt last night fill me once more. Even now, after everything, Stefan was trying to point out Luc's flaws. I let go of Luc's hand and moved to Stefan, but Luc put a hand on my shoulder. I paused for a second before I shook him off.
I moved next to Stefan’s bed and he reached a hand out, only for me to swat it away.
"I've seen him kill someone for me," I said quietly. "I think you should count yourself very lucky, Stefan. There is nothing he can do that won't have me choose him every time."
Luc stood beside me and took a deep breath before he spoke. "When you get out of here, you pick up your stuff and get out of the house. You stay away from Mia and I'll stay away from you. I meant it last night, Stefan. I won't give you another chance."
Stefan didn't say a word but glared at Luc before he was left alone in the room.
I didn't say much for the ride home but as Luc pulled into the garage, I broke the silence. "Luc?" I took his hand as he helped me out of the car. "Will you teach me to fight?"
Luc's eyebrows shot up at the request and I chewed on my bottom lip. "I want to be able to get myself out of a situation."
"You won't need to because I'll be there," Luc told me.
"You can't be with me 24/7. Please, Luc. We'll both feel better if you teach me."
He thought about my words for a moment and then strode across the garage to pull out some mats. "Go get changed," he told me.
"You're going to teach me now?"
"Do you have something better to do?" Luc asked.
I rolled my eyes and went to get changed. After a few minutes, I reappeared in the garage in a sports bra and some yoga pants. The mats had been spread out on the floor and Luc was dressed only in his jeans.
"Dom uses the space sometimes to keep in shape," Luc explained pointing to the mats. "He spars with me and Dante sometimes, but it's been a while."
"Do you think he'd spar with me?" I asked him.
"Not if he thinks his life is worth living,” Luc muttered, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes again. “Now let's warm up."
I couldn’t be certain how long we trained but I had thrown my all into it, working out my anger from yesterday. This took the meaning of boxing day to a whole new level. Luc refused to fight properly, and I found myself yelling at him about respect.
He slammed me against the wall of the garage, and I felt my insides shake with the force even though I knew this wasn’t his best. I balled my fist, swinging at him with a left hook that Luc caught with ease, pinning it behind my back and applying some pressure.
“Dammit!” I screamed in frustration. This wasn’t the first time he’d managed to counter my move without a thought. Swinging my leg out, I hoped to find Luc’s to bring him down to the mat, but he stepped away from it.
“You’re thinking too much, princess,” Luc told me.
This wasn’t something I could learn from a book. Fighting was something you learned from practical experience. Despite the fact I was uncomfortable, Luc didn’t let up. He looked like he was almost enjoying watching me fighting against him.
"You're the one who told me not to go easy on you," Luc reminded me as I struggled.
He eventually let go of my arm abruptly and I stumbled before recovering and came at him. Luc blocked my attack and tapped me on the chin. He wasn't about to come to full blows with me and he'd told me as much. I could swing at him as much as I wanted but he'd only tap in return to show me where he would counter.
With speed, I moved to catch Luc’s nose, leaving him vaguely impressed when he recovered. He jabbed at me but I blocked it with surprising force that caused him to stumble and allowed me to graze his cheek.
"Because I knew I could take you," I told him, shoving him in the stomach.
Luc hooked a leg around mine and brought me down to the mat with a thud.
"Ooft!" I groaned. The pain subsided to a full ache quickly.
Luc was on top of me in an instant. "You okay there, princess?"
With a burst of adrenaline, I shifted us, so Luc lay on the floor and I straddled his waist. My breathing came in hard pants and I was covered in a sheen of sweat. Luc was used to me being careful and kind, and while that wouldn’t change, I could see the advantage of being confident and quick in a fight.
