After taking my fill of the room, I changed into the t-shirt, and climbed into bed. His bed smelled just like him, and it was comforting. I pulled the blue plaid quilt up to my chin, and closed my eyes. As exhaustion began take over, I felt something that had eluded me for over a year— safety. I hadn’t really thought about it until that moment, but the feeling of safety made all the difference.
ooooooooo
I woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon. It was something that hadn’t happened since I was a little girl. I slowly blinked against the morning light, and sighed. I’d slept really well despite the fact that it wasn’t my bed, and felt truly rested. I could hear the faint sound of music as I swung my feet over the side, and searched for the shorts I’d worn the day before. After tugging them on, I rushed down the hall to the bathroom. The bacon smell became more prominent, and my stomach growled.
Deciding that I could finish dressing later, I turned for the stairs instead of the bedroom, and carefully made my way down them. When my bare feet hit the wood floor of the family room, I came to a sudden stop. There was Easton with his back to me, cooking in the kitchen. His shirtless back, I might add. He had a towel tucked in the waist of his shorts, and he was swaying from side to side to the music, and humming along. He turned toward the island and froze when he saw me.
“Morning.” He wiped his hand on the towel. “Hope you’re hungry.” I nodded without saying anything. I was kinda stunned at how normal this was, and surprised by it at the same time. “Have a seat. It’s almost ready.”
It was then that his parents came into the room. “What’s all this?” Wes pointed to the bacon and eggs that were piled on the island.
“I do know how to cook, Dad. What do you think I ate all those years on my own?” His head tipped to the side with a disgruntled look.
“I figured you found someone to cook for you. You never cook here.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“We have a guest.” Easton plated the last of the toast, and carried the stack over beside the bacon and eggs. “I’m trying to be hospitable.” It came out between clenched teeth.
“Relax, E. I’m just messing with you.” Wes chuckled and Angela just shook her head at the two of them.
“Give him a break, Wes.” She sighed as she sat down.
“This is great. You didn’t have to do all this.” I motioned to the spread.
“Eat.” He motioned to me. “I’ve got a busy day planned.”
“Like what?” I asked skeptically.
“Like you’re going to learn the stuff you missed at those classes, and I’m going to help you build your confidence. You’re a strong woman, Hadleigh, and it’s time you believe it too.”
“Gym’s all yours today.” Wes smiled at Easton.
“Thanks.” He stuffed a forkful of egg into his mouth. “I’ve got a lot on my plate. She’s gonna learn to fight back, and I’m going after that belt that’s up for grabs in a few months.”
“Really?” Wes’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Really.” Easton shoved another bite into his mouth.
I wasn’t sure what all of that was about, but I knew it meant something based on the looks on their faces.
Chapter 18
Easton
After we finished breakfast, I drove Hadleigh back to her place. We made quick work of gathering her things, and made sure to have enough to last a few days. The super hadn’t changed the locks yet, and Hadleigh said she could tell Josh had been by.
“How can you tell?” I looked around. The place looked the same as when we left it.
“It’s the little things.” She pressed her lips together as her eyes scanned the room. “I’ll show you.” She led me to the bathroom. “Look at the toilet paper. See how it’s backwards? Josh did that. I never hang it that way. He changed it to let me know he was here.” She shoved the shower curtain out of the way. “See where my shampoo is? I keep it on that shelf over there all the time. He moved it.” The words came out angry. The fear was leaving her body, and being replaced by anger. She yanked the bathroom door shut, and stomped down the hallway to the kitchen. “Look in here.” She opened the fridge. “See how everything is facing the front? He did that.” She closed the door. “He has a certain way of doing things, and I’m expected to follow the rules.”
“But this is your place?” I was confused.
“Yep. Doesn’t matter.” She shook her head. “Let’s get out of here.” She grabbed her bag, and started dragging it toward the front door. “Maybe I’ll just move. That would make this easier.”
“You do what you think is best, and I’ll help. Not letting him win is this best thing you can do.” I pulled the front door closed behind us, and took the bag from her hands. “Let’s get back, and we can start living again.” I tossed her bag in the trunk while she climbed in the passenger seat.
oooooooo
Hadleigh
The ride back to Easton’s place didn’t seem to take as long as it did the day before. Maybe it was because today felt different. Some of the fear was gone, and in its place was a feeling I couldn’t quite name yet.
When we reached the end of the driveway, we just sat there for a moment. Easton broke the silence first. “I didn’t mean to just blow up your life.” The words sounded a little strange coming from him.
“My life blew up a long time ago. You just made me do something about it.” I sighed.
“You deserve better, Hadleigh. I hope that you’ll see that soon. There are better choices out there than Josh.” He patted my leg and then opened his door.
“Like you?” I tipped my head to the side, and his lip curled up as a laugh escaped him.
“Better than me.” He shook his head as his eyes closed. “I’m no prize. I have my own demons; I just know how to deal with them better.” I assumed he was talking about the rumors that keep circulating through the news, but I didn’t want to bring it up.
“What’s this belt you’re talking about?” I decided changing the subject was better for both of us. “Is it a big deal?”
“Yes. It’s a middle weight champion cage fight tournament. If I can save up the money for the entry fee, I have a chance to fight my way to the top again.” Easton popped the trunk and grabbed my bag. He flung it up on his shoulder like it weighed nothing.
“Don’t you need a trainer or something? Like someone to tell you what you’re doing wrong?” I followed behind him as he carried my bag inside. He tossed it on one of the couches, and then motioned for me to follow him outside again.
“I have all that.” He grinned as he glanced over his shoulder at me.
“How are you going to train out here?” I looked around at the woods that surrounded us.
“Same way I did when I was starting out.” He opened a door to the garage and one of the largest home gyms I’d ever seen stood before me. “My dad trained here too.” He grinned as he flipped the light switch on.
“Is this what he meant by the gym was yours today?” I stared at all the equipment.
“Un huh.” He walked over to a box in the corner and grabbed some pads. “You first.” He directed me to the mats in front of a large mirror.
“Me first, what?”
“Hit me. I wanna see if you remember that much.” He grinned and braced the pad. Easton has seen me beat up a heavy bag, so I don’t know what he was expecting. I shook my head, braced my feet, and then delivered a well-placed punch. “Nice. Again.” He smiled. We went round and round, and then added in knees and feet.
“I know all of this.” I panted, out of breath.
“I just wanted to see how angry you were. Now you’re going to escape.” He came up behind me, and banded his arms around me. “Show me who’s boss.” His breath feathered across my ear.
“No!” I screamed as I lifted my foot and slammed it down on his. He tightened his grip instead of releasing me, and the panic set in. “No!” I screamed again as I attempted to thrash in his arms. “Let me go!” My brain shut o
ff at this point and all I saw in the mirror was Josh smiling his evil smile as I slowly gave up. My body went limp as my brain went into preservation mode, and shock covered Easton’s face.
His arms loosened, and cradled me against him. “You’re okay.” He tried to soothe me. “I’m sorry.”
I shook him off. “You can’t do that. You’re supposed to let go,” I snapped as I started pacing. My hands balled into fists at my sides. “You’re supposed to let go! That’s not how we practiced!” I took five steps to the left, then turned and took them to the right. “What was that?” At this point the tears came, and I angrily wiped them away.
“Do you fight back when Josh hurts you?” He stood there staring at me with his hands on his hips. “Do you?”
I refused to look at him and just stared at the floor.
“When you try to get loose, does he let go, or try to hold you tighter?” His head tipped to the side as his eyes widened. “I’m trying to prepared you to fight back. If I let go, how is that helping? Josh isn’t going to let go.” He lifted his arms as if to say, ‘What now?’
“You’re right.” I bit my lip as I lifted my eyes to meet his. “Do it again.” I turned my back to him, and waited for the assault.
When Easton’s arms wrapped around me this time, I stomped on his foot and swung back with my elbow at the same time. “No!” I shouted, and this time he released me. It wasn’t until I turned around that I saw why.
He was cupping his face, and blood was dripping between his fingers. “Oh my god! Are you okay?” I started to rush over, but he held me off. Blood dripped from his hand as he rummaged through a bag in the corner. After a few moments, he ripped his shirt over his head and held it to his nose.
“I’m fine,” came out muffled as he walked back to where we’d been practicing. “My dad’s been warning me that this would happen from not wearing gear. Don’t tell him it actually did.” He laughed lightly.
“Tell him what, exactly?”
“That you broke my nose.” He laughed harder as he removed the bloody t-shirt and examined the damage in the mirror.
“I’m sorry.” I felt terrible.
“Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first.” He tossed the shirt to the side. “It’ll heal. I’ve had much worse done to me.” He came back to the mats, and motioned me over. “Again, and this time I’ll duck.”
We went round after round of him pinning me and me escaping. After about the tenth time, I called for a break. “I need water. I’m tired.” I panted as I placed my hands on my knees.
“There’s bottled water and sports drinks in that mini fridge.” Easton pointed to the small dorm fridge in the corner.
“Maybe we could stop for today?” I sighed as I grabbed a water and twisted the top off. The cool liquid felt heavenly on my parched throat.
“You can stop. I’m just getting started.” He smiled as he began stretching.
“What’s that mean?” My brow furrowed.
“It means, I’m far from being in fighting shape. I’ve been out of the game for almost nine months. Taking even the shortest break will take you out of peak condition. I’ve been on break for too long to just come back. It’s going to take work, and that means lots of conditioning and training.”
“Oh.” I nodded and started to turn for the door. I wasn’t sure if he wanted me around or not.
“You can stay.” He laughed. “It’s not a private session or anything.” He tossed his head back.
“I don’t want to be a distraction. Josh says I’m good at that.” I shrugged.
“Josh is a moron. You’re not a distraction.” He shook his head as he huffed. I watched as he climbed on the treadmill and pushed a few buttons. Music came blaring through the speakers, and the machine came to life. Easton started out jogging, but after a few minutes, it turned into a full-on run.
He kept a brutal pace for at least twenty minutes, then the beeping started again, and he slowed down. “Why do you run that long? Aren’t fights usually pretty quick?”
“Most are, but there are some that last a lot longer than you think.” He wiped his chest and face down with a towel. “Having endurance is one of the best secret weapons a fighter can have.” I watched as he tossed the towel and walked over to a weird looking chin up bar. “What’s that?” I pointed to it. I was curious about all of this stuff, and Easton made me confident. I didn’t shy away from asking him questions. Our little friendship had built a foundation for whatever was happening here.
Easton chuckled. “This was my nemesis for many years. Dad introduced us when I was seventeen. It took me over a year to master it. Spent lots of time on my ass and back from this bitch.” He swung his arms back and jumped up, grabbing the bar. “This is a salmon ladder, and she’s very unforgiving.”
I watched as he curled his legs in front of him and swung upward. The bar came off of its resting place and hooked into a notch farther up the vertical bars. When it clanged into place, Easton’s legs came down. He repeated the curling motion, and worked his way to the top. Once up there, he reached over to a rope that was hanging from the ceiling. He grabbed onto it, and slowly worked his way down. Every muscle in his body flexed. He had muscles in places that I didn’t know you could tone. When he reached the floor, I just gawked.
“What?” Easton snickered. He knew I was staring, but I think he wanted me to admit it. “Never seen a man climb a rope?”
“How do you get the bar down?” I pointed to where the chin up bar was still lodged on the top rung.
“Typically, I toss it to the floor before I climb down, but occasionally, I leave it to remind my dad that I can do this now.” He grinned as he stared at the bar. “He used to give me shit all the time about working out, and beating this,” he pointed at the bar, “now I remind him that I have.”
“But how does he get it down?” I was confused.
“Climb the rope, or use that step ladder.” He pointed to the corner.
“Oh.” I slowly nodded. “What’s next?” I looked around.
“Next is I call Caleb and tell him I need a spotter. He’ll come, or he’ll tell Dad, and he’ll come. Mom can spot for me, but I need more weight than she can pick up.” He started tapping away on his phone. When he finished, I watched him stack weights on a bar that was sitting over an incline bench. “I don’t think Dad thinks I’m serious about this. He doesn’t know I’ve been saving up, and almost have enough for the entry fee. Once I tell him I’m ready to spar, he’ll be hanging out here more and helping.” He grunted as he added another large weight to the bar. It looked as though it was going to give out under the pressure.
“What if you drop that?” My eyes went from Easton to the bar.
“I’ve never dropped one before, but that’s what a spotter is for.” He smiled and then checked his messages. “Break time. Caleb will be here in twenty minutes.” I watched as he walked over to the fridge and grabbed a water. After taking a huge gulp, he tossed the bottle toward his workout bag.
I don’t know what was different, but this version of Easton seemed so different from the one I met in class. He seemed happier, and in his element. It was obvious that this is what Easton was born for. He was a fighter; he’d just had a hard time finding his way. His light had been dimmed just like mine, and together we were finding our way back.
Chapter 19
Easton
When my alarm sounded this morning, it was an unwelcomed sound. I’d been rising before the sun for years, but today everything hurt. I’d pushed myself yesterday harder than I have in a long time. My muscles screamed as I sat up on the couch. The family room had become my new residence since Hadleigh moved in. I didn’t mind, but the couch wasn’t good for my back. My head throbbed from my broken nose, and when I stretched a groan bubbled out of me.
I rubbed my hands down my face, careful to avoid my nose before standing and making my way into the kitchen. I sighed as I grabbed a water and took a few sips. I wanted to get a run in, so I was careful not to
drink too much. I quickly dressed in fresh workout clothes before slipping into my running shoes, and going outside.
It was dark, and dampness clung to me from where the sun had yet to rise and burn the dew from the air. I slipped my earbuds in as I clicked on a familiar playlist on my phone. When the music blared in my ears, I stretched out, and took off on one of Dad’s trails. He had many that went around our property, and they had a wide berth from the golf cart his trainer always used. Within a few minutes, I got lost in my head, and instinct took over. My body moved like a machine as it remembered what I’d trained it to do. This was the beginning of getting back all that I’d lost.
oooooooo
“Have a good workout?” Dad called as I was coming in the door. It was light out now, and heating up for the day.
“Pretty good. Need to keep a faster pace, but I feel good,” I called as I rounded the corner. I could smell breakfast, and I was starving.
“What the hell?” Dad’s head snapped back. I’d forgotten that he hadn’t seen my face yet. He’d worked late last night and I was asleep before he came home.
“It’s nothing.” I made the mistake of touching my nose, and I winced.
“Have you had that checked out?” Dad poured some beaten eggs into a pan.
“Why would I do that? I know what’s wrong, and it’s just gonna have to heal.” I shook him off as I opened the fridge to grab the water I’d started drinking this morning.
“Do I want to know how you did that?” Dad stirred the eggs.
“Let’s just say you were right, and leave it at that.” I tipped the bottle back and finished my drink.
“I was right, huh?” He chuckled as he mouthed the words again.
“Yeah, yeah.” I shook my head. “I should have listened. Yuck it up, but know I’m not going to go easy on you, old man.” I tossed the empty bottle, and grabbed a piece of bacon off the plate on the bar.
“Hey,” he waved a set of tongs at me, “that’s for your mom.”
Broken Shadows (The Broken Series Second Generation Book 2) Page 12