Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Dressed now, I walked back into the main room with Coco warmly nestled inside my jacket to see Coby wringing her hands. “Does this mean you’ll stay even after the wedding?”
I didn’t trust that look in her eyes like she was hoping I might stay for other reasons, too, so I grabbed her hand and started for the door without answering. “We should probably hurry. I don’t want to be late on my first day.”
The main house was a vast, opulent maze that made me feel like a fish out of water. Coby and I followed Kellan through the long hallways while I tried my hardest to focus on creating a mental map and not gawking at the marble statues and busts, the high ceilings, and the glittering chandeliers. While we walked, Coby told me all about Glainne—Ocean’s penthouse in the city, which was nestled at the top of that onyx tower she’d always wondered at.
Coby already seemed to be at home since she’d been basically living here. My brief encounters with Ocean’s mom had been pleasant. Coby already loved her, so I told myself it was all that mattered. It’s not like Effie was going to be my mother-in-law.
Our first stop was a room with tall, solid doors; behind them was a study. Kellan left Coby there to wait for Ocean before motioning me to follow him.
I thought the house had only two levels until we descended a spiral staircase into a sub-level too intricate to be a basement. The floor opened into a circular room with stone walls and low lighting. The air was dank and drafty with an earthy scent that said we were deep underground.
Perfect for a dungeon or torture chamber.
I followed Kellan through the doorless threshold and kept close when I noticed the floor was a maze of dark corridors, impossible to navigate without getting lost.
Eventually, we reached a gym of sorts, but it looked more like an underground dojo with black mats covering the floor and various equipment scattered throughout—striking shields, freestanding bags, ground bags, slip bags, teardrop bags, long bags, free weights, and other shit I couldn’t name.
Abel was already waiting for us.
I couldn’t deny how handsome he was. His deep, dark skin glowed beneath the fluorescent light, but his hazel eyes were watchful, without his usual distrust.
“You’re late,” he scolded.
“I don’t own a watch.”
Abel clenched his jaw and gestured for me to step on the mat.
I reached for Coco, who was still cradled in my jacket, and set him on the ground, but Kellan quickly scooped him up. “I’ll take that. Have fun.” With a grin and a wink, he was gone with Coco.
Exhaling, I slowly approached Abel, who cocked a brow at me. “You ready?”
“Sure.”
Hours later, I was kneeling on the mat, breathing heavily, clutching my side, and dripping sweat.
And I’d never felt more alive.
The muscles in my arms trembled as I held up my hand for mercy I didn’t want. It was just my natural self-preservation kicking in while the much darker, esoteric part of me that needed to be examined by a psychologist demanded more.
“Had enough?” Abel questioned.
“Not even close.” I coughed and spat out blood. Oh, Lord. I hoped I still had all my teeth. “Just give me a minute.”
“You can take a punch, and you’re fast, but you have no endurance,” he informed me coldly.
Abel hadn’t warmed a single degree, not even when he was kicking my ass from one end of the room to the next. I could tell he was enjoying himself, too. At his request, our session started with me showing him what I knew.
Nothing.
I knew nothing.
And he wasted no time making that blatantly apparent.
For hours, Abel had me attack him repeatedly and hold nothing back, but each time, I’d quickly go from the offensive to the defensive until I was eager to learn everything he knew.
“You’re done for today, Parrish.”
“No—”
“You’re no good to me tomorrow if I break you today. Clean yourself up, and I’ll see you at five.”
“A.m.?” I squawked, but he was already gone.
I collapsed with a tired groan and was still lying there, cheek to the mat, when I heard someone enter.
How long had I been lying here?
My eyes were the only thing I could move as they followed the direction the footsteps came from.
Ocean.
He was dressed in a suit today. This one was dark gray and tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders. Each of his strides that brought him closer to me spoke of confidence and power, and I was too transfixed to be on guard.
“Abel told me you might still be down here.” Ocean crouched next to me but didn’t touch me. I refused to read too much into why that felt disappointing.
I groaned again, feeling my stomach muscles spasm when I flopped onto my back. “That’s all I got. Just leave me here and save yourself.”