Chapter 27
EDEN
I know this place. I don’t know how, but I can feel how familiar it is to me. And if that hadn’t told me, the way everyone has greeted me would have been all I needed.
It’s been getting easier to discern what feels right and what’s new. When I first woke up in that camp, everything was so muddled that I was lost. But now, I know when I’ve been somewhere without Kieran even having to tell me.
I wasn’t prepared for how everyone was going to treat me, though.
Kieran and Jude say that I was the lead trainer here, that I put everyone through grueling sessions but would also check on them after to make sure they were healing properly.
Clearly, I’ve created bonds given how happy everyone seems to see me.
We step outside one of the main buildings, and Ash loops her arm through mine. Her hair is braided back, her dark skin glistening from whatever session she just finished. “I didn’t know you were gracing us with your presence today.”
“I thought a surprise would be more fun.” I lean in conspiratorially. “I couldn’t have you warn everyone.”
She rolls her eyes, smile bright. “I would never. It was too fun to see everyone freak when they heard you were here.”
“Sounds like everyone has been getting lazy.” My eyes sweep the open space in the center of the grounds, where five open-air fighting circles currently have matches going on. “Who’s been letting that happen?”
Ash peeks around me to look at Jude. “Yeah, Jude. Who has been letting that happen?”
His shoulders stiffen, but he doesn’t look over at her. “Certainly hasn’t been me.”
“No?” She hums thoughtfully. “I’m pretty sure you’re the one that has stepped into Eden’s role.”
I glance over at him, flicking my eyes over his frame. “Is that so?”
“It is.” He shifts, crossing his arms. “Is that a problem?”
“If everything isn’t up to my standards, it will be.”
I see him fight a smile, even if he still doesn’t meet my gaze. “Are you looking for a fight, Eden?”
Dropping Ash’s arm, I shift in front of Jude, forcing him to look at me. Ice blue eyes that feel more and more familiar every time I see them. That same safety I feel around Lochlan and Rohan. Yet, he’s still being closed off around me.
“Yeah, Jude. Let’s clear a mat.”
He chuckles, but I notice it sounds forced. “I’m not fighting you.”
“I want to see how well you do,” I argue. I’m tired of him holding back when it comes to me. I’m certain he would never have shied away before I was taken, but now he can barely look at me.
Kieran nudges him. “Since when do you turn down a challenge?”
Jude’s jaw clenches. “You want me to fight your wife?”
Those green eyes are filled with heat when they meet mine, and his sexy accent thickens around his next words. “Jude, you know firsthand how much I love to see her fight.”
He scoffs, and I’m starting to feel bad for putting him in this position. He shifts again, and I’m about to tell him that we don’t need to—even if I really do want to get on a mat—when he jerks his head to the center one. It’s now vacated.
“Let’s go.”
Adrenaline buzzes through my body as I follow him across the space. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice heads turning in our direction. Everyone is stopping to watch our match.
Jude pulls his weapons from the sheaths along his body, the guns on his ribs and so many blades—most of which were invisible to me—forming a pile on the ground. I yank the knives I have free, dropping them just shy of the mat’s edge before moving toward the center.
Jude has shed his holsters, too, leaving him in the form-fitting shirt, pants, and boots that he always wears. It might be the most dressed down I’ve ever seen him—well, that I can remember.
“No weapons?” He cocks his head, scanning my frame.
I lift my hands, palms out. “Don’t trust me?”
His lips curl. “I know how tricky you can be.”
That nearly makes me laugh, but I just shake my head. “No weapons. Rules?”
“Tap out. Avoid any lingering damage.”
I shift my weight back as he starts to circle me. “No promises.”
“I’d expect nothing less from you.”
The words are just barely out of his mouth when he lunges. I had suspected that he would prefer close combat, and given our size difference, I need space to use my momentum against him. He’s taking that away.
But I’d be better off on the ground anyway, where his weight won’t so easily overpower mine when I’d be able to use leverage.
That’s why I let him grab my wrist, yanking me forward.
Instead of allowing him to control the movement, I shift onto the opposite foot, lifting my leg to slam the heel into his knee.
He’ll drag me down with him, but it’ll land me on top.
My kick never connects. Jude’s other hand grabs behind my knee, halting my movement. “I know that one.”
He tosses me back, but I twist, wrapping my fingers around the hand still holding my wrist. It’s enough to bring Jude down with me. I just don’t want to allow him to maintain control.
I’m rolling before we even hit the ground, trying to pry my wrist from his grasp. But it’s iron strong. I didn’t use enough momentum to throw him over me, which puts me in the unfortunate position of him at my back.
“You know better than this,” he says admonishingly as his arm wraps around my throat.
“So do you,” I snap back as I slam my elbow down into the soft space below his ribs. His chokehold left the spot exposed, and he grunts but doesn’t release me.
Frustrated, I plant my feet, shifting my hips as I bring my elbow down again. I twist at the same moment as impact, and it’s enough to break his hold.
Pushing off my back foot, I slam my body into his shoulder to rock him back, swinging my legs around his upper body in a move that is more muscle memory than actual thought. This entire fight has been a flow of movements that feel as natural as breathing, even if I can’t explain it.
Jude’s back slams into the mat as my thighs wrap around his throat, his arm caught in my grasp. I lock my ankles, applying pressure fast before he can pry me off of him.
“Tap, Jude,” I hiss as he tries to force my legs apart.
His response is to lift up and slam back. The impact pulls a grunt from me, but I don’t loosen my hold on him. Instead, I arch my back, applying pressure to his shoulder as I wrench his arm back. I could easily cause a break or dislocate his shoulder like this, if he doesn’t pass out first.
And still the bastard doesn’t tap.
“Jude,” I snap. I don’t want to hurt him, but I’m not going to ease up, either.
His face is red from the lack of oxygen, but he tries to push up into a seated position rather than admitting defeat.
I know he’ll be able to knock me loose if I let him get up, so I arch harder, the chokehold growing tighter as I apply more pressure to his shoulder.
At least if it pops out, it won’t be lasting damage.
It might seem counterintuitive to get him to relax around me by nearly ripping his arm from his body, but I want him to stop holding back with me. Which means I’m going to push him hard.
I’m just starting to worry that the stubborn ass is going to take it too far.
Finally, he slaps his palm to the mat, and I loosen the pressure on his shoulder and throat. Rolling off of him, I kneel across from Jude, my attention focused solely on him despite the people cheering around us. We must have put on quite a show.
Then, his lips quirk as he lifts his head. Relief trickles through me when I see nothing but amusement on his face. “You got me this time, Eden.” A full smile spreads across his face. “But the next round is all mine.”
* * *
“You need any?” Kieran asks, glancing over his shoulder at me.
I shake my head from where I’m sitting on the counter. There’s a small kitchen in the central building, and Ash kicked everyone out for us.
Jude sits to my right on a stool, accepting the ice that Kieran just bagged him. He places it on his shoulder, looking more amused than annoyed about the strain I put on the joint. In fact, I haven’t seen him this relaxed without Mika on his lap.
“You look satisfied with yourself.”
I shrug, even though I am. It felt good to be on the mat, even if I really want to get a bit more bloody. Just like Kieran said, it made me feel more like myself, and even if I had lost, I’d be just as excited. I enjoy the violence, the quick pace of the fight, and I want more .
But both Kieran and Jude insisted I ease back into it. So, I have to wait until tomorrow for our rematch.
Leaning back on my hands, I give him a grin. “I think I deserve to be.”
Jude scoffs, but he’s smirking. “I’ll let you gloat for one day.”
“Does that mean you think you’re winning tomorrow?”
“I know I am.”
Before I can taunt him, the door swings open, and Ash pokes her head in. Her hazel eyes spot me first, winking at me, before moving on to Kieran. “Rohan wants to see you.”
Kieran quirks that scarred brow, leaning back on the counter opposite me. “Tell him where I am.”
“He wants you to come to the office.”
He grumbles as he straightens, but as he reaches to help me down from the counter, I shake my head.
“We’ll wait here. Finish icing Jude’s shoulder.
” Kieran’s brows furrow, and I know he’s about to argue.
Sliding my hand behind his head, I tilt him closer.
“If I’m not there, you’ll finish up faster, and then we can go home. ” I nip at his bottom lip. “Now hurry.”
That earns me a grin before he kisses me. It starts out long and slow, but then my fingers slide into his hair, and his hands grip my waist, dragging me to the edge of the counter.
“ Kieran ,” Jude barks from behind me, and I jerk back, remembering where we are.
Kieran doesn't look the least bit bothered, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he slides his palms down my thighs. “I won’t be long.”
He pulls away, leaving with Ash, and I turn around, crossing my legs underneath me as I face Jude. His lips are pulled up at the side, and even though he acts as if Kieran is a pain in his ass, I know that he doesn’t get as irritated as he pretends.
“How does that feel?” I nod at his shoulder.
“I’ve been through much worse.” It’s exactly the answer I expected. I have no doubt it’ll be sore, but he’ll push through.
The ice isn’t the real reason I wanted to stay behind, though. I needed a moment alone with Jude. Now that I have it, I’m struggling to find the words I know need to be said.
Despite the conversations I’ve had with Kieran and Mika lately, it hasn’t gotten easier for me to open up, but I see what Mika was talking about. It’s clear that Jude and I used to have a much stronger relationship, and now, he won’t even really look at me.
“Mika told me what happened that day. When I went missing.” He stiffens, his expression immediately icing over. “I want you to know that I’d never blame you, Jude.”
His jaw works, the dark scruff doing nothing to hide it. “It was my job to protect you. It’s always been my job, especially in the city.”
“You act like you dumped me on the street and left me to fend for myself.”
“I chose to take you to the cages when we should have waited.” He stands, moving around the counter to dispose of the ice. The muscles in his back have gone completely rigid, and he won’t even face me. “I am to blame.”
“Jude.” I jump off the counter. “We were ambushed. There was nothing you could have done.”
He spins around, nostrils flaring. “I could have waited . If Kieran was there?—”
“He might have gotten hurt.” I shake my head, crossing my arms. “I’m thankful he wasn’t there. Barely anything happened to me.”
“You lost all your memories.” Anguish flashes in those ice blue irises. “They tried to take away who you are.”
“And they failed. But if I lose you because of what happened, then you’re letting them succeed.”
He swallows hard, but this time, he doesn’t look away. “How can I look at you and not remember what I did? How can I act like nothing has changed when everything has? I saw it destroy Kieran, Mika ? —”
I surprise both of us by wrapping my arms around his middle. He’s nearly as tall as Kieran, and even though I’m not short by any means, I only come up to his chin. The hold is purely platonic, but I couldn’t see how much it was weighing on him and not try to ease it.
Squeezing, I tell him, “It was a terrible thing that happened to all of us. But I don’t blame you. I don’t want you to, either.”
He sighs as he pats my back. “That’s a tall ask.”
“What if I collect it as my winnings?” I pull back, smirking. “Do I get those in a friendly match?”
That earns me a huff of a laugh. “I guess you can.” His expression softens, and I know it will take him more time to let go of what happened. But I hope that knowing I don’t blame him helps.