15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Nik
Sweat dripped down Nik’s back and his bangs stuck to his forehead as he ran down the dirt path nestled in the woods.
He and Eli had chosen to run a different path than usual.
It had seemed like a good idea—new scenery to make the run more enjoyable—but Nik hadn’t realized this path followed the mountain up and down and up, up, up again.
At least the tree canopy kept the sun off their backs.
The other unexpected consequence of choosing a new running path was this one was at least twice as long as their old route. They’d been running for an hour already with no end in sight.
“Watch your step,” Eli shouted.
Nik looked down just in time to jump over an overgrown root.
Eli slowed to a walk ahead of Nik, and Nik matched his pace. They both breathed heavily but continued to travel at a brisk walk along the running trail.
“How’s Ali?” Eli asked.
Nik knew he was only making small talk, but he cringed regardless.
Ali still hadn’t told him she was pregnant, and it was beginning to feel like a big secret, a heavy one that plagued Nik every day that he trained with Eli.
“She’s good. She really loves her job on the council, even though some of those guys can be assholes. ”
Eli snorted. “Tell me about it. Grace came home the other day in a full rage over something Eamon said. I thought I’d have to restrain her so she wouldn’t sneak out in the middle of the night and murder him in his sleep.”
“I can’t picture Grace being violent.”
“You’d be surprised. She’s an expert at keeping her composure in public, but underneath it all, she’s still a human with fears and anger and disappointment.”
“She seems so bubbly all the time.” He didn’t add that he found it annoying.
“She’s a lot of that, too.”
When Nik glanced at Eli, he found him smiling, eyes distant like he was off in a daydream with Grace by his side. He’d happily suffer through Grace’s overwhelming positivity if it meant Eli was smiling like that over her and not Ali.
Just when Nik was about to suggest turning around and heading back, the path curved and sloped downward to a familiar landmark. His shoulders relaxed; they were almost back in town.
When they made it to their training site a short distance from the main strip, both Eli and Nik dug into their backpacks and chugged an entire bottle of water each. Thankfully, he’d brought more than one, so he could still quench his thirst throughout the day.
Nik had to admit Eli had progressed immensely in a short amount of time.
He moved with more confidence and aggression than when they’d initially started their hand-to-hand combat training.
Although he still didn’t have the size advantage that Nik did, he made up for it in nimbleness and resolve.
Sometimes Nik would land a blow that he thought for certain would have Eli crumbling and caving, but he took each hit in stride and kept going with the ferocity of a man driven mad.
Nik shook his head as Eli rebounded from another impact that should’ve had him on his knees. The promise of Grace’s love was enough to dull the pain and exhaustion, he supposed.
Halfway through the day, Eli and Nik paused to grab lunch. There was a soggy nut butter sandwich in Nik’s backpack, which he tossed aside when Eli mentioned grabbing something in town instead.
They neared the center of town, where a man in an apron stood outside his shop.
His face was red from the heat of a sizzling pan positioned over a blazing fire.
Nik’s stomach growled as he inhaled the scent of meat, veggies, and spices.
As he got closer, he saw the char marks on the chicken, peppers, and tomatoes.
The man added a brown sauce and continued to stir as people lined up to be served.
When it was Nik’s turn, he handed the man a few coins and received a steaming hot sandwich with a freshly baked bun in exchange. Much better than the lunch he’d packed for himself. He’d need it, considering they still had a few hours of training left.
They ate as they walked, the silence only broken by the occasional moan of satisfaction. Nik didn’t think he’d ever eaten something so savory and delicious.
They were almost back at the training site when they heard a chorus of mocking chants. Nik shot a glance at Eli before breaking into a jog. The commotion was coming from the clearing where they’d left their belongings.
Once the trees opened up, Nik found three young boys dancing in circles at the bottom of a tall pine. Heads tilted back; they yelled toward the sky.
“Lucy is a loser. Lucy is a loser.”
“Lucy, come down here.”
“Or else we’ll come up there!”
Searching the branches above their heads, Nik found a young girl, her hair tangled in a mess of brown curls. She was wedged between two sturdy branches at least ten feet above the ground. Her eyes shone with tears, but they were narrowed with anger and determination.
“I’m gonna tell Mom!” she threatened.
One of the boys laughed. “No, she won’t. I’ll make sure she doesn’t tattle. I’ll pop all the heads off her dolls…at least the ones I haven’t already.” He laughed again, and the other two boys joined in.
“Come down, Lucy! We won’t hurt you.”
Doubtful, Nik thought.
“What’s going on here?” he asked.
The group broke apart, and the boys exchanged startled looks that settled on the boy to the right—the leader, Nik presumed.
The boy straightened and masked his features with a look of innocence. His eyes softened and lips curved into a polite smile. “Nothing, sir. We were just playing hide and seek with my sister and she got stuck up there. Do you think you could get her down?”
Nik looked up into the tree, where the little girl frowned and sniffled. “Is that what happened?”
From the corner of his eye, he caught her brother making a motion with his hands that looked suspiciously as though he were pulling the head off a doll.
The little girl pressed her lips into a thin line. “Yes.”
Beside him, Eli was glaring at the young boys. An image flashed before Nik’s eyes of a young Ali getting picked on and Eli coming to her rescue. An image of a young daughter with his eyes and her hair climbing up a tree to get away from her bullies.
He pushed his shoulders back and turned to the boys. “I know you’re lying, but lucky for you, I’m going to let you go. Leave your sister alone and go play somewhere else, and I won’t tell your parents what you’ve been doing out here.”
The head of the boy gang side-eyed his friends, daring them to step out of line. The faux friendliness disappeared from his face, and he squinted at Nik and Eli. Crossing his arms, he said, “Who are you anyway? My mom won’t believe you.”
What a little shit.
Eli spoke before Nik could threaten the tiny terror of a human.
“My name is Eli, and I happen to be good friends with Grace. Perhaps you know her? Maybe your mother won’t believe the two of us,”—Eli pointed between himself and Nik—“but I think she’d believe the next Lady of Berland.
And if we get her involved…well, I don’t know what kind of trouble you’ll get in then. ”
The other two boys looked frightened now. Nik had to hand it to Eli; threatening them with authority was more effective than their mother.
The boy on the end gritted his teeth and looked back up into the tree. “I’ll see you at home, Lucy.” The last word was etched with a menacing threat, but at least they’d gotten rid of them for the time being.
The boys ran from the clearing, laughing and shoving one another as they went. Once they were completely out of sight, Nik stepped closer to the tree.
“Hi, Lucy. My name is Nik. It’s all right to come down now.”
She eyed him warily but carefully began climbing down the tree. When she was within his reach, he grasped her under her arms and helped her the rest of the way, planting her solidly on her feet.
“Thank you,” she murmured. She eyed the winding path where the boys had fled, wiping the tears from her cheeks. If Nik had to guess, they were probably waiting for her just beyond the tree line, hoping to catch her on the way out.
“You don’t have to go. You can stay if you’d like,” he said. “I was just teaching my friend here how to fight. Would you like to learn, too?”
“Girls aren’t supposed to fight,” she said softly.
Nik scoffed. “Says who?”
She didn’t have to answer. He was certain she meant her brother and his friends.
“Maybe you just want to watch, then?”
Lucy nodded and sat with her back against the tree while Eli warmed up. They began going through the motions, practicing simple offensive attacks and beginner defensive moves—things that Eli had long since mastered, but he played along, understanding what Nik was doing.
Lucy watched with rapt attention, her eyes lighting up as Eli dodged Nik’s advances and Nik blocked Eli’s punches. When they took their next break, Nik approached the girl again.
Between sips of his water, he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to give it a go? I can at least teach you how to protect yourself.”
She bit her bottom lip. “What if I’m not good at it?”
“We’re all shit until we’ve practiced.”
Lucy gasped and her eyes went wide. “You said a bad word.”
Fuck. Hopefully she didn’t go back home and repeat that word to her parents.
“Let’s pretend I didn’t.” He smiled, and Lucy returned an even brighter one. Then he held out his hand, and she placed her tiny hand in his, allowing him to pull her up.
After an hour of practicing with Lucy, Nik had taught her a few different punches and kicks.
Eli kneeled on the ground at Lucy’s level, his fists blocking his face.
Somehow, Nik had convinced Eli to be Lucy’s personal punching bag, and he watched with amusement as Lucy hit Eli in the stomach.
Her small frame and tiny muscles lacked the weight to do much damage, but it was still entertaining watching her release her aggression on Eli’s torso.
A well-placed punch to Eli’s ear had both Nik and Eli hunched over—Eli cupping his ear and assuring Lucy that he was okay, and Nik doubled over in laughter.
“What’s going on here?”
Grace and Ali emerged into the clearing.
While Nik approached Ali, Grace kneeled beside Eli and checked his reddening ear.
“We’re teaching our new friend Lucy how to make sure her brother and his friends don’t fuck with her.”
Lucy gasped and pointed at Nik. “You said another bad word.”
Nik motioned zipping his lips closed and Lucy grinned, her smile stretching from ear to ear.
He felt Ali’s arm slink around his stomach, and she beamed up at him. “You made a new friend?”
“I did,” he said before planting a kiss on her lips.
“She seems to really like you.”
“What’s not to like?” he joked, but the compliment meant more than he let on. Nik wasn’t likeable. He’d spent so many years alone that he’d forgotten how to be likeable. It was still a mystery to him how he’d wound up with Ali by his side.
The idea of raising a child caused him to sweat more than any amount of physical exertion.
What would he do if his own kid didn’t like him?
Would the same tension that marked his own relationship with his father define his relationship with his child?
He tried to swallow, but his throat was suddenly dry.
As if Ali could read his thoughts, she leaned in close. “Don’t doubt yourself for one second. You’re going to be an amazing dad.”