Page 125 of Cruel Legacy

Scott segues the conversation into some party his old college buddies are throwing and I zone out while he and Moira discuss coordinating outfits.

My stuff arriving from storage is perfect timing. Hopefully, some of my clothes survived.

Chapter54

Deacon

Thea strolls into my gym like she owns the place. I get her to sign the liability and membership forms then walk her over to the ring to meet two of my best fighters. She hasn’t been here for more than five minutes and I already know I’ve made the worst mistake of my life. Being her trainer is gonna end in disaster and tears. Theirs and hers.

I slip my jacket on but leave it unzipped. I have rules about everything being covered on campus, but here, I encourage my fighters to wear fitted, comfortable and breathable clothing here, so I can see their form.

Thea strips out of her t-shirt as she walks towards me and that’s what starts me plotting a mass murder in my head.

I give the guys a few seconds to get their comments out of the way. “Alright, stuff it. This is Thea. She’s here to train.”

She stares up at me. “They know my name. Aren’t you going to tell me theirs?”

“Their names aren’t important.”

“But mine was?”

“Yes, because it lets them know you’re serious about being here, and puts them in the right mindset.”

“Which is?”

“That you’re a teammate. A sparring partner. Someone who’s going to work hard to put them on their asses.”

“Shouldn’t I know the same thing about them?”

“When you actually succeed in knocking them down, they’ll give you their names.”

“So I have to earn it?”

“That’s right. Now go warm up. Ten minutes on the treadmill, incline at five, then ten on the heavy bag so I can see your form.”

She gives me a two-finger salute. “Aye, aye,sir.”

While she’s warming up, I go over to the ring to watch Tank and Colton spar. “Where’d you find her?” Tank asks, before putting his mouthpiece back in.

“She’s a student.”

“High School?”

“College, asshole. But she’s still off limits. Now stop talking and start swinging.”

Ten minutes pass and Thea climbs off the treadmill and walks over to the bag. I stay by the ring but watch her set her feet and start punching.

She’s fast and strong, but I can already see areas where I’ll need to push her. The first is her endurance. Ten minutes on a five incline should not have her breathing as hard as she is.

The fight rounds at the matches we participate in are five minutes, but I train my fighters to be able to go longer.

Higher endurance levels mean their blows stay powerful and consistent. I’m gonna have to push her hard and get her to a breaking point. Push her to a level of bone heavy exhaustion that makes her feel like she can’t stand on her feet a second longer, then make her hit the same spots on the bag with perfect power and accuracy over and over again.

“I’m not training quitters, LaReaux.”

“This isn’t training. It’s me punching the heavy bag.”

“That’s right, and you’re gonna punch it a hundred more times, and then give me fifty push-ups for your back talk.”

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