Page 98 of The Sidekick

My stomach sinks a little at the probing question. I have the sudden urge to punch him. I only have one new person in my yoga class. I jacked off to the image of her on her knees last night.

I blink, forcing the weird reaction down, and ask, “Who?”

“Tera,” he confirms what I’m dreading with a smile.

I can’t think of an answer as I scan their faces, trying to figure out how they would know Max’s girl. The urge to beat the shit out of all of them for knowing anything about her is also a struggle I’ve never had to deal with before. I’m never jealous.

“Hello?” The other twin glances my way with a scowl. “Did she do ok?”

“She did well,” I narrow my eyes on him.

“Did she make any friends?” Brody asks smugly.

“Not yet,” I say cautiously.

“I told you,” the first twin turns back and continues, “She stood at the back and didn’t talk to anyone. That’s twenty bucks, Felix.”

“She talked to us just fine,” the other twin frowns thoughtfully.

“She’s that shy?” I can’t help but try for more information and then tell them to switch to cover my curiosity.

“She is now,” the second twin’s scowl gets deeper.

“She had a bunch of stuff happen, and it kind of made her close off from everyone,” the first twin says in a nonchalant tone.

“What kind of stuff?” My stomach starts to sour as my suspicions about who they might be rise.

“We were assholes to her when we met,” twin one admits so easily that the urge to punch him rises up again. I try to keep my face calm as I take in the group again.

These assholes were the ones who bullied her. In my fucking class, telling me about it like it’s not a big deal. They tore one sweet woman, who I suspect is naturally very submissive, into pieces. There are five of them.

“Switch,” I grit out and ignore their surprise. I usually make them do fifty kicks with each leg and move on. Not today. They don’t get off that easily.

Babygirl,

Where were you? Was there anything you loved out there? Something that made you smile? Anything. Tell me anything that made you happy, and I’ll bring it to you. I want your smile back.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Tera

“No.” I pout stubbornly as I clutch my mat like it’s a teddy bear to comfort me.

“Get out of the car, Tera.” Shade sounds so impatient that I feel a little bad. I know he needs to leave, but I’m terrified of going back into the gym.

“Come with me,” I shamelessly beg.

“I have to work. You have to exercise. It’s one hour twice a week. It’s not that traumatic. You can walk in there on your own, or I can drag you kicking and screaming. Choose.”

I sigh and give him sad puppy eyes, “Please come with me?”

When he opens his door, my eyes widen, and I rush to get out on my own before he can make it around the hood.

“See you in an hour,” he waves a hand and slides back into the car to leave.

“Jerk.” Some moral support he is.

I’m just in time to slide into class and claim my spot. I choose a darker corner this time so I can just disappear. It helps that it’s close to the back exit for when I run again. I should be ashamed for being a coward, but I’m justified. My panties were too wet last time for bravery.

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