Page 108 of Retaliation

“That’s great, but we’ll have to wait at least a few days.” She pointed to the cast on her arm. “I can barely dress myself; there’s no way I can fight yet.”

Her words hit him hard. Frustration surged through him, overtaking his concern.

“We have to start tonight!” he growled, his voice raw with urgency and anger.

The intensity of his outburst startled her, her eyes wide with shock. Her shock quickly turned to anger, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him. He had no right to yell at her like that, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. Fear for her sake overtook all rational thought. Gunnar watched them, his expression unreadable.

“Fine. Tonight, at six,” she snapped, her voice filled with venom.

Without another word, she turned on her heels and stomped off to the bathroom to get dressed, leaving him standing there, seething. As he watched her go, a wave of guilt ate at the cold resolve in his chest. He knew he had overreacted, but the thought of her being unprepared, of facing Reaper at less than full strength, was something he couldn’t accept.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady the storm within him. He needed to be strong, not just for her but for both of them. They didn’t have the luxury of time, and he couldn’t afford to let his emotions get in the way.

Gunnar cleared his throat, drawing his attention back.

“Just remember, training isn’t a game. Reaper’s not going to go easy on her because she is injured.”

Phillip’s expression hardened, his protective instincts flaring.

“We know what’s at stake. And we’re not taking any chances.”

With that, Gunnar nodded.

“Alright. I’ll leave you to it then. Just don’t let your emotions get in the way of the fight.”

Phillip watched Gunnar leave, his mind already shifting to the training ahead.

He felt a shift inside him. His concern for Poison remained, but it was now wrapped in a hard, cold determination. They would train, and they would be ready. Reaper would not catch them unprepared. This fight was too important, and he would make sure she was ready, no matter what it took.

Later that night, at precisely six, Poison heard Scorpion’s footsteps coming up the metal steps. He had said he needed to get a few things in order for their training and had left.

She was already in her training clothes, her hair pulled back in a tight bun. Wordlessly, she followed him back down to the garage, where he handed her a helmet without a word.

She swung her leg over his bike, her heart pounding. And as soon as she was settled, he sped away, the engine roaring as they navigated the traffic.

Anger simmered within her, threatening to boil over. The rush of wind and the hum of the bike couldn’t

drown out the turmoil in her mind.

Panic had seized her when she heard about Reaper’s challenge, but it was Scorpion’s reaction that cut deep. He was furious at her for it as if she had chosen this timing. Reaper hadn’t officially challenged her yet, so why couldn’t she allow her battered body to heal for a few more days? Yet, she decided to follow Scorpion’s lead. She didn’t have the energy to fight him on this.

When they arrived at the gym, an armored guard opened the door, allowing them inside. Scorpion flipped on the lights, revealing the most high-tech gym she had ever seen. In one corner stood a brand-new boxing ring, smaller than the usual ones. Boxing bags, shelves of gloves, weights, and exercise machines filled the rest of the room.

Scorpion walked to the open space next to the boxing ring, where mats covered the entire floor area. As they got closer, she noticed the stash of fighting bamboo sticks, swords, and other weapons against the opposite wall. Once they were on the mats, Scorpion produced a knife from his pocket and tossed it to her. She caught it with her un-casted arm, the metal cool against her skin. His gaze flicked to the cast on her arm.

“Cut it off,” he demanded, his voice cold and.

She hesitated for a moment, but the intensity in his eyes left no room for argument. She did as he instructed, the knife slicing through the cast with a finality that chilled her nerves. Her arm, still tender and weak, throbbed with a dull ache.

Scorpion’s expression softened slightly as he stepped closer.

“We don’t have time for you to heal the usual way,” he said, his voice a bit gentler. “We need to get you ready now.”

She nodded, swallowing her resentment. She understood the urgency, the need to prepare, but it didn’t make it any easier to bear.

After she removed the cast and handed Scorpion his knife back, she tried to make a fist with her injured arm, but it refused to cooperate.

“You know I’m going to be hard on you, right?” Scorpion’s voice was a steel edge.

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