More Training is Needed

SHAY

We walked into the kitchen to find our breakfast spread out on the island—eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. The guys greeted us with smiles and dug into their meals.

“Finally decided to roll out of bed, huh?” Conner teased.

“Just so you know, I was showering while Zane was busy on his laptop,” I retorted, shooting Zane a pointed look.

“Sure, if you say so,” Noah chimed in, nudging Zane, who responded with a low growl.

Noah then turned to me, his fingers brushing my shirt. “So, we’re working out this morning? What’s the occasion?”

“After last night, I need to be sure I can fend off anyone who tries to grab me, or at least escape.”

“Well, if you go for their balls like you did with me, you might stand a chance,” he said, and the three of them burst into laughter.

“I can’t help it if you have a weak spot there. It’s a good defense for women,” I replied, trying to hide my smirk.

Noah’s smile faded, replaced by a stern expression. “Next time, you won’t catch me off guard like that,” he warned, pointing his fork at me.

Zane stepped in, his hands raised in a peacekeeping gesture. “Enough, you two. We’re all working out today. We’ve been slacking off lately.”

After breakfast, we headed to the gym. Conner and Noah climbed into the ring and took their usual spots on the mat.

“Can I take her on this time, boss?” Conner asked Zane.

I sauntered up to Conner, trailing a finger down his chest. He sucked in a breath but kept his eyes on me. “So, you want a taste of what Noah got, huh?”

He laughed and gestured to the ring. “Noah had his turn. Now it’s mine.”

Zane came up behind me, his body heat radiating onto me. “He’s better than Noah, so stay sharp.”

“I heard that,” Noah grumbled.

“You know it’s true. He beats you every time,” Zane shot back.

Noah muttered something under his breath as I slipped under the ropes and into the ring.

Conner was a mountain of a man, his muscles rippling as he rolled his shoulders and neck, preparing for our match. We locked eyes and began to circle each other. He threw a few lazy punches, all of which I dodged.

I studied his movements, looking for a weak spot. But he was flawless, shifting his weight from foot to foot with perfect balance. He grinned as he watched me, then lunged at me with a powerful punch. I dropped and swept his leg, knocking him off balance. I lunged and headbutted him in the stomach, sending him sprawling onto the mat. But he was back on his feet in seconds.

His eyes were filled with frustration as I continued to taunt him. I feigned a few jabs, then spin-kicked him in the chest when he was off balance. He hit the mat again.

He sprang back up, his eyes blazing with anger. We circled each other again, then he lunged. I barely dodged him, rolled under his legs, and landed a kick in his back.

He grunted and spun around, grabbing my hand mid-punch. His eyes were filled with such hatred it was almost frightening.

I punched him in the jaw with my free hand, but he tightened his grip on my fist. I stomped on his foot and elbowed him in the nose—not hard enough to break it, but enough to make his eyes water.

He wrapped his free arm around my waist and lifted me into the air. He released my hand and moved both of his hands to my waist.

I was above his head when he slammed me onto the mat, landing on top of me. He looked me in the eyes and smiled.

“Ready to give up, Sunshine?”

“Not a chance!”

I started tickling his sides, finally finding a spot that made him burst into laughter. I wriggled out from under him and pinned his arms behind his back. “Your turn to give up, Conner.”

He grunted and arched his back, throwing me off balance. He spun around and pinned me to the mat. “Give up now before I really hurt you. I’ve been going easy.”

I tried to wriggle out from under him, but he was too heavy. I looked at him, feigning defeat, then headbutted him.

Big mistake. Stars exploded in my vision. I lay there dazed for a moment, then shook my head to clear it. “I give up,” I finally said, tapping his hand lightly.

He got off me, laughing.

“Ow!” I clutched my aching head.

“I should’ve told you I have a steel plate in my head from a childhood accident,” Conner said, wiping his hands on a towel. “But you’re tough, I’ll give you that.”

I sat up slowly, waiting for my head to stop spinning.

“That would’ve been good to know before I nearly knocked myself out trying to get you off me,” I said, still rubbing my head.

“You’re the only other person who’s managed to take me down like that. I’m just bigger and stronger.

“I could’ve tossed you right out of the ring, but Zane would’ve kicked my ass if I’d done that to you. So, I just knocked you off balance.”

“You mean no one’s ever pinned you down like that before?” I asked, my eyes wide with surprise.

“Only Zane’s managed to get me on my back and pin me down like that. I tried that move on him once, but he didn’t budge. I had to tap out.

“I was stuck. I tried to move, but his knees were pressing so hard into my ribs, I knew he wasn’t going anywhere.”

Connor helped me to my feet and pulled me into a bear hug. He smelled amazing, even with his chest slick with sweat. His deodorant must’ve been some kind of ocean breeze and leather mix.

I stepped back and offered him a small smile.

“Don’t beat yourself up—you held your own against me. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d last as long as you did. I figured I’d have you pinned in a minute, tops.”

“Okay, let’s change out of these clothes and head to the shooting range. I want to see just how good she is with a gun.” Zane wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.

“You were incredible, love. I’ve never seen anyone but me last that long in the ring.”

“Before we go, I want to see you and Noah spar for a round,” I said, glancing over at Noah.

“Sounds good to me, boss. Just don’t hurt me too bad. He’ll have me pinned in five minutes, tops.”

They both climbed into the ring and started sparring, trading punches and kicks.

Noah tried to grab Zane by the waist, aiming to throw him to the mat, but Zane slipped his arms under Noah’s and behind his head.

In a swift, lightning-fast move, Zane flipped Noah over his head. With a loud thud, Noah hit the mat and groaned. Zane helped him up and gave him a friendly pat on the back.

“You should know better than to come at me like that. I thought I trained you better.”

“One of these days, I’ll get you with that move. I’ve taken down plenty of people that way, and someday it’ll work on you.”

We all shared a laugh as we left the gym to clean up before heading to the shooting range.