Page 47 of A Dark Duet

When we finish, he walks us back to the gym, and I can see a crowd around the cage while Nate is sparring with Jaden. I have never seen Jaden fight, and he’s actually really good as he holds his own against Nate.

They move, circling each other, and suddenly, Nate goes for the takedown, but Jaden moves faster and kicks him back against the cage. Nate recovers and goes after Jaden, measuring his distance until he finds a weak spot, punching Jaden and taking him down. When Jaden is down, he grabs his neck with his arm from behind, and Jaden suddenly taps out.

“You’re faster,” Jaden says. “It’s good that you’re faster. The asshole you’re fighting will not know what hit him. I bet he doesn’t know how fast and calculating you really are.”

I heard he is fighting another fighter from Brazil, thinking he has a shot against “The Reaper” for his title. He goes by the name of Maverick De Leon. His father is from Brazil, and his mother is French, according to the promotion on TV.

Nate sees me through the cage and blows me a kiss. I stay still, stunned, not knowing what to do or say. Everyone looks in my direction, waiting for a reaction.

All I can think of is to stay still. It’s all I can manage, feeling guarded inside. I look over at Brie, gazing at Jaden, following his every movement. I look at Nate and I can’t blame her. The sweat dripping down their bodies would have any woman buying a ticket, and it’s not to watch them fight. Men built like them break girls’ hearts. They do not mend them when they are broken. I might have a hard time trusting Nate, but what choice do I have? I’m used and tarnished, like a plastic bag with a gaping hole that can’t be used.

When Nate is done, I say my goodbyes to Brie, Jaden, and his team. He comes up behind me, placing a hand on my lower back. I look over at him, and he smiles. “When we get home, I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Trust me, you’ll see.”

“Okay.”

We get inside his car, and he drives to his house. I secretly liked when he said “home,” like it was my home too, but that’s a lie.

I’m just here because we can’t go back until he takes care of Jack and his minions. I think he will just hurt him, but killing him? I don’t think he will go that far. Could he?

Maybe he was just saying that in the heat of the moment. I can smell his cologne as he had showered in the gym, and he smells fresh, like the hoodie he gave me. It smells like his cologne, and I feel like I am being hugged in a cocoon by something he gave me that has his name branded on it.

Like I’m part of him, belonging to him because as fucked up as I am, I prefer to belong to Nate “The Reaper” Phoenix, even if he can’t love me. No one can love me, so it doesn’t matter. Love is not on the table anymore; no white picket fences, no relationship, or a boyfriend to worship me. That shit doesn’t exist for a girl like me anymore. The prima ballerina is broken, ruined, and can only dance to ease her pain. To be visible when I dance is better than wishing for death because, to be honest, I have thought it would have been better to have died instead.

It’s quicker, painless, and I don’t have to see the pity in anyone’s eyes when they find out two trailer trash drug dealers that had been waiting for us fucked us up. I remember what Jack said about me being around Brie, that he could finally get me, too.

The evil look in his eyes promised me pain. He broke me, giving me pain all at once, like the death of my parents, alone, with no one capable of helping me, not even Brie.

They followed us to the dance club and if it wasn’t for Nate and Jaden, they probably could have done it again to finish the job. I owe Nate that much.

He saved me by giving me a safe haven. When we arrive in his driveway, he parks his white sports car and opens his garage to a sleek, blacked-out superbike. He hands me a helmet and a pair of Bluetooth headphones to pair with his phone. I watch him take a helmet and place one on over his headphones and pull the bike out, revving the powerful engine. We secure our helmets in place, the headphones linked so I can hear him speak through the headset inside the helmet.

“Hold on to me tight and don’t let go,” he says through the speakers.

“Okay,” I say.

He gives me a hand to get on the bike, one leg over, and I slide as close as possible, circling his waist, feeling his ab muscles contract. He revs the engine and rubs my hand laced at his waist as he closes the garage and rolls the bike slowly through the gates.

“Ready?” he asks through the speakers.

“Yeah.” I hold on, my chest tight against his back in excitement. He plays “Bring Me to Life” through the headset and the bike takes off down the open highway like a bat out of hell.

My adrenaline spikes as the exhilaration of the wind and lights pass me, giving me tunnel vision as the bike, Nate, and I move together like we are one through each turn at breakneck speed. I have never felt so free, so alive, like nothing else matters but this moment. The adrenaline coursing through my veins feeds me, the higher level of my consciousness, and the pain my soul bears. I’ve felt nothing since the night I was shattered.

He pulls off to a place that sells burgers and it reminds me of a place back home where high school kids would hang out. The place is full of college and high school kids. Everyone looks over at us on Nate’s bike because it’s so loud.

When he parks the bike on the side, he gives me his hand so I can get off first. I take my helmet off, careful not to drop the headphones. I decide to undo my braided hair and let my hair fall in waves. He gets off the bike and takes his helmet off. People whisper and take out their phones to record us.

“Yo, that’s Nate ‘The Reaper!’” one kid says.

“What’s up?” Nate says back. He turns to face me. “Did you like it?” he asks.

“I loved it! Thank you.”

He smiles and takes my hand so we can get in line to order some food. I didn’t realize I hadn’t eaten, and my stomach rumbles in protest. People let Nate and I move to the front of the line to order, recording us with their phones. They begin bombarding Nate with questions after he orders us food.

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