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So, I don’t stop. Not when my arms throb. Not when my shoulders ache. Not when I realize for some reason I have tears in my eyes. My chest burns. I scream out in defeat, throwing one more punch and stop to catch my breath.
Ax hands me a bottle of water as I take the gloves off of my hands.
“We can work on your technique tomorrow. I figured for now you might just want to let some frustration out.”
I glare at him and he sighs.
“Damnit Katie—”
“Stop!”
He stops short at my outburst.
“It was bad enough that you calling me that reminded me of my mom but now…” I shake my head still trying to catch my breath. “Now, I just keep remembering you saying it that day when you found me and I just— I just—” I scream out a frustrated sigh. “It reminds me you saved me and you’ve been lying to me this whole time!”
“Katie—”
“No! Because no matter what you do or say, unless I finally know everything, you are still lying to me.”
I glance up at him and shake my head when his jaw tenses.
“So do I, Ax? Do I know everything, or are you still hiding things from me?”
Silence.
“Exactly,” I sigh and push my hair off of my sweaty face.
“Jayla will be here in a little bit,” he says before I can walk away. “Her daughter’s birthday party.”
“I’ll just—”
“No. You won’t go hide and waste away. You’ll go get ready, find a bathing suit, and put on a happy face because Jewel will call you on it if you look miserable.”
“All the more reason to avoid it.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Not a chance princess. You’ve been formally invited.”
The smirk on his face automatically infuriates me. “What do you mean?”
“I may have mentioned that the princess was a royal pain in my ass and Jewel is now convinced you are a princess in witness protection.”
“You don’t work for witness protection,” I snort.
“She knows we help women stay safe from bad men. In her mind it’s the same thing,” he shrugs.
I can’t stop the corners of my lips from turning up. “You just love that she thinks of you as some badass superhero.”
He shrugs. “Who am I to argue with her? Either way, she is excited to meet you, princess. So, get a move on it. They should be here soon.”
I roll my eyes, giving up fighting with him and feeling slightly guilty that I had forgotten about the party. I should have decorated, or got a gift, or asked how I could help.
Instead, I was trapped inside my mind and attached to that couch.
Two hours later, I’m surrounded on the side of the pool trying to find a way to gently let down a group of nine year old girls that think I’m a secret princess. I’m grateful when Jayla announces food is done and feel weirdly drained from the amount of socializing, even if it is with children.
“You can sit next to me, Princess Kate!” Jewel says excitedly as she drags me to the table.
Jayla laughs into Asher’s shoulder as Eli and Ax just smirk.
