Page 66 of Blood & Loyalties
I stepped up to the light blue bag suspended by chains above. My boots sunk into the mat, making me immediately think I should have taken them off, but I didn’t.
My eyes focused on hers as I placed one hand on either side of the bag, centered my feet, and added my shoulder to the bag for support. The first jab was light, as if she was testing me to hold it for her. I didn’t realize our trust with each other was so far down the shitter. It was definitely something we would be working on.
Without a word, she went for it. Right. Left. Right. Left. Jab. Hook. Jab. Hook. Fast. Faster. One after another, she rocketed her body at the bag. It vibrated in my hands as I gripped it more tightly, taking each shock of her punches. She just kept hitting, never saying a word.
Time to open up.
“Why are you so pissed?” Luckily, the only one in the room was Dan since Brett had waited outside the pulled door, giving us privacy for what needed to be discussed.
She took a few more jabs and then started kicking. The first one tossed me back a bit, but I got my footing quickly then didn’t move a muscle.
“Pissed? Why in the hell would you think I’m pissed?” She alternated between kicking and punching as sweat dripped down her face, down her neck, and between her tits where it pooled, leaving her bra soaked and making my dick stir.
“Talk to me,” I demanded, but she continued her assault on the bag. My girl could seriously hit. I was damn proud.
After a bit, she complied.
“What do you want me to say?” Punch. Kick. “I was a fucking idiot. I know you think I am, and now every single one of you are pissed at me. And my father will be disappointed in me for not coming to him.” Punch. Kick. Punch. Punch. “So pissed doesn’t seem like the right word. Livid is more like it.”
She held her hands in a fighter’s stance, and with each jab, she pulled back with fantastic reflexes. Her face showed exactly how livid she was, but it was mostly with herself. Not only was what she had done stupid, but it could have gotten her killed. She needed to remember that so it never happened again.
“To top it all off, I’ve lived with this shit, thinking if I talked, you and my family would die, and come to find out, it was a big pile of horse shit.” Her fists began pummeling the bag with a ferociousness I hadn’t known she was capable of. Sure, I had seen her shoot someone, but this was different. This was her body and instincts taking over and defending, and it was hot as fucking hell.
“So instead of telling me, you shut me out so only you would get hurt.” My brows pulled together in challenge.
“What was I gonna say? Hey, Jag, got pictures today of my father killing yours. No, I wouldn’t do that to you.” At least inside, this pissed off woman was someone who gave a shit about me.
“Your uncle, father, brothers, cousins—you could have told anyone. When your safety is involved, I don’t give a shit what you have to say. If it will hurt me or kill me, I don’t give a shit. I only care about you being safe.”
She stopped mid–swing, placing her hands down by her sides. “I feel like such a fucking idiot. I’m smarter than this, Jag. What the hell is wrong with me?” Her head dropped to her chest as her shoulders sagged.
I instantly released the bag and wrapped my arms around her, the heat from her workout pulsating off of her. Her body was so sticky from sweat it clung to mine. She didn’t move; her arms still at her sides, but her head rested on my shoulder.
“In some way, you thought you were protecting your family. The bottom line is, we are here to protect you, always and forever. If you feel a hair on your head is uncomfortable, you tell me.” I gripped her shoulders, pushing her back because I needed to see her face. Lifting her chin with my hand, I saw her eyes were closed, but moisture was pooled on her lashes. “Look at me,” I whispered softly.
She slowly fluttered open her eyes, showing me that beautiful blue-green gaze I had missed for way too long.
“That’s why I was gone for so long. I had to make sure you were safe, and then to find out you weren’t …” I shook my head.
“I’m sorry.” The moisture in her eyes grew as her hands came to the front of my shirt, one resting on my fast-paced heart, the other on the other side. “Is it gone?”
“Is what gone?”
When sweat trickled down the side of her face, she lifted her shoulders on both sides, quickly wiping it away. “Why you had to leave; is it gone?”
While I would never give her too much information when it came to business, I would never totally isolate her from things that pertained to her, either. At least not anymore.
“It’s gone.”
Her hands gripped more firmly, and my hands moved to her hips, holding her tight.
“I missed you.” Her voice was so soft, if I wasn’t this close, I might not have heard it.
Warmth filled me as I smiled. “I missed you, too,dolcezza.” I brushed my hand over her cheek, feeling her shudder at my touch.
Her eyes focused on me as her plump lips parted in invitation. I took it, lightly brushing her lips in a kiss so soft it was like butterfly wings fluttering. Her lips quivered, and her fists gripped my shirt more forcefully.
I kept my lips pressed to hers, leisurely taking time to feel every part of her succulent lips. Hers moved in tune with mine as I pulled her body flush with mine, feeling every curve that I had missed for so long. The memories didn’t do it justice.
