I clasp her hand. “Another time. Let Chance focus on Avery right now.”
Maybe my sister wouldn’t want her kids learning how to fight. Maybe it’s wrong to teach them. But I refuse to let anyone cause harm to my niece and nephew. If I can’t punch this Austin asshole in the face myself, then I’m sure as shit going to let Avery do it.
“We don’t start fights,” Chance says. “But we can be ready for them.”
Something flashes in Avery’s eyes, and he sits up a little straighter in his chair.
“Were you ever bullied?” Alyssa asks.
Chance nods. “The boys at my high school used to beat me up in the locker room every day before practice.”
Avery’s eyebrows shoot up. “The boys on your team?”
He nods. “Yup.”
My heart hurts for him. I know how much he hates talking about his past, but I appreciate him talking to the kids about it.
As soon as they finish eating, Chance takes Avery into the basement. Alyssa insists on following, and I’m curious too, so we end up sitting on the couch to watch.
Chance holds up his fist in front of Avery. “Make a fist like this. Never tuck your thumb inside, or you’ll break it.”
Avery balls his hands into fists, and when Chance holds up his palms, Avery throws a couple of punches.
“Step into it,” Chance says, demonstrating with a punch into the air. “Put your body weight behind it, and don’t lock your elbow.”
He shows Avery how to block his face, and dodge an incoming attack. The more he learns, the more confident my nephew appears. There’s a new determination behind his eyes that wasn’t there an hour ago.
Halfway through the lesson, Chance reaches behind his neck and pulls off his sweatshirt, leaving him in a plain black T-shirt. I catch a flash of his incredibly muscular torso as his shirt rides up with his sweatshirt before he tugs it down, but that flash is all it takes for my skin to heat.
I remember what this man looks like without clothes on; what he looks like crawling on top of me, settling between my thighs; what he looks like when he comes.
My chest heaves with shallow breaths, and I remove my own hoodie.
Chance arches a brow, no doubt reading me like a book. “You okay over there?”
My cheeks burn. “It’s just getting a little warm in here.”
Chance smirks before returning his attention to the lesson.
Avery does everything Chance shows him, and even I learn a few things that I didn’t know about throwing a punch. It breaks my heart that Chance had to learn all this in order to defend himself in his own house, whether it be from his dad or from his many different foster parents after his father was put in jail, but I’m so grateful that he’s here right now to help.
At eight o’clock, I tell the kids it’s time to take showers and get ready for bed.
Before Avery darts upstairs, he throws his arms around Chance’s waist and hugs him tight. “Thank you for helping me.”
Chance heaves a long sigh and rests his chin on top of Avery’s head. “Anytime.”
“Do you think...” Avery pauses, pulling back. “Do you think we could do this again sometime?”
My chest aches. Chance’s eyes flick to mine before answering. “Of course, if that’s okay with your aunt.”
Avery graces us with a wide grin, and I swallow a gasp at the sight of it. He hasn’t smiled much since he lost his mom, and it has been my mission to put one on his face any chance I can get.
Alyssa says goodnight to Chance and bounds up the stairs, leaving me alone with him.
I wring my hands in front of my body. “I can’t thank you enough for helping Avery tonight.”
He reaches out and covers my hands with his. “He shouldn’t have to go through this alone, and neither should you.”
