My Lost Hero (Angels of War Series #1) REWRITING 2024

Chapter Twenty-six

No, don't do that, I thought. And then I mentally kicked myself. It was an uphill battle. Olivia, who was quiet until now, spoke up. "I know you like to exercise, Tabby. Why don't you join me on my spinning class tomorrow morning? It's a killer for your stress levels."

Lord help me, I was going to say yes.

...

She wasn't wrong about spin class being a killer.

I puffed out a loud cheer with the other spinners, grinning over at Olivia who was cycling next to me when our instructor, Sampson, shouted his praise. It felt good to be pushing my body again. To feel the rush of adrenaline course through my veins. What a feeling.

The spinning bike made a gliding sound when I pushed on the pedals in time with the music blasting out of the stereo. Sweat beaded down the back of my neck and across my back, and my fingers ached as I gripped onto the handles, releasing them just as our instructor raised from the bike, telling us to push with all we had to give.

"Come on," he panted through the microphone, staring right at me. "You got this!" Yeah, I had this.

"This is hard work," Olivia said beside me, shouting over the music. "I might pass out in a minute."

The music quietened down when it switched to the next track, which was 'Starboy by The Weekend'. "You're doing so well, Liv. Push it. Come on!"

The picture on the green screen flicked onto a film of a road with professional bikers either side of us, racing to the finishing line. It spurred on the competitive in me and I pushed on harder, feeling the burn up my hamstrings and calf muscles. It stung so badly that my teeth ground down and I tipped my head forward.

"This is the last of the sprints, guys. It's now or never. Let's do this," said Sampson, panting hard. It pleased me to know that even he, with his bulging thighs, found it a challenge. Everyone in the class shouted again, the two girls in the front giggling when Sampson winked at them with sweat dripping past his jaw. I think one was about to lose her balance before she righted herself and peddled back to our speed.

"Woo," I shouted out, and before I had the chance to second guess it, a few people called after me yelling their encouragement. "It kills my legs."

Sampson laughed into his microphone as if to say "Newbies!" and the guys on either side of me and Olivia grinned their agreement. Everyone was so warm and welcoming that I knew it wouldn't be the last time I took this class. The gym one of the smaller ones in town run by a family of athletes. They had the comfort levels just right. I detested commercial gyms where you had to wait ten minutes at a time to get your hands on a piece of equipment.

Twenty minutes later, Olivia and I were in a sweaty heap, sitting on the benches outside the spinning room and gulping at our water like it would be the last drop they ever allowed us. Other people passed us in as much of a state, dragging their feet and wiping their brows with towels and sweatshirts. It was intense, but so worth the effort.

"I'm going to be sick," Olivia said, holding her side. "I've never exercised like that before. It's never that hard. I think Sam was showing off in front of you."

Thrown by her off-the-cuff comment, I frowned into my water bottle. "I don't think so."

Her pretty heart-shaped face turned a grey colour as she started heavy breathing into her hand. "I really think I might puke."

I went to her rescue, opening another water bottle and waving the personal training pamphlet I picked up from the front desk in her face. "It's because your blood will be in your muscles and not in your stomach. Try a few deep breaths. The feeling will pass in a few minutes."

"Do you exercise like this often?" she replied a few minutes later, looking less green in the face as she lifted it from her lap. "You're not even panting."

I shook my head. "I used to when I had more free time. I want to get back into working out again, though."

"I'll get your heart pumping hard if you come to my class again."

We both turned around in our seats to see Sampson rubbing his head down with a towel as he leaned in close, his dark brown eyes smiling into mine. It threw me off. I couldn't speak for the uncomfortable shock at his brazen flirting, Olivia stepping in to help me.

She gave me an uneasy look. "We're busy women. Tabitha doesn't get a lot of spare time."