My next attack ended with me wrapped in his arms, my back to his front, Harthon directly in my line of vision. He was trying desperately to remain objective, face held in smooth lines, but his body nearly vibrated with the effort.
I relaxed into the hold, peering over my shoulder at Aric. “Smooth.”
I slipped a foot behind his knee and jerked as I sent my head back. I spun out of his embrace, panting with the effort. He swung for my face, and I ducked, coming back up with a fist justin time to see him dive for my legs. He clenched and lifted, and I went airborne for a heartbeat before meeting the ground. He’d pulled the tackle, but the air still whooshed from my lungs, loud enough for Harthon to hear.
He jolted forward a step.
But I was already flat on my back, Aric resting over my hips, his hands pinning mine to the ground. “What scrappy method do you have for getting out of this?” he goaded, looking rather comfortable.
Whatever tendrils of restraint Harthon held snapped. “That’s enough.” His voice was a harsh growl, ripping from his throat.
Staying right where he was, Aric gradually straightened. With leisurely movements, he glanced at Harthon, then me, waiting for direction.
“We aren’t done,” I told him loudly.
“If Aric wishes to receive any game from our Territory, you are,” Harthon threatened, eating the distance between us in long, pissed-off strides.
“Sorry, my dear. I need that game,” Aric said with a wink. He removed himself and offered me a hand as Harthon arrived, a thundering storm cloud of aggression.
“You won’t lay another hand on her,” Harthon snarled softly, any semblance of his hard-held control gone.
I stared at him, mouth agape.
What waswrongwith him? Turning into a barking, territorial dog in front of the Princeps? His image was built on control and power and a steeled attitude, yet here he was, cracking at the seams over a man touching me, only hours after he’dspitedme.
With a pointed glare at him, I accepted Aric’s hand. “As such a skilled fighter, you know better than anyone that training involves hands,Harthon.”
I didn’t know it was possible for his jaw to grow any tighter.
“Themagvisand I have something to discuss,” he said to Aric, though his eyes never left mine. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
At least he had enough sense to save some of the show for ourselves.
Looking entirely bemused, Aric backed away, but not before winking at me over Harthon’s shoulder.For Domus’ sake.
The door closed, and a rigid finger pointed at me. “You aren’t training with him.”
Oh, no he didn’t.
I stepped right into his chest. “You aren’t my keeper. I train with whoever I want.”
“No, you don’t.”
Sneering, I said, “Watch. Me.”
I spun away to find Aric. Quick as a whip, Harthon snagged my arm and hauled me against him.
I sent my skull back, and he just ate the blow. A foot swept mine away and I went down, his body right on top of mine, and then Harthon was straddling me, shackling my wrists to the ground.
Unlike before with Aric, the position sent far too many sensations ricocheting through my body. Fury was at the forefront.
“What iswrongwith you?” I exploded.
A vein throbbed in his neck.
“You domineeringass!” I jerked my hands, but they didn’t move. An inferno blazed inside me. “You make no sense. You don’t get to suddenly act like a stranger, and then lose your mind like a territorial animal when another man touches me!”
He lowered his face and hissed, “If you had a tactical mind, you’d realize I’m making perfect sense. We do not know Aric’s true motivations. Training with him is a reckless risk. Need Iremind you, we need you alive and functioning to bring us into the Domus.”
