My next punch split the seam Alexei had repaired, spilling grain across the ground. I wanted to storm into his room and rip her out of there, hoping it’d silence this… ache.
I rested my head against the punching bag.
All I wanted to do was scream at her, to make her feel what she was doing to me.
Footsteps approached from beside me, fiery red braids flashing in my peripheral. “You left too soon.”
“I’m not in the mood, MJ.”
I threw another combination at the bag, hoping she’d get the hint and leave.
“What he said?—”
“I’m not. In. The. Mood.”
I heard rustling by the gear, which I ignored. Then a gloved fist slammed into my cheek, snapping my head back.
“How about now?” she taunted.
I spat a glob of blood across the sand and threw a combination at her. She dodged the first two hits, but my third landed in her stomach.
She laughed. Damned masochist.
A burst of fire flickered at my side, splitting my attention. I ducked, dodging the fireball, only to receive an uppercut to the jaw.
“In the mood yet?” she purred in my ear.
“Alexei and I don’t cheat,” I barked. At least not while we boxed.
“Since when do I fight fair or play by either of your dimwits’ rules?” She raised her gloves and formed two fireballs by her head. “Ready to go again? Or do you want to listen?”
My shadows shot out and smothered her flames. She luscelered at me, missing my fists as she skidded through my legs, engulfing us in a sand cloud. Then she did the most cutthroat, morally wrong thing she could and slammed her fist into my balls.
“Fuck you,” I gasped, dropping to my knees.
Seven Hells, I thought I was about to pass out or puke.
As if she didn’t think I was in enough pain, she clocked me in the jaw and knocked me to the ground. I groaned in the sand, clutching my nuts as my jaw throbbed.
She dropped beside me with a smug grin. “Now listen up. I knowyou overheard Aspen’s theory. I saw Rune, and you both saw me. I also know you left at the worst possible moment, only to come back and help her, then leave again. So you have half the story. I’m going to give you the rest.”
And I was going to lie there and take whatever she said because the thought of moving turned my stomach.
“His theory is just that—a theory. A plausible one we all need to consider. That being said, he couldn’t connect to her like a real cordistella. They aren’t bonded. You didn’t lose her.”
My relief hesitated to surface. She had more to say. I could see it in her face.
“But you’re going to.”
I glared at her. “Sometimes I wish you’d mince your words.”
She scoffed. “You never have before.”
“That was before you knocked me down after I was already pretty fucking low. Our day has been shit.”
She shrugged. “Yes. It has. So what? Suck it up, General. Now, not only do you need to do everything I said before times ten, but now you need to woo her.”
I sat up, regretting it the instant I did. “I can’t believe that word even came out of your mouth. How exactly do you expect me to woo her?”
