Page 107 of Love Me Again

“I’ll fly you out tomorrow.” He whispers and kisses her softly. I sigh, watching them, and it hits me how much I miss Shayla and how we used to be. I miss her touch, her kiss, and most of all, I crave to hear her laugh again. Amid all the chaos, it completely slipped my mind that I would surprise Aimee and Josh with a honeymoon. They’ve been an absolute rock for Shayla and me, and I know Shayla feels awful for everything that happened at their wedding. Even though it wasn’t her fault, she still feels terrible about it.

Once Shayla got ready, we drove to the gym, which was ten minutes from our house. Shayla looks around the gym at all the men, and I can see the dread in her eyes. “Out.” Josh orders when he too noticed the panic in Shayla’s eyes, and everyone clears out, leaving us alone. Josh was part owner of the gym. He and our mutual friend Murray opened the place five years ago. It was a boxing and mixed martial arts club where I often come to train with Josh and Murray— a Muay Thai instructor.

“You trust me, right?” Josh asks me, and I nod, my eyes on Shayla, who was looking timidly around the gym.

“Of course.”

“I need to push her. It’s going to be hard to watch, but let her be, don’t interfere.” Josh tells me, and I swallow hard. “Warm her up.”

I exhale and walk over to Shayla, and Josh goes to the equipment and pulls an impact vest on. I help her pull the gloves on and teach her how to throw a punch while holding the pads. “That’s good, baby, now harder, push your fist like you want to go through the pad,” I instruct, and she punches hard. I talk her through the sequences of punches and follow my movements and instruction. “Right hook, Harder.” She hits the pad, concentration on her face, flushed and sweaty. “Josh is going to take over now, okay, baby?” Shayla nods silently, and I back away from her as Josh walks over. Josh places his hands on her shoulders, and she flinches slightly but keeps her eyes on his.

“Do you trust me, Shay?” He questions, and she looks at him vacantly for a long moment but nods. “You know I would never hurt you, right?” She nods again. “Okay, I need you to hit me.” He tells her, and she shakes her head, scowling. “It’s okay. This vest protects me. You won’t hurt me, but I need you to give me everything you’ve got inside you. All right?” Shayla looks over at me uncertainly, and I nod, urging her on silently. Come on, baby. You got this.

“Okay.” Shayla sighs and punches Josh in the chest gently.

“Harder Shayla,” Josh says, and she puts more force into her punch. “Harder!” Josh shouts, making her jump, and she glares at him. Josh takes a step toward her, and she jumps back. “Are you weak?” he hisses while advancing toward her, and Shayla backs away, shaking her head. “Are you weak?!” Josh yells again, and she looks up at him, her chest rising and falling quickly, her eyes drowned in tears. “Hit me!” When he reaches to grab her, she shoves him back.

“NO!” Shayla screams, and he grabs her arm and pulls her against him. Shayla whimpers and punches him in the chest over and over again.

“Is that all you got?! Come on, harder! Hurt me, Shayla! HIT ME!” Josh barks, and she sobs, hitting him repeatedly. I watch her as she relives the moments those bastards hurt her. Josh did it—he got her to open up that box she’s been trying to keep locked away. Josh let her hit him and took each blow, each punch she wished she could have delivered to them. Shayla was screaming and sobbing, and it took everything in me to stay back and not take her into my arms. She has to feel this. In order to heal, she has to get the rage she has festering inside out of her.

Josh pushes her back, and she attacks him again. In her mind, it wasn’t Josh anymore; it was her captors. It was written all over her flushed face. She was gasping for breath, but she didn’t stop. I watch as Shayla delivers a swift punch to Josh’s face, and I take a step to intervene, but he holds his hand out, stopping me. My heart was up in my throat. I’ve never seen her like this. She held so much hatred and rage in her eyes. “Hurt me, Shayla, come on! Just like I hurt you.” He goads her, and she punches him in the jaw again. Josh shakes off the blow, his nose was bleeding, but he didn’t seem phased. He’s a fighter, after all. That would have felt like a slap to him. Shayla wasn’t strong enough to hurt him, but he wanted her to feel like she was. “Are you a coward?!” Josh shouts, shoving her back again.

“NO!” Shayla screams, hitting him wherever she could. Josh grabs her and wraps his arms around her tight—holding her against him.

“It’s over now,” Josh tells her while she fights in his hold. “You’re stronger than you know, Shay. You’re stronger than them.” He speaks in her ear, and she sobs helplessly. “You’re sick of everyone treating you like you’re made of glass but you’re not. You’re a fighter, Shayla. You’re not weak. Those bastards are.” Josh directs her toward the boxing bag. “Show them you’re not a weakling. Fight back!” He shoves her into the bag.

“Ahhhhh!” She screams, her head pressed against the bag. I take a step to go over to her, but Josh pulls me back, shaking his head.

“Leave her.” We stood watching her as she punches the bag. Letting out all her anger and frustration until she fell to her knees, panting to catch her breath between her anguish-filled sobs. Her cries echo in the empty gym. Josh walks over to her and lifts her face so she could look at him. “You’re the strongest woman I know. The only way you will let them win is if you give up being you and hide. Don’t give them or anyone that power over you ever. They can’t hurt you anymore. No one can.” Josh tells her earnestly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, and she stares at him.

“Teach me. Teach me how to fight.” Shayla says, her voice raspy, and Josh nods.

“Of course, but you have to promise you’ll stop hiding away and shutting everyone out. We’re all here to help you heal.” Shayla nods and averts her gaze to me, and I smile at her.

“I promise.” Josh hits her shoulder playfully with his pad.

“You owe me a nose job. I think you broke my beautiful nose. Who taught you to swing a punch like that, pretty girl?” Josh chuckles, and she looks at him and laughs sadly.

Ahh, there it is. There’s my beautiful wife. I walk over and kneel in front of her. “My brother.” She whispers and looks at me. “And my husband.”

I smile and rub her jaw gently. “She always had a mean right hook on her. That was all her. Believe me. I’ve seen the bruises on my body to corroborate it.” I tease, and she smiles weakly. I feel my heart flutter when she smiles. As cheesy as it sounds, it does light up my whole life.

“I’m sorry about your nose.” Shayla apologises to Josh, who shakes his head.

“Don’t be, I’m fine. I was just joking. It takes more than a punch to break Josh Matthews nose.”

“Yeah, it takes a Cole Hoult.” I joke and shove him, so he topples over onto the mat and chuckles, kicking me over. We look at each other and hurl ourselves at Shayla, who gasps when she falls back on the mat. She laughs while we playfully punch her.

“You want to train with me. You need to get tough quick, Shay.” Josh tells her, and Shayla scowls and slaps him with her boxing glove, and he groans, rubbing his forehead. “Ow.”

Josh scampers off to the office when Murray walked in. I lay down beside Shayla on the mat and look over at her. “You okay?” She turns her green eyes to me and sighs heavily.

“I will be.” I lace my fingers with hers and lift her hand to my lips, brushing a kiss on her knuckles.

“That’s my girl.” Shayla looks over at me, and I hold her gaze intently. “No one can break you unless you give them the power too, Shayla Hart.”

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