I wiped the last of my tears and snot from my face, feeling far from any of the words he had just used to describe me. I was a mess, a wreck.
I didn’t ask for this life, and I wished whoever gave it to me would take it back…
“Why don’t we go for a walk on the beach… Get you some fresh air and a clear headspace. I know you love sunsets in the fall…”
An escape. My only escape…
TWENTY-ONE
“Are you ready, kid?”
“I’m not a kid anymore, Teddy. Hit me for fuck sake.” Bouncing from left to right, I held my fists up to frame my face, anticipating his strike.
Theodore and I had spent most of the day in my private gym. He taught me some new punches after finally cementing the foundation for my footwork. After hours of practicing, I wasn’t even remotely ready to quit for the day.
“Hey, watch that mouth of yours.” His scolding laugh had me brandishing a wide smile that was hard to resist hiding from him. “And you’ll always be a kid to me.”I know… and I wouldn’t have it any other way…
“Sure, old man. Are we doing this or what?” I teased, rolling my shoulders and neck before getting back into position.
“Yeah, yeah. Fix your stance. It’s too wide…” Theodore patted the side of my thigh with his punching mitt, and I followed his instruction. “That’s it. Right in front of the left, shoulder width apart. You got it?”
“I got it, Teddy. Let’s go!” I insisted, feeling a rush of adrenaline wash over me as I readied myself for my first hit.
“Then swing. Show me that right hook that we’ve been sharpening.” I swung hard, my fist flying true and colliding right in the center of the mitt. “Perfect,now the uppercut.” Chasing the high from landing my hit, I threw all of my weight into the second. “That’s my girl! You’re a natural.”
“I’m so ready to kick someone’s ass.” I laughed as I danced in a circle, rolling my fists in the air and cheering myself on.
“Whoa, slow down there, Rocky. Baby steps. There’s a lot more to self-defense than just throwing a few punches.”
“I know, I know… But the rush from doing it is-is—”
“Exhilarating?”
“Yeah…” I stopped celebrating, gloves falling to the wayside as I fell back into my head, staring down at his shoes. Remembering why he was teaching me in the first place. “Distracting…”
Noticing my waver in thought, Theodore pounded the punching mitts together a few times to garner my attention and snap me out of my haze.
“Come on, Tess. Let’s get a few more swings in before dinner. I’ll take you to your favorite place.”
“You made reservations?!” I immediately beamed, my mouth already salivating at the thought of food, and not just any… the best chili mussels in the entire fucking world.
Cicerello’s garnered popularity so fast that they had to set a limit on what they could produce every night, leading them to require reservations or advance ordering. This wasn’t your average seafood dish that they were making, either. Fresh-caught mussels with homemade chili napoletana sauce, topped with thinly sliced Fresno chilis, and flash-fried basil, hand-picked from the owner’s garden.
If heavenhad a signature dish, this would be it. One bite and you could fly amongst the angels. I swear they sang in my ears with every bite.
“We both know that you never need a reservation, but yes. I did and already confirmed your order.”
“What would I do without you, Teddy?” Throwing myself into his arms, I attached myself to Theodore, not even remotely bothered by the mass amount of sweat now shared between us.
“Starve most likely.” He chuckled, wrapping his arms around me and holding tight, always waiting for me to let go first.
Because Theodore would never let go first.
TWENTY-SIX
I stared at the back of his head, seething with rage after hurling a large vase across the foyer of my Malibu beach house.
“You’re not leaving, you’re not leaving me! You can’t!”
