“I’ll follow her lead,” he said quickly.
That was enough for me.
“Alright, let’s head back,” I said, leading them to the room with the punching bags and smaller equipment.
I fitted them with gloves, wanting to protect their hands before showing them some techniques. I stationed Cassie in front of the first punching bag, asking her to hold a position. She looked unsure and a little too shaky.
“Is it okay if I adjust your hands? I don’t want to touch you without permission,” I said gently.
Her features softened at my question. She gave me a quick nod, and I adjusted her stance, making sure she was ready.
“Take your hit,” I said, watching as she punched out.
It was weak and unsure.
“Again,” I said, my voice firm.
She did it without hesitation this time, her body almost following through before her mind.
“Left,” I said, and she struck out with that gloved hand. “Right,” I barked next.
We continued, shifting through until her moves were second nature and she’d shed some of her hesitation.
She was red-faced and sweating, but a smile was on her face by the time I called for her to stop.
“Hell yeah, Cassie,” I celebrated, my smile wide as if I’d done it myself.
This was what I loved about owning my own gym and running these classes. I got to see people come in looking terrified and leave with just a hint more confidence.
They deserved that.
The world had stolen enough from all of us here in Widow’s Peak, and I wanted nothing more than to be a positive influence in their lives. Someone who could help them forge a new path,finding the confidence to protect themselves and face the world in a way they never could before.
I moved onto Leon next, repeating it. Only, his scent had me far more distracted. It was still a bit too tart, enough it stung my nose.
As he let loose some of his frustrations on the punching bag, it shifted. A bit of that beta gentleness came back, softening the jagged edges into something I could drown in happily.
This beta wasn’t just a random stranger, he was a scent match.
Chapter
Nine
Luca
“I’ve got another job for you.” Victor Crow’s voice cut through the silence sharp as a dagger. His hazel eyes stared across the desk at the three of us as if waiting for some kind of protest that never came.
“Details?” Ronan asked, his voice feigning calm and disinterest. Emotions were a weapon in the Crows and Victor wasn’t afraid to use it. We learned early on to give him nothing but indifference, instead.
Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t say anything as he slid a paper across the desk.
Ronan looked down at it before glancing back up at his father.
“One target?” Ronan questioned, unable to hide his surprise this time. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been assigned a single target mark.”
He had other groups to handle things like that. Far less experienced ones.
Which only meant this had to be a high-profile mark.
