Page 57 of Daughters of Chaos

Someone rushes by, hurrying to their class, reminding me that I need to get to my next final. I give Martin a quick goodbye, making him promise to keep me updated on Kat before I leave. As I turn a corner, Mason appears from the shadows, hood drawn. “I don’t trust that guy,” he says softly.

“Why not?”

He shakes his head. “Something about him isn’t right.”

“Are you saying this because I hugged him? Or is it something else?”

His jaw clenches. “I don’t like other men getting touchy with my girl. But that’s not what I’m talking about. Something about him is off Nix. Be careful.”

I don’t reply as he peels off, taking up a spot on one of the benches outside my classroom. I try to push his warning out of my mind, but as the minutes pass, it becomes more and more difficult.

Mason doesn’t trust Martin, but he and the other guys don’t trust many people these days. Could his issue be jealousy? Or is his worry because of the problems with Dom and his crew?

"Be careful,"he’d said. But I thought I already was.

32

Raven

The ring is my new happy place. Inside the ropes, I can let go. I can work out my frustration, my anger, my worry, and let the world fade away. It's the only kind of therapy I’d ever agree to. And I'm about to put it to the test.

Nix is in a funk because her friend went MIA, and I can tell it's eating her up. She told me what her friend’s boyfriend told her. How she used to have a bad drug addiction and somehow slipped back into those habits. I tried to make Nix see that none of it was her fault, but I doubt she believed me.

She internalizes everything, taking on guilt that she shouldn’t any time the world deals hard lumps to those she cares about.It’s one of my favorite and least favorite things about her. Her huge heart is bound to get her into trouble one of these days.

It kills me to see her hurting over things she has no control over, but I know it’s just the way she is. I tried to talk her out of her head and told her my experience with people who’d wrestled demons like that before. Used those stories to show her there was nothing more she could do that wasn’t already being done.

That only helped a little. So, I suggested something different. Something outside her comfort zone to see if it might help her, like it helped me.

She looks hesitant as six of us enter the open area that houses the boxing ring. Bones, Raptor, Jesse, and Reaper are on guard duty today, and none of them objected to visiting the gym when I suggested it. Everyone in the club seems stir crazy lately, so any chance to blow off some steam is welcome.

I coax Nix over to an area to warm up, explaining a simple routine for her to try once we're done. She takes it all in stride, taking in everything I tell her like a good sport. I walk her through the routine, guiding her on technique until she feels comfortable.

After a while, she seems to realize that I need something harder, faster, more challenging. So she sends me away, insisting she wants to work on the moves I showed her with Raptor. I keep an eye on her as I go through one of my own routines at an open bag just across the room.

When she finally cracks a smile at something the MC treasurer says, I let myself focus on my workout. It feels so good to unleash on that bag, to let myself free and feel the tension evaporating with every hit against the leather. It's easy to get lost in the rhythm.

Before I know it, twenty minutes has flown by, and I'm just getting started. When I take a break, I see Nix staring wide-eyed into the ring, watching two hulking forms as they start theirdance. I join her, Jesse, and Bones off to the side as Raptor and Reaper square off.

A familiar excitement swells inside me as I wait for one of them to throw the first punch. The adrenaline rush from a good fight always sparks something inside me, whether I’m observing or participating. It’s the thrill of the fight that sends me into a place I can’t explain. All I know is when I come out, I feel a thousand times better. Like I can take on the world.

Raptor throws the first punch, missing Reaper’s jaw by an inch as he shifts to avoid the blow. He answers with a jab of his own, landing roughly against Raptor’s side. Round and round they go, exchanging blows and ducking punches as the rest of us watch, mesmerized.

The two of them are evenly matched, even with Reaper’s extra height. It's exhilarating watching them, neither seeming to tire even as the hits grow harder and faster. It's a rush watching them, but it seems like no one will be crowned the winner, and they’ll have to call it soon. That’s when the gym doors burst open.

We all turn to find Viper storming in, Bear and Miguel close on his heels. None of them look happy. Viper eyes Nix and me and stops a healthy distance away, waving the guys over. I still haven’t spoken to him since our blow-up outside the bar when we got jumped. He seems keen to keep it that way for now.

While the guys talk in hushed tones, I elbow my sister. “How are you feeling?”

She gives me a small smile. “Better. I’m still not one hundred percent, but I feel a little lighter than I did earlier. Thank you.”

I nod, leaning against the side of the ring. “Any time you want to come out here, let me know. It’s a great way to blow off steam.”

Her eyes fill with a question as she studies me. “Is that why you’ve been so different lately?”

“What do you mean?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know. It seems like you’ve been more settled. Even with everything going on, it’s like you’re more mellow than you’d normally be in these circumstances. I thought for a while it was because of Jesse, but maybe I was wrong.” She shrugs, eyeing me again.

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