Page 93 of Reaper Flame

I blinked hard. “You’re fucking joking, right?”

“We’re doing this my way, Candy,” West said. His grip tightened on my arms, and he slammed me back into the concrete wall. He wasn’t messing around. “I don’t want you to break my fucking neck as soon as we step in there, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

I shoved him off me. “How will screaming help?”

He grinned, making me want to punch him. “Try it.”

“Fine!” I threw my hands up and opened my mouth to let out a pathetic excuse for a scream, hardly raising my voice. “Happy now, West?”

“Do it again.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re not even trying.”

I tried again, slightly louder this time.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he sneered. “I want you to let out everything in your nightmares. I want you to fucking scream! Let the whole fucking town hear you howl!”

So I did.

I took a deep breath and let my lungs roar. The fury bursting from the back of my throat sounded like a wild animal, and it echoed around the empty space. I kept going until I was red-faced and shaking, tears running down my cheeks. West was right. It felt fucking good.

“Better?” he asked.

I nodded and wiped my eyes. Instead of running on adrenaline and being guided by pure bloodlust, my rational brain kicked in to remind me that this wasn’t just about me. I’d tried to storm into the ring without thinking about how it was West’s biggest fear.

“It’s something I used to do when things got too much,” West murmured, a troubled expression causing his eyebrows to knit together.

“Are you sure you still want to do this?” I asked, looking up at the ring. “We don’t have to get into it. We can fight here.”

“I’ll do anything for you,” West said with a ferocity that would not take no for an answer. “But first, let’s expel some of that energy.”

“Why?” I teased. “Scared I’ll take you out?”

“That’s fighting talk, Pinkie,” he said. “But let’s see how you do against a punchbag first, huh?”

I followed him to the training area. He hugged a bag to his chest, holding it in place.

I wiggled my eyebrows. “Ready?”

He grinned. “Do your worst.”

When I landed a punch, he didn’t wince.

“Not bad,” he commented with a slight shrug. “More.”

I imagined the bag was Hiram’s smug face and kept going until I was breathless. My mind was back in control. In this state, I’d be able to rule my monster, and not let it rule me. The Kitten may be part of who I am, but she isn’tallI am. I could summon her to the surface without becoming another person entirely.

West nodded in approval. “You’re ready now.”

He took off his shirt. Seeing his muscles under the stark light allowed me to see the raised scars over his chest that were easily hidden in the darkness. Maybe I should be the one who was afraid?

West went into the ring first. If it bothered him, he didn’t show it. His focus was entirely on me. He extended his hand, and I ducked under the ropes to join him. He sauntered to the other end of the ring. He may avoid boxing, but he looked like a born fighter in his gym shorts as he clicked his neck on either side.

“Give it your best shot,” he said. “Don’t hold back.”

I ran at him, but he was quicker. The fucker dodged out of my way and bounced off the sides. It’d be a challenge for anyone, let alone someone of my build, to take West out, but I was no quitter.

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” West mocked. “First on the ground for five seconds wins.”

If I couldn’t win with brute strength alone, I’d have to be faster and think out of the box. I growled as he grabbed my hips and pulled my body close to his.

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