AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course I’m serious.” He chuckles. “How else are you going to learn the importance of defense?” His chest puffs out like he’s imitating Dion’s no-fun, no-nonsense attitude.
I press my lips together, needing to consciously remind myself not to laugh. This is Titus, after all.
“Fine.” I drop into my stance and make my hands into fists—therightway this time. I double-check that my thumbs are clear of the danger zone. “Are you ready?”
“Are you?” he laughs, eyeing my fists like I’m doing something wrong.
I for sure know I’m not though … right?
I decide I’m going to punch him in his dumb, handsome face, and lash out. I swing, but my knuckles don’t connect with his dumb, pompous mouth. Instead, he simply takes a step back, dodging the blow.
“That’s not fair,” I grunt, readying to swing again.
“I said try to hit me, not that I was going to let you.” Amusement dances in Titus’ eyes, making me want to punch him even more.
I swing again, and this time his arm comes up, knocking mine to the side swiftly. He doesn’t stop there though, somehow his hand grips my forearm, and before I know what’s going on, he spins me around so that my back is to his chest and my arm is twisted behind me.
“So what did we learn?” He asks so smugly I can already hear the grin in his voice. I seriously hate this guy.
“Nothing,” I snap, and thrash in his grip to no avail.
“When it comes to an attack, your best friend, little guardian, will be speed and agility.”
“I’m not little,” I grind out, hating that as the words slip from my lips, they make me feel like exactly that. Small. Helpless. At someone else’s will.
I never want to feel like that again, not after what happened in the forest that day.
“You first need to learn how to dodge your opponent’s blows, and tire them out, then you can attack,” Titus continues, ignoring my outburst.
My breaths come in ragged pants as I try to desperately fill my lungs. I know he’s helping me, but visions of that day keep floating through my mind, watching as he attacked Olivia. I was helpless to do anything, and then ... snap.
“Let go of me,” I breathe, the demand lacking its usual heat. He must sense the change as he doesn’t argue. His fingers slip from my arm, and he takes a step back, giving me the space I desperately need. Air floods my lungs so quickly I nearly choke on it, my throat instantly expanding at the space between us.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his usual cocky tone gone. I turn to face him, and my brows furrow at the true concern that creases his expression.
“I’m fine,” I say, not wanting to tell him about what was truly going on in my mind.
Shake it off, Nelle.
“Now, what were you saying about speed and agility? Does that mean I’m going to have to run or something?”
A grin splits across his lips, helping to ease the tension in my chest. “Yes, you’re going to have to start running to get your physical stamina up.”
I nearly choke on a laugh but swallow it down at the last second because there’s no way I’m going to get into the sexual innuendo there, not when his light brown eyes seem to radiate warmth as the sunlight sparkles against them. Nope, there’s no way in hell that I’m going there.
“I think I like Dion’s teaching better. At least he didn’t suggest I run,” I say, needing to get my mind off the way the linen shirt clings to the sculpted muscles.
“He didn’t suggest ityet,” Titus corrects me, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m sure he was going to work his way up to it. I’m not sure if you know this, but you’re not the easiest student to work with.”
“I resent that,” I huff indignantly, crossing my arms over my chest.
“See, right there,” he says, pointing to my pouted lips. “You’re already trying to distract me to get out of training.”
“I am not,” I argue, internally cursing him for figuring out my game. I was definitely trying to run out the clock so that we wouldn’t have any time for training. I was doing a pretty good job with it until Dion knocked me on my ass. I guess distraction by annoyance only takes a girl so far.
“Let’s go for a run.”
“I think the fuck not.” I take a large step back from him, hoping to somehow slip away. Can you even escape a god?
