VENUSHis eyes lock on mine, giving away nothing. “I don’t trust anyone else to handle it right.”I open my mouth to argue, but the words catch in my throat. Handle it right? Or handle me?“Let’s start,” he says, already circling.I fall into stance, knees bent, fists up. My whole body is tense, not from fear, okay, maybe a little, but from the storm of questions in my head. His actions don’t make sense to me. He makes the first move, a quick jab toward my shoulder. I dodge, just barely, but not fast enough. His fingers graze me, and it’s enough to throw me off balance. I stumble back, frustrated.“You’re distracted,” he says simply.“No kidding.”“Again.”We move. I dodge again, this time angling my body low, sweeping toward his knees. He steps back neatly, unaffected.“How are you this fast?” I hiss.“You’re anticipating my hands. Not my feet.”He lunges again, this time twisting his body mid-air. I block with my arms, wincing as the impact sends a sharp sting down to my elbows.“
Last Updated : 2025-09-10 Read more