Khalil looks surprised for a moment. “You play video games?”
“No, but I’ve seen videos of people playing online. It’s fun to watch grown men cry when they lose to a computer.”
Khalil chuckles. “All right. I guess that leaves option two.”
“You really want me to knock you out?”
I’m rewarded with a lopsided smile that’s equally boyish and cocky. It’s infuriating that he justknowsthe chances are slim that I will. “If you can.”
I totally can’t, but even if I could…
I give him a wary look while wrapping my arms around myself. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that. We’re kind of exposed out here. What if something happens?”
“Which is why I brought this.” He reaches inside his pack again and pulls out my gingham headband. I watch him secure it on his wrist. “Get this off my arm and you win. Consider me knocked the fuck out.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“Ready?” he asks.
“I guess so.”
I forget how scary Khalil is until the image of my boyfriend slips away and he immediately comes at me with a dark look in his eyes and no warning. Forgetting everything he taught me in an instant, I let out a terrifying squeal and run in the opposite fucking direction.
Two hours later, I’m lying on the ground. I’m groaning, panting, and sore all over after Khalil indeed made me run a couple of laps around the lake. He was right there with me, though, encouraging me to keep going, but it only made me hate him even more because being able to talk and run at the same time is definitely a flex.
I barely make it before collapsing into the dirt.
Khalil is crouched next to me with my head gently cradled in his palm as he makes me sip the cool water from his canteen.
Thorin and Ezekiel find us moments later.
“I take it training is going well?” Thorin asks like this was their evil plan all along.
Khalil pulls away, and I groan again, but the sound gets caught in my throat along with the last sip of water I’d been about to swallow. I spit it out when I catch sight of a shirtless Thorin carrying a doe on his shoulders. Blood runs down hissweat-slicked chest, and his hair is loose, probably a mistake since he rarely lets it down unless we’re fucking.
He looks terrifyingly wild and untamable.
Zeke is walking next to him. He has a hoodie on despite the warm weather and the hood is up, shielding most of his devastatingly handsome face from view, but I can still feel the heat of his stare. He’salwaysstaring and sizing me up, so I pay it no mind this time.
Let him look.
“Yup,” I answer with zero enthusiasm. “I’m kicking ass and taking names. In fact, I’m so badass, I don’t need any more training today.” My sore muscles twinge, and I quickly add, “Or ever.”
Thorin heaves the dead deer off his shoulders and hoists it over the low-hanging branch. It looks like he already field dressed it, which explains all the blood. He then walks over to the lake and cleans up while I stare at the now-tanned skin of his back. He was really pale during winter, but now his skin has a golden, tawny hue that only defines his muscles even more.
Free of blood now, he stands and turns to face me. “Is that so? Well, then let’s go. I want to see what you’ve learned.”
“No more. Mercy.” I weakly lift my hand and wave my middle finger in lieu of a white flag.
Of course the biggest red flag in history completely ignores it. “Come on, wolf. Show me what you got. Fuck me up.”
I groan again and awkwardly climb to my feet. “You asked for it.”
Thorin stands imposing and confident with his arms crossed while he waits for me to make a move. I take one step and stumble. He instantly rushes forward, reaching out to catch me. That’s when I right myself and snag his wrist, using his own momentum against him and yanking him forward until he’s lying face-first in the dirt.
Khalil howls while I stare down at Thorin like the badass warrior goddess I am. He spits out a mouthful of dirt before regaining his feet with amazing speed.
“That was mean, wolf.”
