Page 20 of Fighting Conviction
Dev rolled his eyes. “In our line of work, hell yeah they’re distractions.”
“I ask again, ‘What the heck is wrong with you?’” Ellie scoffed only for Dev to shrug.
“I said it. I meant it. Now step up to the mat. We don’t need to waste any more time.”
“Someone’s feeling sassy. Sheesh. Where is everybody, by the way? I searched everywhere for you and it was a ghost town.”
“Your brother’s with Jules. The rest of them are on assignment or out. We have lives outside of this place, you know. Come on,” he huffed before tugging her by the forearm to the mat.
She shouldn’t have felt anything. He was being a total butthead. So why did his gentle grip around her arm set her nerves on fire?
When they reached the middle of the mat, he let go and Ellie rubbed her arm to get rid of the tingles his fingertips left in their wake. He crossed his arms, making his chest muscles harden under the pose.
“Look alive, El. Eyes up.”
“Hm?” Her stare whipped up to his forest green gaze. Heat flushed over her skin at the smile in his eyes. Yep, she’d totally been caught. “Sorry. Training… yeah. I can do that.”
Dev smirked. “Something on your mind, Ellie?”
She scowled and scrambled for something to say before finally returning his smirk with one of her own. “Careful, Dev. You keep smiling and your face might get stuck like that.”
His cocky grin evaporated before he bent to get something from his bag. “Fine. I’ll be serious.”
The blank look that replaced it made her chest tighten with guilt. “So, uh, what’s on the agend—oof.” Ellie caught the item Dev tossed at her and examined what looked like a roll of some kind of tape. “What’s this?”
One of Dev’s strawberry blond brows raised as he spoke to her like she was an idiot. “It’s wrapping tape.”
“Okay…” Ellie gestured with the roll. “I don’t know why I’m supposed to know that.”
Dev cocked his head to the side as he scrubbed his short beard. “It’s for your hands.” He held up his, covered in the same red material. “Does Jason not make you protect your hands and wrists?” When Ellie shook her head, Dev whistled. “Damn. That’s tougher than I thought he’d be.”
She shrugged, not really sure what that meant. “Guess so.” She flicked the edges of the cloth wrap and pulled it awkwardly around her knuckles.
“Here let me do it.” Taking Ellie’s hand in his, he dressed her knuckles with quick efficiency before moving to the other to do the same. “There’s no reason for you not to wrap it, except to feel the real impact of skin on skin.” Dev paused and dropped her hand like it was on fire before clearing his throat. “Which, I mean, has its merit.” He tossed the roll into his open duffel bag and picked up his phone. “Let’s get started. How long have you been taking lessons from Jason?”
“A couple of months, or so.” Ellie flexed her hands, testing out their mobility.
“Excellent. That’s good to hear.” Heavy metal resumed playing at a lower volume over the speakers before Dev tossed his phone back onto his duffel. He retrieved curved punching pads hanging from the wall and approached her. “Let’s see what you got then.”
Ellie’s heart flipped up into her throat, anxious to show off all her hard work, especially to Dev.
“Let’s do this.” Ellie bit her lip and got into the fighting stance Jason had taught her, with her legs shoulder-width apart and her right foot slightly in front of her left. She brought her right fist to eye level and her left beside her chin, tucking her elbow near her body.
Dev furrowed his brows. “Huh, you’re a southpaw?”
“A what?” Her nose scrunched, but she never got out of stance, worried she was doing it wrong.
“You’re left handed?”
“Oh… yeah.” Ellie stood up a little straighter and analyzed her offending left hand. “Is that bad?”
Dev shook his head. “No that’s great. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before. Lefties are better at surprising an enemy.” The reference to an enemy made the flutters in her stomach leaden with panic. “We have to make sure you’re ready for jabs coming at you from straight on. Now, fists up. Everything looks great but make sure your wrists are slightly bent and your chin is tucked so I can’t hit you there… Oh, and—” He reached out with his thumb and pulled at her bottom lip from between her teeth. “Don’t do that. You might bite that pretty lip off.”
Ellie’s eyes widened at the caress, but Dev only coughed and continued to speak, moving on as if her insides hadn’t just melted at the touch of his finger.
“You know… for good form.” He pushed his hands into the padding before hitting the long rectangular mitts together. “Okay, yep, that’s better. Now, lay it on me.”
She didn’t want to dwell on the fact he’d adopted yet another perfectly blank expression. His hot and cold routine was giving her whiplash, but at least her irritation made it easier to want to hit him.
