“Come on, Tasha. This course isn’t going to run itself. Be the leader you are. Show the girls how it’s done.”
I turn to Onyx and glare. I’ve been busting my ass out here. She has to be kidding me. I roll my eyes and head back to the obstacle course she wants me to run.
Val and Roni nod at me as we all get into place to take this monster on one more time. I look at the times on the board and huff. Onyx isn’t going to let up until I beat my best time.
We all suffer until I beat my best. I can’t fail my girls. If I want this torture to stop, I have to stop it for myself and my team.
“Fine. Let’s do this,” I breathe.
“Come on, you’ve got this. When you finish, Sim will be waiting for you guys to spar. Don’t let me down, ladies,” Onyx calls.
“Is she fucking kidding?” I groan.
“I wish,” Roni says as the signal goes off for us to start.
I take off. First up is the agility tire drill; from there, I make it through the first set of hurdles. Then I move to the tire tosses and tire flips. My arms are burning by the time I make it to the burpees and suicides, but I push through.
“Come on, Tasha, go. You got this,” Onyx calls out as I get through the next round of hurdles.
I want to curse her out as I run through the sandbox. At least we’re not doing the cold-plunge laps today. I pick up the ball and toss it at the target as I count. One, two, three … eight, nine, ten.
I push off in a dead run and drop to slide under the bar before I lift up to my feet and run to the nets, where I drop and crawl. I growl as the end comes into view. However, I don’t dare to look at the clock.
“Time. That’s my girls. Head to the mats.”
This lunatic. I haven’t even caught my breath. The mats? Shit, I need a nap. Instead, I stroll over to the mat where Sim is waiting.
If I want to beat her, I have to remind myself to be fluid in my movements. It’s not that I don’t understand Onyx’s reasoning for being so hard on us. Guns are one thing, but we’ve found ourselves in situations where our hands had to save our lives.
The girls in Cali have Noah, but a lot of us here are either street fighters or have no hand-to-hand skills at all. Other than Val, Sim, Dean, Vega, Ciara, Deja, Blair, and Lovie, the rest of usrely on firearms way too heavy. While Pam, Paige and I will whip your ass the old fashion way, we have learned that’s not enough.
“I will take it easy on you,” Sim says.
“Nah, you do what you have to. No one is going to take it easy on me in the real world; why should you in here?”
“Because I could kill you with one strike.”
I laugh. “Okay, Sim. Talk your shit.”
She goes to say something else, but I move in like Onyx showed me and use the distraction to strike the first blow. Sim looks surprised and angry. I grin at her and wait for her to attack.
However, she knows I need her in motion to take advantage, so she only backs away from me, luring me into her. I think fast, not everyone is going to fight my fight. Today I need to figure out how to beat Sim at hers.
“What will you do now? You are already tired and I’m not giving you what you want. How do you beat me?” Sim taunts.
I rock my jaw. The others have paused to watch this match. I’m not about to lose in front of everyone. This is why Onyx has made us train in multiple disciplines.
All I need is an opportunity. Sim’s arms might be longer, and she might be taller, but the right opportunity will open the advantage in my favor.
“Come on, Tasha. You’ve got this,” Pam calls.
“Maybe you should fight Pam. You two would be more equally matched,” Sim taunts.
I grin. I’m happy she’s comfortable and feeling herself. I won’t feel so bad after I kick her ass.
Sim continues to taunt me as we circle each other. “No guns, no knives. What will you do, Bella? I have come for you and your children. I will take your husband from you too.
“I’m the assassin you won’t be able to stop. I will rip you apart. After me, there will be no happily ever after. What will you do?” she hisses.
