Page 9 of Love Unspoken

I kept at it even when my body began to scream in agony, wanting rest. But I was here to push myself, and I did, letting Darren decide if I was overdoing it.

"Come on, block my punch and counter with a knee strike," he commanded. I did as he said and managed to bring him down.

He laughed as he did whenever I bested him. And then, without warning, sprang up. The others were now around us, watching how we both moved. We'd been doing this for a long time, and we knew each other well. Our Krav Maga dance was well-honed and in tune.

I'd continued Krav Maga training while I was in the Bay Area in California—but I was glad to be working with Darren again. He was the best…at least for me.

My core tightened, and each command from Darren was a building block in my growing arsenal of strength training and self-defense.

"Quickly now, block, then strike!" Darren dictated, and I responded, my movements becoming more fluid and confident. The air around us was filled with the sound of controlled breathing and the impact of strikes meeting training pads.

For the grand finale, he moved like a predator and launched a controlled, realistic attack sequence. Daren challenged me to apply my skills under pressure. My adrenaline surged as I blocked, dodged, and countered, each move designed to protect or neutralize.

"That's it, Naya. Everyone, this is perfect form and—" I went from protection to attack, and I knew he was expecting it, but he let me take him down again for the pleasure of our audience.

Everyone clapped.

Breathing heavily, I held out my hand, winking at him. I pulled him up, laughing.

After training, I hydrated and got my breathing under control. I didn't like to shower in the institute. Initially, Darren tried to change my mind about that, but eventually he gave up urging me to stop being conscious of my scars.

He was my closest friend. The best I had. The only I had. In the early days of our relationship, I worried he pitied me but now after many years I knew that I gave him as much as he did me. He may be a big time ex-football player, but we were equals in this friendship and took care of each other.

"All okay with you?" he asked as he walked me out.

I'd wiped myself down, but I was still warm from the exercise, so I put on a windbreaker on top of my workout gear to bicycle home. That way, I didn't overheat.

"Not really…some stuff is going on," I told him honestly, as I unlocked my bicycle.

"Something's bothering you."

"Nothing urgent," I assured him. He had another class soon, and he had to go back in.

"Drinks sometime next week?" he suggested. "We can talk?"

"That would be good."

He gave me a big hug and kissed my forehead. "You sad about your dad?"

I wasn't. I missed him, but he was in so much pain that it seemed unfair to want him to live just because I'd be all alone.

"No. Just some stuff with Nolan and work."

"Your brother is a grade A asshole."

I chuckled. "Text me and let me know when you're free. We can hang out in Copley Square!"

I watched Darren go back into the institute with a smile, thanking the universe for giving me him. I turned with my bicycle, still in that good place when I bumped straight into Amias and Ann. The universe was shitting on me, big time.

FOUR

AMIAS

I admired the ass of the woman who was talking to a large black man. She had a rocking body that was for all to see in her skintight workout leggings and molded to the skin tank top, which she hid when she put on a waist-length jacket. Her hair was in a messy bun. She looked so fucking good from the back that I wanted to see her face.

Ann was holding onto my arm as she chattered away about something. We'd just had lunch since we slept in after the party last night.

The woman turned, and I almost swallowed my tongue. I wasn't sure who was more surprised, her or me.