Chapter 249

I open the door later that evening after a knock and find Steven standing on the other side. He’s dressed to exercise, in sweatpants and a moisture-wicking t-shirt. He carries a drawstring bag over his shoulder, presumably with a change of clothes inside.

His expression seems unsure. He’s frowning and there’s a question in his eyes. “Are you sure you want me? Archer would be a million times better at this.”

I’ve already told him that I’m sure, but I’m ready to double-down. I didn’t get much into the specifics of it when we were on the phone earlier. It seems like time to rectify that.

“Things are… awkward with the others right now,” I say.

Yes, Beau came over and stayed over last night. I could only imagine the ramifications he went through for that, even though it was entirely innocent.

But whatever. Let Neil and Beau and Archer have their pissing match or whatever this is. I don’t have time for it.

“Training is important to me right now,” I continue. “I have goals I want to meet.” Namely, I don’t want to be afraid of their father anymore. Only when I’m strong enough to take him and whoever he might send after me and the brothers, will I be satisfied. “That… awkwardness is a distraction.”

“I understand,” Steven says. “They’ve been worse than usual. Ever since you…”

He dips his chin down slightly, maybe to hide his face, but it doesn’t work well enough. I can see the blush on his cheeks.

“Right,” I say, and now I’m blushing a little too. I’m not a prude but talking about this stuff with Steven always makes me feel slightly bashful. He must rub off on me.

Regardless, I really don’t want to have this conversation in the hallway, so I back up and direct him inside. He comes in at once, and I close the door behind him.

Steven walks to my living room and looks at the alterations I’ve made. “If you are going to train here often, I’ll order you a mat for the floor,” he says. “Do you know the dimensions?”

It’s a kind gesture. And since I wouldn’t even know where to start in ordering something like that, I’m inclined to let him make it.

“I can find out,” I say.

“Good. We’ll have to be careful today. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I heal faster now,” I remind him.

He shakes his head. “I’d still rather not see it.”

My heart beats a little faster all of the sudden. I try not to think too hard about why that could be.

Steven tosses his bag over onto the couch. Gentler, he removes his classes and sets them aside as well. Then looks back at me. “Okay. Well, I’m ready. I’ll help you however I can.”

I smile. “Let’s get started then.”

He nods. “How should we start?”

I approach him, and over the course of the next thirty minutes, we practice making and breaking holds. Things are going well enough – too well, actually. When he takes too long to break one of my holds, when I know I don’t have the arm placement right, I call timeout and back away.

I’m frustrated.

“Chloe,” he says.

“You’re going easy on me,” I snap, before he can offer any excuses. “I can tell. I need to learn, Steven, and I can’t do that if you’re holding back.”

“We have to be careful with only this hard floor beneath us,” he says, and that sounds like a cop out for sure.

“If I’m in a dangerous situation, I’m going to have more to worry about that hard floors.”

Steven is as stubborn as his brothers. “I won’t risk hurting you.” The earnestness in his eyes and steadfast tension in his shoulders, makes me so furious… but it also fills me with a kind of tenderness that cancels out that anger.

I’m glad that Steven cares about me and doesn’t want to see me hurt. But I’m never going to learn anything at this rate.

“I’m not asking you to throw me around on the floor,” I say. “But if you don’t at least show me what works and what doesn’t, I could learn the wrong thing. I’ll think I have the hold right only for someone actually dangerous to break it immediately. Please, for my sake, at least help me learn properly.”

That was the right thing to say, I can tell already. Steven is a forever-student, perpetually learning. Surely he can see now that pretending I’m doing well will not help me in the end.

“Very well,” he says. “Let’s go again.”

He returns to his previous position, as do I, grabbing at his wrists.

“Ready to start?” he asks.

“Yes,” I say, and start apply pressure.

Steven twists his arms and the hold is broken immediately. I put a lot of weight into the hold, so the quick movement has me unbalanced, but Steven reaches quickly and catches me. He pulls me up against him to steady myself.

I slot perfectly against his chest. He looks down at me and I look up at him. For a moment, when our eyes lock, the world passes around us while we’re standing perfectly still. I can’t hear anything but my heart thundering in my ears. I can’t see anything but the depths of his eyes.

They seem to go on forever, like twin universes. He’s so handsome, with or without his glasses. He absolutely steals my breath away.

But then, a moment later, I remember myself, clear my throat, break eye contact, and step back from him. He lets the hands that had been holding me drop down to his sides.

We don’t say anything for a long moment.

Then, Steven says, “Should we try the hold again?” His voice is a bit rougher than before.

“Yes,” I say. Mine is rougher too.

We set up the hold again, this time, Steven shows me exactly where to apply the most pressure. Then we begin.

Steven doesn’t hold himself back as much this time, but the hold seems to be working regardless. For a long moment, I’m doing well. I even feel a growing sense of victory. Maybe I’m learning and growing. Maybe my dreams are closer at hand than even I imagined.

But then, Steven adds more strength. My hold on him collapses and he twists away.

I’m off balance again, but this time, Steven placed too much distance between us for him to be able to save me.

I twist, hoping to catch myself on the nearby coffee table. I misjudge the distance, however, and tumble down. My elbow hits the corner edge of the table hard enough for it do gash through my skin. I cry out as I flop down like a heap of potatoes down to the ground.

It only hurts a little. I’m mostly just embarrassed by my utter lack of coordination in that moment. Usually I can correct myself. I have no idea what threw me off this time.

Maybe I expected Steven to catch me.

Gods, what an embarrassment I am. I’m ashamed at even thinking that, however subconsciously.

“Chloe!” Steven rushes to me and takes my arm in his hands.

“It’s fine,” I say quickly. “I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“It will heal on its own.”

“Do you have a first aid kit?” he asks.

I give him a flat look. “I don’t need that, Steven.”

“We should clean the wound at least, Chloe,” Steven says, voice stern, sounding so much like Neil in that moment. Confident, commanding. He’s definitely a Hayes, alright.

I can sense a losing battle when I see one. “The first aid kit is in the bathroom.”

He nods and helps me to stand. “I’ll clean this for you.”

It’s not a question.

I sigh and follow his lead.