Page 34 of Unravel You

“Make sure Zack doesn’t go for the family jewels.” I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “That’s his MO.”

“He lies.” Zack darted to the change room.

Had he learned any new moves while he was away? I’d never seen him this eager to get his ass kicked. When he came back, he had shorts and one of my old college T-Shirts on. Mom had a hard time letting go of our school stuff.

“Let’s go.” He hopped on to the rink.

“Shot?” Wesley offered Valentina a drink.

“No. I don’t do liquor.”

“Okay, I’ll take yours.” He shrugged. “We do drinks before the gloves go on.”

He placed the four glasses on his palm and filled them on his way to the boxing ring. I took mine and knocked it back. It was good to be home.

“I’d like the referee to note that I’ve been awake for eighteen hours on a plane.” Zack raised his hand before he drank.

“I haven’t even touched you, and you’re already making excuses?” I shoved him. “Let’s see your new moves.”

“Who told you about that?”

“Please, why else would you challenge me the minute you walked in?”

Kickboxing had been my thing for a long time. Zack could never beat me. Wesley improved after he joined the marines, but I still gave him a run for his money. Zack threw the first punch. I let it hit me to get my blood going.

“Oh my God.” Valentina jumped off her chair and rushed to the cords.

“That stung a little. Not bad.” I beamed at Zack.

“You talk too much.” He went for it again.

I ducked, then came up with an uppercut and a lead hook. Two years ago, that combination would have knocked him on his ass. But now he bounced on the balls of his feet, focused on his target.

“Did that hurt?” Getting him riled up was the way to beat him. Hot head.

“Don’t break a leg now.” He blocked my roundhouse kick.

I chuckled. He was serious about beating me. To my right, Valentina had her hands over her mouth. And her eyes were the biggest saucers. Maybe it would be better if we finished this quick.

Zack advanced on me with a much-improved form than what he had before. My guess would be he’d been training in South Africa. As he always did, he went with a roundhouse kick. I blocked it, but before I could throw a cross, he switched his feet and did another roundhouse kick, lower this time, to my ankles.

“Nice.” If I hadn’t been sitting low, I’d be on my ass right now.

He smiled at me, as if he knew something I didn’t. Better finish it now. We both had the same idea. He threw a jab, cross. This time, I knew he was going for more of the same.

He was an inch taller than me now. In the time he’d been gone, his shoulders had gotten wider. But I’d been doing this longer than him. I did a front kick to his knee and swung around. My shin on his neck did the trick. Little brother went down on his ass.

“Son of a bitch.” He punched the canvas. “Admit it—I got closer this time.”

I offered him my hand and yanked him up. “If you hadn’t been about to pee your pants to use that double kick, maybe. You’re in your head too much.”

“My turn.” Wesley hopped on.

“Oh no. Come on, that’s enough.” Valentina pulled down the cords but didn’t jump on. “It’s not fair to fight them back to back. The referee calls unfair.”

“I don’t think that’s a legit call.” Zack chuckled.

“I’m making it legit.” Valentina met his gaze.

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