Page 20 of Celestial Combat

She knew I was there.

I saw it in the slight shift of her shoulders, the way her breath hitched for half a second. She felt my gaze like a weight against her skin.

Still, she didn’t stop.

Her form was sharp, fast – but not perfect.

“Your stance is off.”

She didn’t pause. “I know how to fight, Zane.”

I stepped forward, moving behind her – close but not touching. My voice dropped lower.“Not well enough.”

She exhaled sharply and spun to face me, closer than she realized.

Her gaze burned into mine.

A muscle in my jaw ticked.

I stepped past her, into the ring, slow and deliberate. My hands wrapped in white tape.

“You sure about this?” She asked, tilting her chin.“Tony’s been training me all week. You might lose.”

I smirked, rolling my shoulders.

I don’t lose.

Meisa moved into her stance.

We started slow.

I was controlled. Calculated.

She was sharp, all fire and instinct. Every punch she threw, I blocked with precision. Every kick she landed, I absorbed like it was nothing.

She was good. I’d give her that.

But she wasn’t better than me.

The frustration bled into her movements. Her strikes became sharper, angrier. Then she feinted left – fast, dangerous – and struck.

This time, sheconnected.

A clean shot to my jaw.

My head tilted slightly with the impact, rolling my jaw once before my gaze settled back on her.

Meisa froze, breathing hard.

I stepped forward.

“Good. Again.”My voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking it for anything other than a command.

She hesitated.

She’d just given me her best shot. I was still standing.

“Come on,” I murmured, tone edged with something close to taunting. “Hit me.”

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