Emily’s Pov
I keep checking the clock. My shift ends at 3 PM, so I have to rush to the gym and hope Blake will still train me. It’s 2:34. Jeez, can these last few minutes just fly? “Emily, can you please help with these patients? We’re short stuff and the nurses can’t keep up.” I sighed, watching the clock. There are literally 10 minutes left. I rushed to the first patient and then the second one. “I really need to get going,” I said to Linda. She glares at me like I had a date or something. “No, it’s not what you think? I’m actually...” I kept quiet before I told her where I was going. Blake asked me to keep this to myself. I’m sure Linda won’t say a word, but I need this. I’m already 5minutes late, so I pray he will still help me. I jumped on the bus and it was already 10 minutes past 3 PM. I jumped off the bus and almost forgot to pay the driver. “Your late,” Blake mutters. “I know, I’m sorry, patients came in and I couldn’t...” “I don’t need your excuses, I need your commitment.” he throws a blindfold and gloves at me. I stared at the blindfold. I can understand the gloves, but what am I supposed to do with the blindfold? “Put the blindfold on,” he sarcastically said when we stepped into the cage. I don’t know if I should feel scared or relieved that he didn’t throw me out of the gym for being late. “Let me.” he took the blindfold and placed it over my eyes. “What now?” before I could finish my question, I was on the floor. “First lesson, never expect to be attacked. You should always be ready. Stand up.” my eyes blurred from not seeing a damn thing. I can hear Blake’s breathing but I can’t see where he stands. The next thing I felt, a glove hit me against the head. Not hard, but enough for me to drop to the floor again. “How am I supposed to learn how to defend myself if I can’t see the person?” I yelled at him. “Can you hear me breathing?” “Yes,” I said in an angry voice. “Focus on my breathing.” I relaxed my shoulders and listened to his breathing. I heard him step forward at the sound of his breathing, but another shot hit me. “What a fuck.” I removed the blindfold, and tears escaped my eyes with no warning. “Never focus on how or who is attacking you, focus on how he is breathing and how he will approach you.” he removes his gloves and steps out of the cage. “So that’s it?” he doesn’t answer me. “Blake?” I yell. “Go home Emily, focus on your breath and come back tomorrow.” is he fucking kidding right now? I jumped out of the cage and punched him in the ribs with my gloves still on. “You know I expected that?” he brags. I attempt to try again, but he grabs my fist. “I said go home and practice your breathing. You’re trying to fight me out of anger, as someone with so much anger will never be able to focus.” he stares into my eyes. I had to blink a few times, reminding myself why I was doing this. “You can’t just dismiss me like you want to. I’m here because you said you would teach me how to defend myself.” I practically yell. “No, you made me agree to help you, and I’m telling you, you’re not ready until you get rid of your anger,” he yells back. I started crying not because of him being so disrespectful, but because he was right. I am angry. I’ve been angry since I was 8 years old, and the night in the Alley multiplied the anger I felt all these years. I grabbed my bag and practically ran out of the gym. Maybe this is not for me. I hate being useless. At least in the ER, I can save people and people actually respect me there. I went home and took out my phone, reading a message from Emma saying they were going clubbing. “What a hell, I need a distraction.” I jumped in the shower and dressed in a black dress that actually didn’t hurt my rips. The bandage is already so tight. I don’t need a dress that’s going to make me feel like I can’t breathe. I curled my hair and put on makeup. I jumped on the bus and went to the club. Blake is a jackass and I don’t need another stepfather telling me I’m weak. I finally made it to the club, and Emma was already waiting outside for me. I ran up to her. She hasn't seen me in ages. Between the ER and studies, I just couldn’t find the time to go out. “Wow, you look stunning, are you meeting someone here?” she asks, flickering her eyes at me, making me laugh. “If only,” I joked back. “Come, our drinks are already waiting for us. Let’s have some fun.” we both smiled, and she hooked her arm around me. “Can we have two tequilas and two whiskeys, please?” Emma asked the bartender, and he nodded. “Wow, they packed this place with people. Any special occasion?” I asked, taking a sip from my whiskey. “Yeah, all the kickboxing champs are here tonight, so everyone wants to meet the handsome bachelors.” it feels if my heart just dropped to my stomach. “Kickboxers? Is one of them Blake?” I asked, hoping she would say no. “Yeah, and oh God, he is the sexiest of them all.” She laughs while she downs her tequila. “Let’s dance,” she said, standing up from the chair and grabbing my arm. “You go ahead. I will join you now.” She pulled her face in a sad puppy way, making me giggle. “I promise. Just give me a second to warm up.” I showed my finger to the booze, and she smiled. Actually, I just want to down the glass of whiskey and go home before Blake shows up. Emma keeps showing me to come dance and I keep showing my glass to her. It’s still full. We’re, in fact, I’m ordering one glass after another and keeping my eyes on the door hoping Blake doesn’t come through it. He made me feel like a schoolchild this afternoon, and this whiskey is treating me nicely after I got dismissed like trash. I ordered another shot of tequila and downed it in seconds. “Can I get you another one?” I heard an all too familiar voice behind me. “Do you think I can handle another one? Or should I go home?” I answered with sarcasm when Blake sat next to me. He smiled and I was way too drunk for this conversation. “So I thought nurses don’t drink?” “Who told you such a bullshit story?” he glared at me from the side and our eyes melted together. Emma is right, he is the hottest here, but he made it clear that he’s not interested, and to be honest, neither am I, I think. No, actually I’m not. He made me feel weak this afternoon. “Have you practised your breathing?” he asked me with a neutral voice. “Actually, I’m doing it now, focusing on my breathing not to punch you. You made me feel like shit this afternoon, and dismissed me as a school child.” He turns his chair and stares right into my eyes. “Breath, take a deep breath and focus on mine.” I can’t focus if he looks at me like that, but I kept my focus on his breathing, and it calmed me down. I took a deep breath. “What are you doing?” I grabbed his hand when he tried to touch my tights. He smiled and turned to take a sip of his drink. “You focused on my breathing and knew when to grab my hand when I tried to touch you,” he answered, and I smiled with shock at him. “Have a nice evening, Emily.” he stood up and disappeared into the crowd, leaving me with more questions and how to practice this breathing technique.Blake’s Pov “Can I get you something to drink, Sir?” the bar lady asked, while my eyes followed Emily’s every move. Her beautiful blond hair hanging perfectly down her back, her bright blue eyes that can make any man go numb by just looking at her. Her body is slim and perfect. “No thank you,” I responded while she threw herself at me. I try to figure out why a nurse wants to learn how to defend herself? I know it’s not just because of what happened in the Alley the other night, something happened to her that made her angry, and she’s been holding on to that anger and pain for a long time. I’ve seen kids being abused that came to me for support and the same anger and pain they showed is multiplied on Emily’s face. I know how to teach you to defend yourself, but with her it&rsq
Emily’s Pov “Hey.” I greeted Blake when I enter the gym. He doesn’t greet me back. He threw the gloves at me and instructed me to punch the kickboxing bag. “Okay.” I thought we connected last night, but clearly, he is still a jackass. I put the gloves on and hit the bag as hard as I can. I kept going with Blake busy on the phone, glaring at me like I’m failing a math test. “You’re doing it wrong,” he said, walking up to me. “Clearly, that’s why I’m here for you to show me how to do it, remember?” “Get your posture right by standing with your feet and shoulder in a wider distant, and your front foot facing the punching bag.” he grabs my leg and pulled one to the back and one facing the bag. He pulled my shoulders up. “Don’t shy away from emptying your punch
Blake’s PovEmily has left the club. It’s silent and just me and all memories hanging around in the club, staring me in the face!I picked up gloves and put them on. This time I used Emily’s.As I pull it over my hands, I can feel the pain. I don’t know her story, but I have my own story about why I started to become a kickboxer. The memories of my father run through my mind when I pull the punch bag closer.“Did you hit him back?” father is sitting with a knife peeling his apple on the front porch when I came home from school with a bloody nose.“I asked if you punched him back?” I hear my father’s voice clearly as I punch the bag.I just stared at him that day, remembering how he used women, how he was never there for me. He only cared about his title as the world-famous kickboxing champion and how women were falling at his feet. And here I am, getting bullied at school because I&
Emily’s Pov “Miss, what happened? You need to tell us what happen so that someone can help you.” the unfamiliar woman is laying in the ED, her lip busted ad can barely keep her left eye open. My day shift is almost finished and Blake said he will pick me up so that don’t have to take the bus in the rain. “Miss?” she picked her head up long enough to look at the man that was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. “Did he do this to you?” I point a finger at him and asked her again, but she looked scared when I pointed it out. “Did you do this to her?” I push forward to the man with so much anger inside me. “Wow, wow. I would never beat a woman like that.” he jugg
Blake’s PovI’m still sitting on the couch like an ass. What was I thinking?If my dad was here now, he would’ve said with your *dig* but yeah, he is not here, and that is not what I was doing. For the first time in my entire life, I felt something, something that I wanted more of.I’ve had women in my life before. I know the adrenalin feeling of winning over and over, and I know how it feels to have a joint and to zone out, but this feeling I don’t know.It’s a feeling of wanting someone or something so bad that you’re willing to give up everything for that.It’s a feeling that you can’t see or touch, but it stares at you brighter than the sun and cuts you deeper than a knife. It’s a feeling that you beg to hold on to, but it’s slowly slipping away into the darkness, and the only way to grab it is to climb down the lather and pull it up.*meet as, at the club, drinks on
Emily’s Pov I watch the clock against the wall for the 100th time now. Linda was supposed to be back by 10, it’s already 1 PM, and I haven’t heard from her. I pulled my phone out and there were no messages, no calls from her. What could’ve happened to her? Surely you don’t take that long to evaluate someone? The patient called this morning to go to a house call. She actually asked for me, but Linda took the phone before I could answer it and said she will go. The lady apparently wasn’t strong enough to get to the hospital, so we had to send someone out to evaluate and stabilise the patient to get to the ED. I haven’t heard from Blake in 5weeks. I’ve stopped training as well. Blake proved that night that I was weak, not
Blake’s POV “What happened?” I jumped out of the car when I saw Em sitting on the staircase waiting for me to come home. “Seriously, Blake, we have to get going!” Vicky climbs out of the car and, like always, fucking moans about shit. I run up to Emily, who looks like she passed out a few times. Her face was swollen. I search for any bleeding marks on her body, while my body is trembling with fear. What happened to her? Her knuckles are busted, so it means she fought back. I had a small smile on the corners of my lips, but I still have fear. “That’s my girl,” I mumbled. “Blake?” Vicky yells. “Just call a damn ambulance. We have to get going.” My eyes still scan her body. She’s really here, beat up, but she’s here.
Emily’s Pov My mind is racing with all the feelings stirring inside me, feelings I’ve never gotten before, not even once. That is what you get for believing that you’re not worthy of anything in life. Blake is starting me blank in the eyes. I don’t even think he knows what’s going on now. Maybe he’s playing with me, maybe not, but for now, I don’t care. I just want to be close to him, as close as si can be. Why I chose it with him, god knows why. I know I feel safe with him, like I can feel all my emotions and let my inner demons out without him questioning my intentions. I know he doesn’t know how to let go, and not be in control all the time, but this time, I need him to let go and just give in! “Just breath, close your eyes and let go of whatever control