Chapter 22
*Jiselle*
I stepped into the ring, heart pounding, muscles tensed.
Nate stood across from me, rolling his shoulders and stretching like he wasn’t even the least bit concerned. Cocky bastard.
The moment Instructor Bastian gave the signal, he moved. Fast.
I barely dodged his first strike, shifting my weight to the left as his fist cut through the air. He was testing me.
I knew that. I knew him.
Just like he knew me.
Every move I made, he had seen before. He taught me them. But what he seemed to forget was that I had watched him too. I knew his movements just as well as he knew mine.
He went for a leg sweep, and I jumped, barely missing the hit. I spun, aiming a kick at his ribs, but he dodged effortlessly.
“Good,” he murmured. “You’ve been paying attention.”
1 went for another strike, only for him to catch my wrist midair and yank me toward him.
The moment my body collided with his, I felt it–the warmth of him, the solidness of his chest, the sheer heat flaring between us. His grip tightened, holding me firm against him.
“I can feel you quivering, Jiselle,” he whispered, his lips close enough to graze my ear. I bet your little boyfriend doesn’t make you feel this.”
Rage exploded in my veins.
I threw my weight back, kicking hard against his shin, breaking free from his hold.
Asshole.
But he just smirked as if that’s what he wanted. I knew he was holding back. I could feel it.
Every move he made was precise, calculated–not trying to win, just trying to get a rise out of me.
I clenched my teeth and pushed forward with everything I had. I moved fast, striking with an accuracy I knew he’d taught me, and used every counter, every tactic he had drilled into me over the past few weeks.
For a moment, it worked. His footing shifted, and his balance momentarily wavered,
But with a sharp twist, he recovered, dodging at the last second as his fingers curled around my wrist. Before I could react, he used my own momentum against me,
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spinning me so fast that the world blurred. My breath hitched as panic flared for a split second before he took me down.
My back hit the ground with a breath–stealing thud, and I bit back a wince. He pinned my arms above my head, caged my thighs between his knees and brought his chest directly to mine.
The air between us crackled with heat, frustration and something darker churning beneath the surface. His grip flexed around my wrists, his chest rising and falling against mine, and his lips were barely inches from my own.
“Too easy,” he murmured, his voice thick, mocking, and his smirk dangerous.
I bucked against him, twisting my hips to break free, but he only pressed down harder, his body holding me still like he belonged there.
I gritted my teeth, struggling, but he had me pinned. His weight pressing me down was supposed to remind me he was stronger, faster and better. Always better.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Max stepping toward Instructor Bastian, tension radiating from him. He didn’t like this.
“You fought well,” Nate murmured, too close.
“The fight isn’t over,” I snapped. “I haven’t tapped out, the instructor hasn’t called a draw and we’re both alive.”
His lips twitched. Smug bastard.
“I know you like having me this close,” he murmured. “But you could have just said so.”
“You’re annoying,” I hissed. I struggled, but it was no use.
He completely avoided me. He was enjoying this.
“I know you miss me,” he said. “Every time you’re with him, you just think about how much better it was with me, don’t you?”
I growled.
–+would never compare them. Ever.
Max was good–hell more than good, and that’s all that matters. I wouldn’t give Nate the satisfaction of getting what he wanted–to know that he was ‘better.’
Instead, I laughed. “Do you not have better things to do than think about my sex life with another man?” I asked and I saw that I hit a nerve. Good. I could taunt too.
“I do,” he replied in a low growl. “But who’s to say I don’t just pity you? You must tire from… whatever he does.”
I growled again as I twisted my hips and used every ounce of strength I had to shift our positions. My muscles burned from the effort, but I refused to let him keep the upper hand,
With a sharp thrust of my weight, I finally flipped him, and in an instant, I was on top,
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my thighs straddling his waist as I pressed him down for once.
I barely had a second to feel victorious before I felt it.
A sharp gasp escaped me as heat shot up my spine, my body instantly aware of the unmistakable hardness pressing against me. My breath caught in my throat, and I knew Nate felt it too because his smirk deepened, slow and infuriating, as his hands settled on my hips like he belonged there.
He had the audacity to smirk.
“I can’t control what my body wants,” he said smoothly, voice dark and low.
I swallowed, forcing myself to keep my face impassive. “Yeah, but you can control what you want, right?”
He rolled effortlessly as if I weighed nothing, flipping us again, but this time bending my legs at an uncomfortable angle.
“You’re still bitter about that?” he taunted. “I thought you were happily in a relationship.”
I exhaled sharply, not answering immediately.
Instead, I stared up at him, searching his face, looking for something–anything–that made sense of this push and pull.
“What’s your problem, Nate?” I demanded. “You’ve told me more than once, in more than one way, that you don’t want me. Now, when someone actually does, you go around brooding like a-”
“Like a what?” he cut in, voice sharper than before. Like he dared me to finish it.
“Like a child,” I spat. “You push me away, act like I don’t matter, and now, suddenly, you care?”
He chuckled, the sound dark and humorless. “I never said I didn’t want you.”
I sucked in a breath. I hated him.
I hated that he said things like that, like he was playing a game only he knew the rules
- to.
“But it doesn’t matter,” he added, voice quieter now.
“Because you can’t claim me,” I finished for him, my voice low. Frustrated.
His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
shit, then y
“If you can’t sort out your don’t have a right to feel jealous and comment about whatever me and Max have. You lost that right. You’re the one who told Ethan I couldn’t control my emotions. But you’re doing such a fantastic job now, aren’t you?” I shoved at him, twisting out of his grip and scrambling to my feet.
The second I stepped back, I felt the freedom, but I barely had time to enjoy it before he moved.
He caught me again and yanked me forward, then brushed his mouth against my ear. I
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suppressed a shiver.
“You’re right,” he murmured. “I don’t have a right. But as someone who has your best interest a
heart-“I scoffed but he continued- “Then I should tell you that Maximus is obsessed with you,” he whispered, and I stiffened. “It’s the kind of obsession that gets dangerous. Be careful.”
I rolled my eyes and avoided the pit in my gut. “He’s not obsessed with me.”
Nate sighed, then, in one fluid movement, spun us around. Suddenly, I was staring right at Max.
He was standing at the edge of the ring, watching us.
No, not watching. Glowering.
His hands were clenched into fists, his jaw locked tight. He looked ready to tear the world apart.
“Then why is he imagining a hundred different ways to kill me?” Nate mused, his grip tightening just slightly.
I ripped away from him. “He’s just protective.”
Nate chuckled, but it was dark.
“Ethan is protective,” he said. “Maximus is obsessive. Can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Before I could respond, he shifted position, his hands moving too fast as he locked my arm in a position I couldn’t escape.
Pain shot through my shoulder, and I bit back a hiss. I had two choices. Tap out or endure a dislocated arm for the rest of the day.
I exhaled sharply and tapped out.
Nate released me immediately and stepped back, not even winded.
I hated him.
I stalked out of the ring, rubbing my sore arm as Max met me halfway. He said nothing, just glared past me at Nate.
And Nate? He just looked bored.
“Morningstar,” Instructor Bastian called. “Rest up and hydrate. You have another challenge.”
Nate turned slightly, lifting a brow. He had barely broken a sweat from the fight, unlike me. His eyes snapped to me, then to Max, and he smirked again, folding his arms over his chest and spreading his legs wide.
- me. His eyes snapped
He tilted his head slightly as he stared at Max, seeming amused.
“So fucking predictable,” he muttered.
I followed his gaze to Max, and my stomach dropped.
