Chapter 31 Lucian #2
“I want to start training someone, we would be doing things like sparring and basic self-defense. Is that something I can do where I’m at in my recovery?
I know the doctor told Orion I’m cleared for bodyguard work, but how does he feel about me spending days on end physically with someone?
I need to know if this is going to lengthen with my recovery. ”
There’s a long pause, with Kelsey, silence usually means she’s been disconnected because heaven forbid she stop talking for more than thirteen seconds. I glance at the screen, half expecting the call to have dropped.
“Training someone? Who are we talking about here?”
“Does it matter?” I ask, I don’t add more because then she’ll start with the follow-up questions, the prying that will turn into a thousand tiny reasons for her to hover. I want a medical read, not an interrogation.
There’s a soft exhale on the other end, the professional filter snapping into place over the rest of her.
“Okay. Look, Lucian, that’s like, really ambitious.
You’re still in recovery, Lucian. If you’re serious, we’ll have to modify your program so you don’t compensate and put extra strain on the leg.
I haven’t even seen where you’re at since you left.
It shows in your chart that you haven’t been returning our calls, and I know we haven’t had any virtual sessions.
I don’t know if you’re doing better or worse since you left.
If you really want to do this, then we’ll need to monitor load, watch for asymmetries, and—”
“I’m not planning on throwing myself into anything crazy,” I tell her. “I’m not trying to be reckless. I just need to know if supervising basic sparring and teaching someone how to defend themselves is something I can do without undoing months of progress.”
“You can supervise, but you can’t be full-on sparring every day,” she clarifies.
I can practically hear the gears in her head turning.
“We can design a program where you lead drills that minimize high-impact loading. If you’re doing partner work, we’ll keep it controlled—slow, technical, with clear stop cues.
And we’ll schedule regular virtual sessions so I can make sure you’re not moving backwards in your recovery. ”
I’m only half-listening when the stairs in the old house make a soft creak, letting me know Celeste is awake.
She appears at the base of the stairs like a quiet sunrise.
She’s barefoot, wrapped in one of my shirts that swallows her, sleeves dangling, the hem grazing her mid-thighs.
That’s not what she went to sleep in; what made her change?
Without saying a word, she crosses the kitchen and slides her arms around my waist from behind.
The top of her head finds the hollow between my shoulder blades, and the tension Kelsey has created in me unclenches.
It’s small, but my pulse slows, and the tightness in my jaw loosens as I lean back into her.
Kelsey keeps talking about stability exercises as Celeste presses a kiss to my shoulder through the cotton, and suddenly that’s all I can focus on.
“Uh-huh,” I grunt, distracted, letting Kelsey think I’m listening as Celeste slips past me and takes one look at the coffee machine before she starts pressing buttons.
Where it had only mocked me, it seems to fall in line for her.
After a few confident presses, the soft machine sighs as it wakes, and the kitchen fills with the bitter smell of coffee.
It’s ridiculous how domestic the small ritual feels, and how much of the day can be rescued by a cup made by someone who knows exactly how you like it.
By the time I hang up, a mug slides across the counter toward me as if on rails. Celeste cradles her own cup, smirking like she’s the hero of a very small, but very important rescue mission.
“Was that your therapist? She sounds… really peppy,” she says, one brow lifting in that teasing way.
I lift the mug but don’t drink yet. “You’re the one who told me to call her.”
“Yeah.” She sips, eyes bright. “To make sure you were actually okay to spar with me and train me, not to get lectured into a new personality.”
I let a short laugh out. “That was the point. I needed a medical read. Orion spoke with my doctor the first time around, and he cleared me for bodyguard work, but that doesn’t mean I can go full sparring.
Kelsey’s fine with me supervising drills, meaning slow, controlled partner work, but not with me throwing you around every day. ”
Celeste’s cheeks go a soft, surprised pink as she looks at me over the rim of her mug. “What happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom.”
I can’t help the grin that pulls at my mouth. “So I’m only allowed to throw you around in the bedroom, then?”
She lets out a breathy laugh as she sets her cup down, eyes bright and dangerous in the way she gets when she’s teasing back. “Anywhere,” she says, and the single word lands like a dare and a promise at the same time.
Celeste’s face softens in a way that makes the kitchen feel warmer.
She leans her hip against the counter and stares out at the trees that fence Theo’s yard.
“It’s our first day back in Shadow Grove.
I think I’m ready to go outside. Maybe we can walk the trail for a bit.
” Her thumb traces the rim of her mug. “After what happened… I need to prove to myself I can. I feel safe with you, and baby steps count, right?”
“If you’re sure you’re ready, we can go as slow or as fast as you want,” I say, carefully.
Her eyes steadily meet mine, even with the shadows of fear tucked in the corners. “I’m ready if you’re with me.”
That’s all I need. I press a kiss to her cheek as I set my mug down. “Then let’s get dressed. Pajamas won’t cut it out there.”
She lets out a soft laugh as we move upstairs together, the easy rhythm of two people falling into step like it never left.
I change in the bathroom to give her space, and when I come back into the hall, Celeste is in a matching workout set, with one of my worn flannels tied around her waist, hair in a loose braid.
As we’re about to leave, I notice a walking stick leaning by the front door, its wood smoothed by years of use.
I pick it up and open the door. When she slips her free hand into mine and we step outside, pride swells in me.
She’s doing the hard part: choosing to face what hurt her.
I can’t take that step for her, but I can walk beside her while she does.
As the gravel crunches under our shoes, my head starts ticking through practical things I’ll need to know and remember for when I start training her. Kelsey’s clearance means I can teach the technical stuff, keep it controlled, and bring in the right people when we need them. Celeste isn’t prey.