Page 46 of Twisted Legacy

“It would be easier by now if you’d show up for your training sessions.”

I heft my shoulders.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m not.”

“Fine, why are you avoiding my gym? I thought you wanted to resume your sessions. Didn’t you argue me down about how ready you were?”

“I’ve been busy.”

He tilts my chin up. “There’s no shame in admitting you’re scared.”

I slap his hand away. “I’m not scared. I’m behind on a few assignments, and fixing my grades is more important right now.”

Chapter29

Deacon

Thea’s so full of shit. She thinks I can’t see through the tough girl act. I’ve trained enough fighters to recognize when they’re afraid to get back in the ring after a serious injury. It’s always a mental thing that they overcome just as soon as they stop being stubborn and confront what’s making them afraid.

“Fine. Your shoulder’s still healing, anyway. You need to continue working on range of motion outside of this class, and stretch.”

“I stretch.”

“Really? Because the cool down you did looked a lot like holding up the wall instead of the exercises I taught you.” I tuck my clipboard under my arm. “I came up with a rehab plan for you and since you refuse to come to the gym, I’m allowing you to work the program during class. If you can’t do that correctly, then your grades here will reflect.”

“You can’t flunk me for not stretching.”

“It’s my class and I can do whatever the fuck I want.”

“You’re being unreasonable.” She balls her little fists at her side.

“I’m doing what I agreed to do. I’m training you. Just because it’s not teaching you a combination in the ring doesn’t make it any less effective.”

“Then maybe I should find another trainer, because this arrangement doesn’t work. That’s why I haven’t been to your stupid gym. Your training methods suck!”

I stalk forward. “Whatever lies you have to tell yourself to keep moving. But let’s get one thing straight. There is no getting rid of me.”

I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me. “They didn’t break you, LaReaux. You’re standing here in front of me as proof of that.”

She tries to look away, but I won’t let her. I keep her attention on me. “I know you probably feel like they took something from you, but they didn’t. You’re still you. You’re still the same stubborn little shit that strolled into my class that first day and refused to leave when you realized who I was. The same fearless woman jumping into the ring with guys three times her size. The fighter I can’t wait to put up against some of the hottest talent on the west coast. You’re still you, LaReaux. Theydidn’tbreak you.”

Her voice is soft. Strained, when she whispers, “I feel like they did. They took something from me, and I don’t feel the same.”

“The only thing you lost was your knife.”

“You don’t get it Wolfe. I’ve got patches in my brain, these dark spots, and I don’t know what happened or who was there, or how far they went, beyond them holding me down and beating me.”

Her voice gets stronger when she says, “I wasn’t good enough to fight them off, and it’s your fault. If I didn’t have to stick to your stupid no fighting rule, I wouldn’t have been so weak and rusty. I could’ve been fighting at Club Dredd and I’d have been on top of my game.”

I take the verbal abuse. That little bit of word vomit tells me a lot about what’s going on in her head. Her rape kit came back inconclusive. There was no evidence of recent sexual activity, meaning no DNA in her vaginal canal, but there was bruising and tears at her entrance. That could mean someone’s attempt was interrupted, or they used something other than their dicks. Zeus is the only person we can place at her attack, and he’s not talking.

“Zeus has skin grafts on his dick, and eventually you’ll remember who else was there.” I can see that doesn’t offer her any comfort. “How can you possibly think you weren’t good enough when you did everything you could to survive?”

She pushes away, and I let her. “How can you know that?”

“Because I know you. Fuck, Thea. I know you, and I know the type of person you are.”

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