Page 32 of Firestorm
There’s no other explanation. I saw the cruel glint in Landon’s eye before he spoke, and somehow I knew what he was about to do. He’d just threatened Aiden and now he was about to follow through on that threat.
I panicked.
“Brandt is–”
Landon’s words cut off. His eyes rolled back in his head and then he dropped, his head bouncing off the sparring mat. The whole class was staring. A couple kids snickered, but Coach only furrowed his bushy brows.
“What the hell?” Someone called out.
I gulped.
Aiden was frozen in shock, staring at Landon passed out on the mats like he might get up at any moment.
“I don’t have time for this shit,” Coach muttered as he adjusted his ball cap, revealing a shiny bald head underneath.
“He was showing off,” I said quickly. Aiden swung his shocked gaze toward me, and I gulped again. “Maybe he started to Exhaust.”
“That’s definitely not what happened,” Coach sighed deeply, then spun around to face the class. “Alright, quit gawking. Hit the showers!”
“This isn’t football practice,” someone grumbled, and Coach sent them a death glare.
Several students snickered as they began to clear, a few jokes rising above the chatter with one, grating voice above the rest.
“What are you going to do about this?!” Anton snapped. “This is the second time she’s attacked him!” He crossed his arms and hunched his shoulders. He looked like he was about to start sternly tapping his foot, and I would have laughed at that if I weren’t still paralyzed with fear.
“Second time?” Coach’s bushy eyebrows raised as he looked to me.
“Landon tripped the first day of class and he blamed me. He’s disliked me ever since.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, though Coach’s expression changed just enough for me to see he didn’t believe me at all.
“You tripped him, I was right there.” Anton hissed.
“Anton,” Coach pinched his nose and sighed deeply. “Discipline is none of your business. Hit the showers.”
Anton stared with a slack jaw for several seconds before he stormed away, muttering “This isn’t football practice.”
“Little shit,” Coach muttered under his breath, then said as he turned back to us, “I should really send y’all somewhere about this.”
“Aiden didn’t do anything but defend himself. Wewerepracticing.” Isaid, my voice coming out a little harsher than I meant. I couldn’t help it, though. Aiden still looked like he might throw up.
“Relax, both of you. I’m in charge of discipline, notAnton.” Coach waved his hand. “Landon got what was coming to him. Get lost, you two. He’s gonna be pissed when he gets up.”
When Aiden still hadn’t moved, I reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him after me. He was silent when we reached the locker rooms. I moved to leave him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. He leaned toward me, and I instinctively took a step back, but he only took a step forward.
“Whatever you did,” he murmured. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I breathed, freezing as his lips brushed across my cheek.
Aiden shot me a slow grin, revealing his dimples. “Sure. Don’t forget what I said, about that trust application.”
I shook my head as he sauntered away into the men’s locker-room, and then I scrambled into the women’s as I caught Landon’s death glare from across the gym.
Chapter 10
Skye
“Come with us,little Phantom. The Crusader has been looking for you.”
“Let him go,” Zephyr said, his voice cracking.
