"Again."
My arms throb violently while Rhys seems unaffected by holding his hands up with boxing pads. I lean over with a groan, not liking the fact I'm in pain everywhere from the training session he's pushed me through. I thought it would be an hour at a time, just to ease me into it.
This is hour three and I'm utterly exhausted.
"How much longer?"
"You wanted me to train you so that's what I'm doing." His tone remains cold and for a moment I feel like I'm left with an emotionless Rhys until I look into his eyes.
They hold concern and I see his mind thinking he's pushed me too far. I've had enough of punching his hands, push ups and doing planks. He said the only reason I'm not doing anything else is because of my ankle.
"Three hours is overkill," I exhale, standing up once I catch my breathe. My punches cross one another and get progressively weaker, until he breaks the pattern by batting me in the head. "What the hell?"
Rhys smirks and does it again, only this time I deflect it with my arm. My eyes widen at the reflex but it doesn't last long when he brings his knee up to graze my stomach. I purse my lips, pushing his knee back down and he chuckles.
"I get you're tired but you're getting there with reflexes," He tries to hit me again and I repeat the process, blocking his knee this time and ducking at the swipe. "Try to hit me."
My hand shoots out to hit his chest but he grabs it, yanking me against him with my arms criss crossed over my chest. "I swear you like doing this to me."
"Well I like having you against me if that's what you mean," He whispers, kissing my temple before letting my arms go. "Okay. This time you need to deflect the hits because there's going to be a bit of strength behind them. I'm not intending on hurting you, okay?"
I nod and motion for him to start. He hesitates, bringing his knee up first this time. I press it down, hands stinging at the impact. Okay so he wasn't kidding. I duck at the swipe and deflect another knee shot.
He throws a few jabs, each blocking with my arms until the pain gets too much. "Rhys stop!"
I raise my voice hoping he will listen but he doesn't. Continuing to block his hits, I persevere through the pain until I grow tired and throw a punch to his shoulder. He steps back in shock, raising an eyebrow and I go to kick him in the side only for him to catch my leg.
"Why did you tell me to stop?" He asks, chest rising and falling as he inhales oxygen.
You were hurting me.
"My arms hurt," I technically tell the truth, leaving out the part where he caused it. He already thinks I shouldn't be doing this and if I can't take a few light hits than he proves his point. "I'm fine."
His eyes flicker down to my arms, dropping my leg. "Did I hurt you? I was trying not to hit too hard for a reason."
"I'm fine," I pull my arms back, not letting Rhys touch them incase they're bruised or something. I need to learn and I'm not going to give him a reason not to teach me. "Just not used to using them repeatedly, any improvement?"
He eyes me with suscpion but nods slowly. "Your reflexes are a bit faster and I can tell you have a stronger left punch - despite being right handed - than your right so rely on that. When your ankle is better, I want to work on your leg strength because it's quite strong already."
"I've danced for half my life," Rhys steps forward, hands resting on my waist. "If my legs weren't stronger than my arms I would be concerned."
He smiles softly, leaning down to press a kiss to my lips. On instinct I lean up only for his arms to wrap around my waist. "If my memory serves me correctly I know from experience how strong your legs are, your thighs to be specific."
With flaming cheeks I push at his chest, moving to sit down on my bed. He removes the pads from his hands, slipping them into the duffel bag while I unstrap the ones he gave me. I throw them purposely at his face watching him frown back.
"I don't appreciate the sexual innuendo."
Rhys pulls out jeans and a shirt, kneeling one knee on the bed. "You're the one who held me trapped between your legs until you got your way. I'm allowed to otherwise I lose all manliness."
"Sorry that I enjoyed seeing you weak, "I lean closer to peck his lips, smiling shyly. "I liked seeing you vulnerable because it reminds me you're not invincible as you appear."
Rhys eyes flicker down for a moment before he kisses me again. This time sparks the memory of my first kiss with the soft nature. It's sensual and sweet, contrasting completely with his own personality that's usually abrasive. His kisses and touches are exactly the opposite which makes my heart flutter.
He pulls back, thumb brushing the bone in my cheek. "We both know I'm not invicible," Rhys withdrawals his touch completely, standing back to his feet. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. . . Do you think your dad will mind me taking a shower?"
"I don't mind," My heart skips a beat seeing dad standing in the door frame with his arms crossed. "I need to have a talk with my daughter anyways, one of them being boundaries with having her boyfriend over."
Rhys nods once, taking the hint that he just discovered the fact we're dating. I pick at the blankets as he leaves, dad moving to take a seat beside me. When the bathroom door closes down the hall I exhale and face him.
"I wasn't sure how to-"
"You and Rhys are dating which is surprisingly fine with me," He nods once and exhales deeply. "He's a good kid. Smart, caring, respectful - plus I'm starting to see the old Kira appearing."
I give a tight lipped smile in response. "He makes me happy."
"Then that's all I can ask of him," He exhales deeply. "His father gave up trying to be released and settled for good behavior where his sentence may be reduced. It's unlikely for him to maintain it for a year though so it doesn't have to be an issue."
"Why did he give up?"
Dad glances to the door with a swallow. "I told him that good behavior was his best bet because after threatening my daughter; I would make sure he stayed in there until he died."
"And he actually listened?" He nods and I run my tongue over my teeth. "That seems out of character considering his whole reason by being behind bars. Maybe he thinks he can last on good behavior."
"If he does a year he gets half of that off his sentence," The shower turns off and he taps my knee. "I'm assuming Rhys didn't know about this situation?"
I shake my head. "He's been tormented by his father enough, I wanted to spare him of this unnecessary worry."
"Alright. I'll be downstairs getting dinner ready," He stands up, groaning as his knees crack. "You can invite Rhys to stay for it - lasagna and chips."
I nod and wait for him to leave before falling back onto the bed. That was surprisingly pleasant considering I was expecting a third degree over dating him. Luckily, I don't have to worry about that.
A faint buzzing echoes from the end of my bed and I roll over to see what's making the noise. I see Rhys' phone lit up with Nate's contact, he wouldn't mind if I answered it - would he? His brother is almost like mone and I have the same instinct to protect him just the same.
I swipe accept and answer it with a smile. "Hey Nate, what's up?"
"You must be Kira," I freeze, double checking the contact with confusion. "I'd like to introduce myself to you considering how close we'll become rather soon. I'm James Bennett, your boyfriend's old boss."
"Bennett? Are you related to Derek?"
"He is my nephew yes but he's on thin ice lately with the whole exposing you to my employees," He sighs as if its been an inconvenience to him. "They've been distracted and I'm getting sick of it. You are proving to be a problem and I'll take care of you myself if I have to."
"Why do you have Nate's phone?" I feel instinct kick in and force myself to sit up. "Where is he?"
He chuckles on the other line. "Good to see you can connect the dots. Nate's fine - for now at least. But it's alarming that I managed to get his phone without his knowledge."
"Kira?" My eyes flicker to Rhys who stands in the door frame with a confused expression. "Who's on the phone?"
"Someone just got busted," He laughs humorlessly on the other line and I swallow. "But you could only imagine how close I could get to you, trust is a fragile thing and I would be concerned about those who I can get to. Your father for example, he's a lawyer and can actually cook-"
"How do you know that?" I raise my voice, standing up as Rhys walks over to me. "Answer me!"
I keep him at an arms length feeling nauseated. Suddenly I hear a loud crash from downstairs and I almost drop his phone. "I think you can figure it out."
Shoving the phone into his chest I take off downstairs. I jump the last three stairs and hear Rhys chasing after me. "Kira, wait."
I grab onto the door frame of the kitchen when arms wrap around my waist. "No. Dad," I try to pull myself from Rhys' arm as I see blood spots out from behind the island. "Let me go!"
I thrash around and thankfully he lets me go just as I drop beside him I reach up for a tea towel. Applying pressure to the knife wound, I yank it out and let it clatter to the floor with a clunk. He looks at me with tears in his eyes and puts his hands over mine.
"Kira I love you," His voice is shaky and I try not to heave at the blood filling the cloth, staining my hands as well. "I need you to know that."
"I love you too but you're going to be fine," I force a smile, leaning up to see Rhys on the phone and giving the address to what I assume to be an operator. "Do you know who did this?"
His eyes flicker to the left and he swallows. "I guess he wasn't happy after all."
Biting the inside of my cheek I try not to cry. I can't lose another parent. But it feels like de ja vu all over again; I'm holding pressure to knife wounds while they bleed out before me. It's my nightmares coming to life.
Finally met Derek's uncle - bit of an ass for what he's done. But Kira's father?? It was so heartbreaking to write that part of the chapter.
Question; least favorite character atm?
Thoughts? Feelings? Predictions?
-inspiredrlh 💕