Page 87 of Chasing Shelter

“All right. What do you think? Got enough in you for one more?”

I nodded and set the bottle down. “Ready.”

“Okay, on this one, I’m going to grab for your wrist.” Kye moved to show me how he would approach. “The moment I’ve got you, I want you to lean back and kick at my knee. It’ll make me release you. You might stumble or even fall, but that’s okay. Just right yourself as quickly as possible.”

I ran through the approach in my mind, what I needed my body to do. I was always clumsy at first, but I was learning. “Got it,” I said with a jerk of my head.

Kye moved in, slightly slower than normal speed. He grabbed my wrist tightly, jerking me forward, but I instantly leaned back, not going where he wanted me to. I lifted one leg, kicking in half-force at his knee.

Kye’s grip on my wrist loosened, and I stumbled backward. I did my best to stay upright but failed. As I slammed into the ring’s floor, the air whooshed from my lungs, and I struggled to catch my breath.

Before I could sit up or say a word, a figure swung into the ring, crossing it in three long strides before giving Kye a hard shove. Rage blazed in dark green eyes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

25

TRACE

I’d watchedEllie in the ring for longer than I wanted to admit. I came to Haven to burn through some of the need that had been coursing through me since our almost-moment in my entryway last night. Instead, I’d been met with her explosion of magic yet again.

The way she laughed when she bungled a new move, how determined she was to get it right… I saw her muscles trembling beneath that damn workout outfit, the spandex revealing every dip and curve. My fingers ached to memorize them all.

I couldn’t stop my back teeth from grinding as Kye moved her arms into position. I was so goddamned jealous of my brother becausehewas the one touching her. But then the moves had gotten rougher. As Kye jerked Ellie toward him, something in me snapped.

And when she hit the ring’s mats with brutal force, anger like I’d never known blazed through me. The fiery beast I always kept firmly in check was thrashing at the walls of its prison.

I was through the ropes in a flash, shoving Kye as I snarledat him. But I could only think about getting him away from Ellie. Keeping her from experiencing any more pain.

She’d been through too much already. Losing her mom. Her dad’s cruelty. Her ex layinghandson her.

Surprise and a flicker of unease filled Kye’s eyes as he lifted both hands, palms toward me, keeping them where I could see them and showing me he had no intention of fighting me. “Breathe. We’re just sparring.”

“Are you?” I growled.

Ellie struggled to her feet, coughing a little at the loss of air. “Trace, I’m fine.”

I turned so I could see them both, suddenly feeling like a cornered wild animal. “He hurt you.”

Pink blossomed on Ellie’s cheeks. “He wasteachingme.”

I glared in Kye’s direction. “She could’ve been seriously hurt.”

Kye’s head tipped to one side as if trying to read what was going on with me. “We may have pushed a little hard for day one, but Ellie’s just fine. See?”

My gaze skimmed over her again, looking for any signs of injury. But all I could see was her heavy breathing and angry expression. It was then that I realized the entire gym had stopped to watch the show.

“I know what I can handle,” she gritted out. “And I don’t need you or anyone else telling me what I can or cannot do.” With that, she stalked across the ring, ducked under the ropes, and took off toward the locker rooms.

I watched her go, every angry step making me realize just how badly I’d fucked up. A hollow feeling took root inside me, the worst kind of empty pain, at the thought that I’d added to Ellie’s feelings of being controlled.

“Dude,” Arden said, cutting into my misery spiral. “What is wrong with you?”

When I turned to my sister, I saw her own brand of rage directed at me. But I deserved it. “I freaked,” I finally admitted.

Kye moved to my side. “Thought you were gonna deck me for a second.”

I sent another glare his way, still not altogether happy with him. “You were pushing too hard.”

“I wasn’t,” he said, straightening his shoulders. “Said that to get whatever demon had a hold of you in check. We were fine until you blew through. You know sparring ends in bumps and bruises sometimes.”

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