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Ugh. It’s like using T-Rex arms against a Brachiosaurus.

“You said try. Not to connect,” I defend as if it’s his fault and not biology’s.

“You can’t connect from here. I have the advantage.”

“Well, obviously. Not only are you on top but you’re a lot bigger than I am.”

“No, not obviously. Size doesn’t matter as much as you think it does.”

Says the giant sitting on the girl he calls tiny.

“There’s still a lot you can do from your back.”

“It doesn’t feel like it.”

“Fuck-ass quitter.”

“I’m so sick of you saying that. I’m not a fuck-ass quitter.” Whatever that means.

“Prove it. What would you do if I was attacking you like this?”

I try throwing him sideways with a hip twist but it does nothing as Khaos remains glued to my stomach with a bored expression.

“I’m waiting.” He even yawns.

“Is that really what an attacker would do? Just sit there—”

Instantly, Khaos’s hands reach for my throat and shoulders and head. My arms come up to block him but the exercise feels just as useless as the punch that went nowhere. Somehow he’s everywhere all at once.

“Get off!” I half yell, half laugh. He’s like an octopus, all these arms relentlessly grabbing for me.

Khaos stops.

“That’s more like what an attacker would do. He’d try to subdue you. Quickly.”

“You didn’t subdue me,” I point out, a little smug.

“I could’ve. If I wanted to, I could’ve knocked you out several different ways already. All you were doing was exhausting your energy, making it easier for me in the end.”

“I don’t think that was all I was doing,” I grumble. I am trying, but Khaos is bigger, stronger, and faster than I am at this. If this were any other kind of test of athleticism, I guarantee I’d be holding my own.

“You yelled.”

The compliment has me smiling.

“But not nearly loud enough.”

That smile dies, as does my confidence at ever being able to get out of a seriously frightening situation.

“So what should I do?”

“As soon as I’m over you, wrap your arms around my middle.”

As he reenacts straddling me again, I do as instructed, essentially hugging him to me.

“Tighter.”

Once I’m locked on him like a koala bear, he tells me to pull him down with me.