Page 53 of Alpha-Ex Wedding Ruse
The thought alone made me slam my fist into the dummy’s neck,damn near taking its head off. I’d rather be anywhere but in that suit beside Elena, pretending she meant something to me. Pretending this was real.
“Wow, Luca.” Charles began strapping on his gloves just as I paused to take a swig of water. “I’m guessing your little visit to Leila’s house didn’t go too well.”
My wolf stirred. Just her name jolted it awake—like a thousand volts of lightning to the spine.
I tossed the empty bottle into the corner and exhaled hard, chest heaving.
“Want to go hand to hand?”
“Oh, hell no. Not when you’re like this. You’ll take my head clean off in the name of Krav Maga. Or worse—knock out a few teeth. And have you seen me lately? I’m too old to grow new ones.”
“Don’t be a chicken.”
“I’d rather be a chicken with a full set of teeth, thanks. Besides, where’s Tate? I thought you usually do this with him. At least he can take a hit and not whine for two weeks.”
Tate was the gym’s owner and my personal instructor. The closest thing I had to a friend outside of Charles.
“He’s out of town. Which means it’s just you and me. Didn’t you run your mouth last time about turning me and pinning me down?”
“Yeah. Last time, you weren’t…like this.”
I rolled my shoulders, bounced lightly on the balls of my feet. Let out a slow breath. “Trust me, Charles—I’ve never been more in control. Let’s go a few rounds.”
He gave in. I knew if I stroked his ego the right way, he’d bite. Charles always had a chip on his shoulder when it came to me and Krav Maga. He’d been training here longer—ten years, if I remembered right. But in under five, I’d caught up. Maybe even surpassed him.
That didn’t sit well with him.
“So…” he said, taking his stance and circling me. He threw a punch that I dodged without effort. “What happened at Leila’s place? She shove the Labubu in your face?”
That would’ve been better.
I threw a sharp jab toward his chest. He ducked and swept his leg low to trip me, but I jumped back just in time.
I landed hard, the jolt of pain shooting up my legs. Good. I welcomed it.
“She has a son,” I said, jaw locked tight.
Charles’ eyes widened, and in that split second of surprise, I landed a punch square in his gut.
“Okay—time out.” He dropped to one knee with a groan, clutching his side. “She has a what?”
“A son,” I repeated, more quietly this time.
“She’s married?”
“No. She’s not.”
“So…how did she get a son?”
“That’s what I would like to know, too.”
Charles regardedme for a moment in silence. “Does it bother you that she has one?”
Yes.
It fucking bothered me that she could let another man touch her. That someone else got to feel her moan under him, got to bury himself in the body I used to worship with my hands, my mouth, my whole damn soul. When I couldn’t even look at another woman without seeing her. Her curves. That perfect ass I used to trace with my hands like it was mine. Because it was.
But that wasn’t what twisted me up inside.
