“Train me. Show me how to defend myself.”
A smile takes over my face. I’m learning that she has that effect on me. “Deal, but I won’t just train you to defend yourself. I’ll make you into a weapon that no one will dare to cross.”
CHAPTER 31
HAZEL
27 YEARS OLD
Sweat dripsdown my back as I push myself up from the ground. Legs shaking, I jump, then crouch down. My muscles protest, but I only have three more.
Two.
One more.
None.
I collapse on the cold dirt ground. Chest heaving and nausea clawing up my throat. My entire body feels coated in sweat. I didn’t know you could sweat from behind the knees, but I found out today that you absolutely can.
“No more.” I cough out, looking at the imposing figure staring down at me. God, does he have to be so sexy?
“You asked for this.”
“I didn’t ask you to kill me.” I groan, blindly reaching for my water. My fingers find purchase around the tumbler, and I yank it towards me, shakily pulling at the straw. Greedily, I take a long much needed swig, feeling the water replenish all the hydration I’ve just lost.
“You’re going to make yourself sick, that’s enough.”
I glare at him, taking another long swig as I stare defiantly up. The water sloshes unhappily in my stomach, but I don’t care.
“This is torture.” I grumble. We’ve been up since dawn, a crime in and of itself, working on my training. He’s been pushing me to find the strength within myself, and with the rage boiling in my veins, I meet his challenges, even though it’s hard as fuck. I’ve never worked myself like this before, but then I guess, I never felt I had a reason to.
“Get up, we still have to walk the trail.”
My eyes bug out of my head. I’m exhausted. My body feels close to becoming one with the ground.
“No way. Food first.”
Ace crosses his arms over his chest.
“You think you can just pause in a life-or-death situation and go get food?” His eyebrow is quirked up as he looks down at me.
“Yes?” I respond, knowing deep down he has a point. I can do this. I can keep going, I tell myself. But my body doesn’t move.
“Come on. If you’re good, I’ll let you suck my cock later.”
“And what makes you think I want to do that?”
He adjusts himself and my eyes follow the motion.
“See. You can’t help yourself.” He says with a laugh. “Come on.”
“Fine.” I roll myself up to standing and take a minute to get my bearings. Ever since the hospital, the waves of dizziness have clung to me, but at least the headaches have let up some. But I get up. For Sarah, and for myself, I will complete this circuit.
Both of us have been healing slowly, but steadily at our time in the cabin. The molted purple and yellow bruising has all but disappeared from Ace’s ribs, though they still give him a hard time.
The trail is over two miles long, looping around a small lake that the cabin sits on. Two other cabins are perched above us, but they’re unoccupied for the season leaving us all alone out here. It’s quiet and comfortable in a way that makes me feel like I can breathe and be myself for once without the worries of theworld pressing in all around me. I’ve been on the run for so long, that it’s a welcome change. Though the danger of Kyle finding us lurks in the shadows, the training helps keep my mind off my usual cycle of worry.
Dead leaves rustle along my feet as I trod along the dirt path. It’s been just the two of us and my new pet, Croissant, out here for a few weeks now taking us into early December. Though it hasn’t snowed yet, I can tell by the scent in the air it’s going to soon.
