SEAN

Atlas has a Thai pad attached to each of his arms again. With the ease of a Black Belt several times over, he holds them in a position for me to strike, then shifts his body a second later, giving me another order, “Hammer Fist! Hook! Upper cut! Side Kick! Higher!”

Celia calls out, “Okay time to stop!”

“Not yet!” I grunt, spinning my hips with the kick Atlas wants, reassuming the fighting stance they taught. It’s both hips forward, right leg back since I’m a Lefty, left forward. Looks like I’m going to run, basically, weight is more on the left foot, right ready to push off of my bare foot.

“Higher!”

I try again and he grins, “That’s it!”

Jett’s voice booms through the open screen door from inside. “When Ceels says it’s time to stop, you stop! Both of you!”

Atlas drops his padded arms to his sides, looking over at the plantation.

I wipe sheets of sweat from my eyebrows so I can see better, panting to catch my breath.

Jett points at me, kicks the door open. “You’re not good to us if you’re broken. Know your limits.” He mumbles something to Celia, pats her shoulder on his way back inside.

She jogs down the steps and stops just shy of the training area since her boots are on. Atlas and I walk over as he frees his arms and drops the gear. “What’d he say?”

“He’s impressed,” Celia grins from me to Atlas. “You’re doing such a great job with training.”

“You think so?” Subtle pride is behind Atlas’s question. He’s not overly eager for compliments but he sure appreciates them. Like any man does on a job well done.

I was hoping she was talking to me, but I’ve already gathered from the way she looks at him that Celia’s heart is set on her fellow Cipher. I drop my eyes as I yank off the fingerless boxing gloves they gave me, head for my sneakers, and dip down to snatch them off the ground. Celia and Atlas are talking about whatever the fuck and all I can think is how I need a pillow sometime soon. Barely have the energy to walk. What am I putting myself through all this for? It’s fatigue fueling the demon voices in my head and I’m too tired to argue.

I head inside, old screen door slapping the frame behind me. Only a few people lounging in front of the TV this late. One is Tonk Jr., Celia’s brother. He rises up, eyes widening. “Holy shit, Sean! You look like you got run over by a semi!” I keep right on walking, but he follows me. “Seriously, they should have cut you off hours ago.”

“Wouldn’t have let them.”

“Got a death wish?”

“Must.”

He stays back as I make my way up the stairs, head for the shower to wash the stink and blood off me. Jett opens his bedroom door just enough so he can walk out and not give me a peek of his and his wife’s private sanctuary. They’ve gotta keep some things their own, in a house like this. He’s in boxers and nothing else. Must have stripped right away. I stop walking, head low as I wait for what he wants to say to me.

“Heard you coming up. Only a dead man walks like that.”

Sucking on my teeth I nod. “I’ll be right as rain tomorrow.”

“Acid rain maybe,” he chuckles. “They tell you what I said to Ceels?”

“You’re impressed with Atlas’s training. Yeah, he’s good. Can take a hit like he felt nothing.”

Grey eyes narrow. “I said I was impressed with you, dipshit. You heard that wrong. Think again.” Tapping his head he smirks, “Get some rest. You look like hell,” and disappears, his smile still hovering in my mind as I register all of that in playback. He’s right—she was looking at me when she said, he’s impressed. I’ve been so irritated by how much Celia’s focuses on Atlas that I didn’t notice the first part was mine.

And Jett called me dipshit.

He likes me!

Pessimism lifts off my shoulders and I head into the bathroom feeling in a better mood. After I strip I glance to the smoky mirror and pause. I’ve got a split nose, forehead, blood from my ear, nostrils, lips. “Wow,” I mutter, parroting Tonk Jr.

Laughter rumbles from my core, a deep release breaking free. I don’t hold it back, grabbing onto the counter and bending over as I lose my shit. A knock comes and I’m so broken up, laughing, I open it and see Celia standing there, frowning like I’m crazy. Her dark eyes flit down to my naked body, hover on my cock.

I jolt up, grab a towel and cover myself, grinning. “Sorry, I just saw my fucked up face!”

“Oh…uh…” she blinks a few times, turns and walks away.

Glancing to Jett’s room I see him standing there, amused because he got a full view of all that. “I think you gave her payback for not putting the brakes on when she should have.”

Chuckling, I close the door.