Love n Crime

Chapter 10

My life hasn't been the same since I made that decision. It's been an entire month, and suddenly I'm no longer my father's little girl where he protected me at all cost. He no longer treated me like his daughter but someone who simply worked beside him. Training for me was hell. My father himself would come sit in the gym and watch for improvements. Though June reassures me everyday that I've improved so much since we began, I can't help but feel anxious. The only thing I've enjoyed so far with training was getting to shoot many guns.

A week after I agreed to take on this role, Taeho and June took me to meet the gang. Their reactions were of what I should have expected. They weren't too happy about a weak girl like me joining them. 'Disgraceful', one particular member spat the word venomously at me. They made snotty comments about how I wouldn't last, and that only pushed me to want this even more than I thought. My father demanded they mustn't know about my true identity, at least not yet.

"Have you heard from Taeho?" I ask June as we take our 10 minute water break.

"Last I heard from him was last week. He's been busy out of the country doing trades with your mother." He responds.

"I see." I plainly reply then ask, "Is learning how to fight and defend myself all there is that I need to learn? If so, then I would have joined this gang long ago."

"Isla, this is only the beginning. The road down to being in your father's position will be brutal, but I know you can withstand anything." His words stir my stomach with nervousness. "Taeho and I will be by your side every step of the way, so don't stress it."

His reassuring words make me smile, but I quickly stand up, not letting myself dwell on his comforting words too long. "Shall we continue?"

Another hour flies by when the gym doors fly open and my father enters, along with 10 other men. June and I look at eachother then back to them as my father heads over to the seat in the center of the room. We bow in sync and I greet my father, as Boss.

"Today is day one of your first test to become one of us." My father announces.

I stare at him in confusion and turn to June. "What's going on?"

He seems to understand exactly what my father was talking about, but he doesn't respond to me.

My father gestures his hand towards me and one of the men enters the ring. He didn't have any gloves on, and was dressed to fight. I'm starting to get the picture, but was my father really going to have me fight this man? I turned to my father but his face was relaxed, unbothered.

June walks over to me. "The gloves come off."

I'm hesitant but I take them off and hand them to June. "You'll do just fine. Just remember all the techniques I've taught you."

With that, June exits the ring, leaving me alone with this man. He stood about 4 inches taller than me, though he was skinny, I can tell by his toned figure that he was no easy opponent.

"Don't worry too much June, I won't hurt my friend's girl." He snottily comments, riling up my blood. Everyone laughs but June and my father. "I'll go easy on you. Hit me first so I can call this a fair fight."

I flash him a smirk. "Are you scared of me?"

He laughed hysterically. "Me? Scared of a little girl like you? Nev-"

While he is too busy feeding his ego, I do a spin kick and knock him back a few steps. The room goes silent. I'm equally as surprised at how hard my kick was. So I have improved.

His pride must hurt. He charges at me full blown with punches, kicks and moves I hadn't learned yet but I stand my ground. He most definitely was taking his anger out on me. I curse my father for doing this after a long day of training brutally with June. My face was in pain as blood trickled down my nose and my eyebrows. I taste blood in my mouth from the last punch to the face. I'm panting after a little bit over 5 minutes only.