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“There’s a mistake. Keep on moving, guys, we’ve got candy to hand out.” I glanced at Lina to see how she was doing, but she was staring at me. Damn her inquisitive eyes. She could read right through my bullshit, couldn’t she?
That part of my life was gone. Dead. No need to share that dark, violent part of my past.
“No way, dude. Two years ago, man, you kicked Cain’s ass! You’re—”
“Two years ago?” Lina asked as she stepped toward me. “We were on a mission’s trip in Guatemala building homes, so I’m thinking you guys are mistaken.”
The guys ogled her with wide eyes and their bottom jaws hanging open. Mine almost dropped as well at her quick thinking, but I went with it.
“All year,” I said and shrugged.
“But—”
“Come on, Derik, let’s jet.” One of the guys dragged him away toward another station. “Dumbass.”
I watched them walk away, then turned to find Lina staring at me with her arms crossed over her chest. “Ultimate Fighting, huh?”
“Nice save.”
“Can I have your autograph?”
“Funny. You doing okay?” I glanced around to see if any little kids were coming our way, hoping they were. I didn’t want to go into this with Lina. Not when I was working hardnotto bond with her any more than I already had. If I told her about the fighting, she’d ask why I’d stopped. And that would lead to more lies on my part because I couldn’t tell her the real reason.
She’d never forgive me. Hell, I hadn’t forgiven me, how could I expect anyone else to?
“No, what’s funny is Thor’s Hammer?” she snickered. “Care to share?”
I glanced around some more, but I was shit out of luck with a distraction. “No.”
“So this herefriendship, is a one-way street?” She nailed me with a stare.
It was strange how those eyes could both heat my body to nuclear levelsandslice through it with the sting of an acid-laced dagger. I preferred the melting looks than the glacial one fixed on my face now.
What had happened after that fight changed my life. And stole a beautiful light from this world too early.Issie.No. I couldn’t talk about it. Never. “It was a…dark time in my life. I’d rather not discuss it.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “I get it.”
And just like that, she let it go.
She actually let it go. Now, one thing I knew about chicks was that they pressed. And pressed. Hell, Sarah from work was relentless in her pursuit of me, constantly asking me questions and touching me. But Lina was going to let this secret…go?
I guess not wanting to talk about dark times was one thing she understood more than anyone. Probably because she was so versed in it. I’d yet to find out what had happened to her so I guess she could respect my not wanting to talk about my junk.
Funny how I found myselfwantingto tell her.
“Can I ask a favor?” Lina smiled.
“Sure.”
“Will you teach me?”
“Teach you…”
“How to fight.”
“And why would you need to know how to do that?” The last thing I wanted was her in the line of danger, having to fight anyone.
She glanced to the floor then around her. “When those guys came up to you…I was scared. I immediately thought about what I would do if they…well, I…hate being scared, Hunter. I’m sick of it.”
