Page 15 of Hear Me Roar

“Why me? We’re closing in on that year mark, and I still wondersometimes…”

“Because you saw me when I was invisible to myself,” I confessed. “All of me. Not the me I showed to theworld.”

“It wasn’t that hard,” he whispered, brushing his lips against mine. “I knew there was much more beneath theclaws.”

Kiss.

“Claws I need reacquaintance with,” I whispered back, to keep us both incheck.

“I think we can handle that. You ready?” he asked, and Inodded.

“As I’ll everbe.”

“Then let’s dothis.”

A light tap to my ass started me off him until he reached for his bag. I caught him by the chin, stopping him halfway, forcing his eyes on me. I knew he’d probably say no,but...

“No mitts today,please?”

He sighed, completely defeated by the pout curling my lips. “Fine. Just for today, though. You know I don’t likeit.”

“Yes, Coach Carr, I know,” I cooed, kissing him one last time.“Thankyou.”

We made it center ring, and I took a moment to let it sink in. There was an instant high that took over me at the sight of the mat beneath my feet, at the chain link walls around us. I’d missed this, more than I could’veimagined.

“Don't hold back, baby,” Knox said suddenly, falling into stance. “Let me haveit.”

Oh, I'll let you have italright.

Especially with no mitts. We could spar, properly, and that’s exactly what I needed to get my head back in the game. Even if he didn’t actually punch back, just seeing him without those mitts was bound to make a difference; at least for me,anyway.

“Ding, ding!” He grinned, waving his hands, the simple act spurring me into action like a bull to a redcape.

I started around him; prowling, as Bernie used to call it, scoping out his energy. He was focused, waiting for me to strike, his arms acting as a shield as he bounced around the imaginary circle with me. From my peripherals, I caught on to the fact we had spectators who’d taken a seat on the ground. Just knowing there was even one person watching flipped the switch, and like reflex, out came The Lioness from her cage, ready to devour her prey. The challenging look in his eyes unleashed the claws and I pushed off the mat, throttling toward him, my fists flying out with such speed, I clipped him right in the jaw before he could cover. Hisses of pity resounded from our audience as he stumbled back, stunned, shaking his head to clear the haze of pain I’d unleashed without warning. I almost felt bad, and I probably should have, but I didn’t. He said don’t hold back,right?

Right.

So, I charged out once more, shooting him back into the chain links with a growl. A winded breath escaped him, yet again stunned by my assault, but he was quick to shield himself this time, blocking every single one of my hammer punches. I kept at it in a frenzy and because I was so focused on getting one in, I didn’t notice when he managed to snake an arm around my waist and drop me onto the mat, until I heard the growing crowd cussing insurprise.

“Is that all you got?” he tested, looming over me with agrin.

“Not in the slightest,” I growled, deflecting his jabs with myfeet.

Took him a minute to work it out, but when he did, he realized he wasn’t getting anywhere near meif he wasn’t on me.His conclusion was correct; his solution, however, was not. If it were better calculated, his approach might’ve worked, but the simple jab and mount was pointless. The second he lowered himself in an attempt to pin me, I bucked at his chest with the balls of my feet, knocking him right back into the cage. He hadn’t succeeded, but still he smiled, a prideful gleam twinkling in his eyes as he caught hisbreath.

I guess old habits really do die hard, especially when the fire burns deep in your soul, and you have a man whose confidence in that fire neverfalters...

After our session,Knox insisted on a thorough massage. I’m sure he thought I’d protest against it, but I didn’t, at least not for today. As much as I loved his massages, I took care not to make them a habitual thing. Why? Because personally, I believed routine-incorporated massages made your body dependent on them, and I didn’t want my performance to be affected by luxury. If anything, indulging in them only twice a month was often the recharge I needed between fights. Thankfully, Knox was one-hundred percent on board with my decision. He was fully aware some athletes required more after care, but agreed I wasn't one of them. Although my workouts varied, some harder than others, I always stretched myself out and took a long, hot shower – or sometimes an Epsom soak – when we returned home. That, combined with a well-balanced diet and sufficient rest, left me virtually nothing to worryabout.

Knox locked the door behind us as I slipped out of my sneakers, whipped my sports bra over my head, and shimmied my track pants down my legs, leaving me in nothing but a thin black thong. Blue eyes took me in hungrily, but quickly refocused on the task at hand, coming up to meet my amused stare from the short distance separatingus.

“Stop eye-fucking me, and get back to work, coach,” I snickered, relishing the feeling of being so highly coveted as I slid onto the sheet-fittedtable.

Seeing the want, theneedfor me, in his eyesnevergot old. Probably because I needed him something fierce,too.

“This view doesn’t make it easier, you know,” he admitted, as he pulled back the zipper on his duffle and retrieved the miraclepouch.

“It could be worse. I could be a total tease and prop my ass up, maybe spread my legstoo.”

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