Page 261 of Midnights
“Not bad, bitch.” Elle smears sweat and a little blood off her brow, grinning like it only makes her prouder. “You’re stronger than you look.”
Then her stance shifts, and I know she’s not done with me yet. My body tenses in anticipation.
“But,” she continues, cracking her knuckles, and rolling her shoulders like she’s just getting warmed up. “You could use some work.”
She explodes forward, and I move, but she’s already there. A first slams into my chin, snapping my head to the side, and I can instantly taste bloodin my mouth. Pain lances through me as she twists, driving her knee into my stomach.
Ow.
The impact knocks the air out of my lungs, and I hit the ground hard. Stars flash behind my eyes, and I can feel the cold dirt grinding into my spine. Then she drops, pinning me in a heartbeat. Her forearm crushes my throat just enough to remind me she could end this whenever she wanted to.
Her grin is still there, but it’s calculated.
“This,” she breathes, barely winded, “is why you need training.”
I glare up at her, sucking in air between gritted teeth. My whole body aches, but I don’t break eye contact. I’m not sure if we’re going to call it a day, but I’m sure as hell not going to be the one to tap out.
She studies me for a beat longer, and just like that, she’s off of me.
I roll onto my side, coughing, trying to push myself upright. Somewhere off in the distance I can hear Cam. The asshole is laughing like he definitely enjoyed that.
Elle extends a hand, and after a second, I take it.
“You did good,” she smiles. “But you hesitate a lot.”
I scowl, rubbing my jaw. Well, of course I do. It's been years since I've done anything useful. I'm about as threatening as a wet noodle right now.Tomorrow should be fun…
Elle laughs, tossing an arm around my shoulder like she didn’t just steamroll me into the dirt. “Tomorrow? Same time?”
I swallow hard, resisting the urge to ask if she was reading my thoughts. I trust her, at least, I think I do. Cam says I should, but the way she looks at me makes me feel stripped down to the bone and exposed.
She’s right. I have been holding back. Not just with this, but with everything. I'm always in control, or trying to be. I hold it in, because God knows what disaster I'd cause if I actually let go.
But now I'm starting to wonder if holding back is what’s going to get me killed.
“And no, I don’t need to read your mind to know that,” Elle adds, laughing. “It’s obvious in the way you move.”
I arch a brow, turning to face Cam, who looks like he's seen a ghost. “You good over there?”
“He’s just surprised.” She teases, sidestepping Cam as he throws her an annoyed glare. “Which, by the way, isextremelyhard to accomplish. He didn’t think you could do any of that. He thought you were just apretty face.”
Cam’s head snaps toward her, eyes narrowing with warning, and I can tell he's saying something I can't hear. “Elle.” His tone is lethal. “Get. Out. Of. My. Head.”
“You let your walls down.” She grins, flipping him off. “That’s on you.”
I cross my arms, giving Cam my best smile. “Aprettyface, huh?”
His jaw twitches, but his expression doesn't budge. I can't read him, except for that split second when something dark flickers in his eyes. But it's gone as fast as it came.
“That’s not exactly what I was thinking.” He exhales, rolling his shoulders. “But I’ll admit it, Iamimpressed. Not many people can go against Elle and walk away on their own.”
There’s a reluctant admiration in his tone and I'm not sure what that’s about, but I don’t have the capacity to care right now. I just wish I could take a relaxing bath.
“Do you read people’s minds during a fight?” I blurt. I’m not even going to pretend I’m not dying to know the answer to that.
She smiles, tossing her hair over her shoulder like she’s in a damn hair commercial. “Not exactly,” she says with a wink. “Well, yes and no.” She shifts on her feet, looking at Cam, who nods.“In a real fight?Absa-fucking-lutelyI’ll use it. Survival over fairness, always. But training? Nah. That’s boring.” She smiles. “I love proving I can win without it. It's so much more satisfying that way.”
I nod, still reeling from the casualyeah I could’ve read your thoughts, but I didn’t.
