Page 125 of A Debt of Darkness

“AGAIN.”

“This is pointless,” I say,deflated.

“It is with that fucking attitude.”

My jaw tightens and I pour venom into my gaze. I’m frustrated and I don’t understand why it’s suddenly become so fucking important that I learn to fight. I wasn’t completely incapable in the first fucking place, but Ryan’s walking me through this like I’m a complete beginner, and it’s starting to grate.

Mostly because he’s not letting me progress and insisting I’m doing everything wrong.

“Your weight is on the wrong foot.”

It isn’t.

“Your stance is too low.”

It’s not.

“You’re holding your arms too close to your chest.”

They’ll connect with his face in a fucking minute.

I move and he steps back, twisting his body so I miss and hurtle forward, staggering past him until I stumble onto the ground.

“Told you.”

I pick myself up, dust myself down and glare at him with incandescent rage. The kind that ought to make him at least consider backing down.

It doesn’t.

“Can we do it my way now?”

He sounds exasperated. As fed up with this as I am.

“Why are we doing this, Ryan?”

“You married a vampire, you’re living in a coven, and you almost got killed a few weeks ago. Which part of this is unclear, Ivy?”

The part where it’s become a priority that I learn how todefend myself. Ryan has spent every day teaching me to fight and Matt’s taken more than a passing interest in my exercise routine. My days of lounging around in confinement are over, and I’m running and going to the gym daily.

I’m fucking sore—and Henry isn’t helping.

He’s been relentless and his needs aren’t diminishing now he has me. If anything, Henry wants more affection, more attention. He wants more fucking and I ache in all the right places. I think.

I roll my eyes and Ryan grabs my wrist, finally snapping.

“Ivy, you’ve got to start doing what the fuck I tell you. What Matt tells you too. There’s too much at stake for you to ignore our advice and carry on like this.”

My eyes narrow and silently ask him like what.

“Rowan won’t give up, sweets.”

They narrow further, irritated by the return of the annoying nickname.

“He’s weaker, and Henry’s backing him into a corner. He’ll be forced to lash out. It’ll be fucking dangerous until this is over and your technique needs work.”

Ryan pulls and I careen forward, spun against him as his arms wrap around me. His head lowers to my neck, and he runs his mouth over my collar.

“Too fucking easy, sweets.”

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