Page 57 of The Pretty Savage

"Russia," I answered, unflinching, still looking at him.

"Russia?" He smiled. "I really, really like Russia," he said in fluent Russian, and if he thought that would faze me, then he had another think coming.

"It is a beautiful place," I replied in Russian as well, sending him virtual middle fingers, because it was obvious that he was toying with me. "Not as welcoming to strangers," I added, raising my eyebrow at him. "And it might be a bit too cold for some."

But instead of glaring at me as I thought he would, because that was his usual MO these last three days, he smiled, shocking me momentarily. His face transformed, pearly white teeth on full display, without an ounce of bitterness in his eyes. He was already good in a fight, but that smile—that smile was a weapon on its own.

"I heard they train you from a young age back in Russia," he said in English this time, while all eyes were directed at us, volleying as we sparred verbally. I had no idea what he was trying to accomplish with all these remarks and questions, but I wasn't going to budge.

"They do." I nodded, reminding myself that I was just a soldier and he was an instructor. Years of training with The Schatten showed me you should never challenge your instructor in front of everyone else, but God, he was making it harder and harder with every second to not say something that would bring him down to his knees.

But I'd made a promise to myself and that promise had no space for Adrian Zylla and his manipulations. My brain already came to the conclusion that this attraction I felt for him, this insane yearning was only due to the fact that those broken shards of my heart still searched for that one place they could call home, and he was the first person I felt anything for in such a long time.

We weren't friends, him and I. I wouldn't even go as far to say that we were acquaintances. He was a mission for me, and I was just a girl he wanted nothing to do with, and that was where the story ended.

Yet even as I stood here, surrounded by so many people, it was as if we were the only ones in the room, and the way he kept staring at me was anything but innocent. He didn't look at the others this way, and he sure as hell wasn't this cheery earlier this morning.

"Good." He nodded absentmindedly, before turning toward the rest of the students. "I'm gonna keep this short. I know some of you had some training before, and I also know some of you had none." His eyes landed on Yolanda who seemed to shrink in front of my eyes. I wanted to march up there and smack him, but I stood rooted to the spot, digging my nails into the soles of my palms, calming myself down.

Yolanda was like the sister I never had, and I wanted to protect her in any way possible, even if it meant protecting her from him.

"But I want to reassure you that once you get out of this place in four months, you'll be able to attack and defend yourself in ways some people could only dream of." I almost snickered at that, but I kept my facial expression neutral, because there was no way he would be able to teach me anything I didn't already know.

He was a skilled fighter, I would give him that. While I didn't have an opportunity to see him really fight yet, I was pretty sure he wouldn't be here if he didn't know a move or two. But to teach me something new? Yeah, I wasn't counting on it.

The Schatten made sure we learned everything there was to know, every single combat strategy and every move known to humankind. Besides, I wasn't here to learn how to fight or how to defend myself like some of the others were. I wasn't even here to make new connections and meet people that could help me with my future, like Yolanda was.

I was on a mission, and as long as I kept up with pretenses I would be good. Adrian didn't suspect anything, and I hoped the background check they probably ran on me came back clear. After all, I was still standing here, unharmed, and if Heinrich and Alena failed to do their jobs, I would've been dead a long time ago.

"Be on time, don't fucking call me sir, and if you need to know, I am twenty-five, a Leo—" Of course he was. "—and I have no time for bullshit. If you're not going to give me your best, then you know where the door is. Don't let me stop you." Right now I really wished I could walk out and never look back.

But I needed to go and meet Dante later on, and I had to get inside The Brotherhood and find out what they were gathering people for. It seemed to me as if they were creating an army, but for what purpose? Adrian's father already had enough people in his pocket that he would never need to look for new recruits. Dante and Jax both had enough backing from their families, but there must have been something I wasn't aware of, and I was about to find out what.

I also had to get into Adrian's room somehow. I assumed he stayed at the admin building, but I would have to ask Yolanda about that. She knew more about this place than anyone else, and I could always make it seem like I had a silly infatuation with him.

"Vega!" His deep voice boomed around us, making me turn my head to look at him. "Ten laps, fast-paced," he started giving orders. "Don't hold out."

Ten laps around this hall wouldn't have been an issue if I didn't have bruised ribs and a fucked-up shoulder, but I wasn't going to show that weakness to him. I simply nodded and turned before I started running, already hearing groans from behind.

I was agile enough to be able to run that much, and cardio was one of the things The Schatten always told us to keep up on. But I started worrying when my shoulder started screaming during the fourth lap, the pain spreading through my chest, and I knew I wouldn't be able to last all ten without collapsing.

But I bit down on my lower lip and pushed myself, slowly entering the fifth one, when out of nowhere something slammed into my legs, over my shins, and I tumbled down, falling onto my bad side.

"Fuck!" I cursed out loud, trying to lift myself up. Adrian's face materialized in front of me, that smug look I wanted to wipe off visible there.

"First rule, Vega," he murmured, almost purring at me. "Always be aware of your surroundings."

"Fuck. You," I spat out, loud enough for him to hear, narrowing my eyes as the shock at my words slid over his face. "There was no fucking need for that."

"Are you defying me, Vega?" he asked, almost begging me to tell him yes, but I wasn't going to grant him that satisfaction.

"No," I gritted out, more pissed off that I had to listen to him than anything else. "I will be more careful next time."

"That's what I thought." He moved away, holding in his hands a long wooden rod, playing with it. "Get up and continue."

And that was how the rest of the class went.

He attacked me more times than I could count, and each and every time I got up, keeping my words to myself and deciding that my life was more important than defying him. And if they kicked me out of the Academy, I would be as good as dead, because Heinrich wouldn't take kindly to me fucking up this mission.

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