Page 38 of Twisted Legacy

He searches my eyes, then nods, and lets me walk away. I go over to Sasha and tell her I’m ready to leave. Maybe it was a mistake coming here after all. It’s just another reminder of what I lost. I used to have the gym and fighting as my outlet, but Wolfe’s taking it away, because I don’t feel the need to talk to a guy I don’t know about all the things I don’t feel.

We reach the door and Wolfe says, “LaReaux, I’ll see you here on your next scheduled training day. Don’t be late.”

I turn to look at him and he mouths, “Good, girl.”

Sasha turns to stare at me as soon as we get outside. I owe her an apology for what happened in there. “Look, I’m sorry I dragged you into my mess with Deacon. I didn’t think of how that would-” I stop talking because she’s laughing. “What? What’s so funny?”

“Girl. Igi. I to the totally G. I.,” she says as she pushes me towards the car.

“Get what?”

“The alpha vibes. The wanting to roll over and show him your soft underside.”

“I don’t have a-”

“Wanting to get on all fours and let him rut you. Yes, babe. I totally get it and I approve.”

“Sasha it’s not-”

“Yes, Thea. It’s definitely like that. Now I know our motto, okay? Fuck em and leave em wanting more. But unlike you, I also know what healthy relationship dynamics look like. And that man in there growling at you and demanding you do the uncomfortable work, to get better, that’s what someone does when they care about you. It’s the reason I came here, and the reason LJ quit school to stand vigil at your bedside. It all manifests in different ways, but he’s on your side, and it’s okay to let him see you. All of you.”

“No, Sasha, it’s not. It’s never okay. You know this. You know why.”

She pushes me into the car and says, “I know. I know everything that you went through and Thea, I’m telling you, it won’t matter how much you push back at him, how much you fight. He’s solid. He’s on your side.”

“How can you be so sure after meeting him for five minutes?”

She gnaws on her lip.

“Sasha Abigail Prince!”

“Fine. Fine, okay. I know because he’s the one who sent me an airline ticket to come here.”

“What?”

“It came to the house with a note that said you needed me. No explanation or anything.”

“You just hopped on a fucking flight after receiving an anonymous note? What if it was a trap?”

“Bitch, please. What am I, an amateur? Girl, you know I know how to handle my shit.”

I turn to stare out the window as she starts the car.

“Look, the man’s an asshole, for sure. And I wouldn’t exactly go for all that high handedness, but you and I are not the same, Thea. You get off on the fighting and he recognizes that, so I think you’re in good hands. But if he goes left, I’ll be right back here showing him what the rod of justice and flames of pain can really do.”

My lips twitch at the names she’s given her baton and taser. With a sigh, I say, “I don’t know if I can do it, Sasha. I feel like I’m drowning and I don’t know if I can stay here.”

“That’s fine too, babe. If you really can’t, then you send up the signal, and I’ll send you a life raft.”

Chapter24

Thea

My steps falter as I enter the class. I almost walk back out to make sure I'm in the right room. Holden’s sitting at the table to the right of where I sit, instead of in his usual seat. I lower myself into my chair and let the routine of pulling my stuff out settle me. It works until the students trickle in. I tense up as they walk by me on the right.

I focus on my desk, trying not to overreact. My head jerks up at the sound of a book hitting the floor. There’s someone at Holden’s feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I see everyone else is using a different aisle to get to the back of the class. Finn walks up and stares down at the guy on the floor, and mocks, “Are you going to spend the entire class down there or find another way to get your new seat?”

“My new seat? I always sit right there.” The guy points to a chair behind me. Finn plops down in his usual spot, puts his bag in the chair the guy is trying to get to, and growls, “Now you don’t.”

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