Page 73 of Scarred Sins
“What should we work on first?”
Hudson chuckles. “If we went by the book, we’d be here for years. I’ll be brutally honest; you don’t have the strength, and you especially don’t have the time to gain it. What I can do for you is teach you cheap tricks and shots to ensure you can defend yourself and overpower those who are bigger than you.’’
“Doesn’t that require me to actually be strong?”
“Not always, no.’’ He steps in front of me, and I lift my chin, looking up at his towering figure. “I’ll focus on teaching you how to land solid blows and how to defend your important body parts from attacks first. It won’t be easy, and you can cry and beg, but I won’t stop until you block at least one blow or land one. Sounds good?”
I take a deep breath, my heart hammering against my ribcage.
“Sounds good.’’
TWENTY-ONE
Ilie on the floor of the ring, exhausted. My breathing is shallow, sweat is dripping down my forehead, and I don’t think I’ve ever been pushed to the limits as much as I was just a moment ago.
True to his word, Hudson did not go easy on me. He gave me three small breaks, each lasting about five minutes, before he forced my ass back into the ring. I’m covered in sweat; I don’t think there’s a part of my shirt and leggings that is dry at this point. And I think he managed to give me a bruise or two.
Not only did I not manage to land a blow enough to even make Hudson wince, but I also couldn’t block any of his. Whenever I thought I knew where he’d hit, I was so wrong that I didn’t even see his next attack.
My ponytail is messy, hair sticking to the back of my head, some on my forehead, and I’m barely able to pull myself back on my feet. Hudson, on the other hand, did not break a sweat. In fact, he looks fucking bored. Like it’s something he’s really bored to do and is just doing it because someone’s forcing him.
It’s insane how good his stamina is, and I won’t even start praising his skills because I’d be speaking for days to no end. Then again, he grew up in this lifestyle, and he’s been trained since he was a young kid.
“Dad, let her breathe,’’ Arlo says, stepping into the ring. He’s inspecting every inch of my body, his eyes roaming all over me, ensuring I’m alright.
Hudson scoffs. “You’re too soft on her. She’s an adult, and she wanted this. If she can’t handle this, then she’s not ready to even be in the breathing distance of Simmons and Adams, let alone confront them.’’
By now, everyone has left the basement, leaving the three of us here. Becka did stick around to admire Hudson’s training of me, but she didn’t stay for too long once Arlo warned her, although kindly, to leave before he lost his shit. I’m yet to witness him losing his shit, but I think it’d be quite the sight.
Arlo throws a nasty glare at Hudson. “Still, she’s never done this. She needs rest.’’
“Rest is for the weak,’’ Hudson says, stepping forward. “Besides, we’ve been doing this for what – an hour and a half? I’m pretty sure she can go for another hour.’’
“Four,’’ Arlo draws out. “It’s been four hours.’’
Hudson’s brows lift up, and he hums. “Well, then. Can you go for another hour, Blair?”
“Dad, let her–’’
“Yes,’’ I nod, cutting Arlo off. He scowls but doesn’t say much more. Instead, he leaves the ring and flops back on the bench nearby, sulking and glaring at his father. At times, he’s acting childish. Then again, he’s only twenty-two, so I shouldn’t be surprised at his immature antics.
Hudson claps his hands. “Great. Now, get in position.’’
With a nod, I brace myself.
Over the past four hours, Hudson has shown me a lot. I did my best to remember most of it because it was a little too much information in such a small time frame. He taught me how to stand, hit, and dodge blows. Of course, I couldn’t exactly dodge his attacks, but he claims that men I’ll encounter will never be on his level. I’m praying he’s right and that half of the people I end up fighting will be below him.
He continues to teach me the weakest spots on the human body and that if possible, I should aim for the person’s throat and make my escape. He’s teaching me how to free myself, not to kill. That’s Arlo’s job.
By the time we’re done, Hudson isn’t quite ready to let go. After all, he did promise he’d keep me in the ring until I managed to either block or attack successfully, but even he can tell that he’s pushed me way past my limits. Eventually, he relents and then leaves Arlo and me alone in the basement.
“Are you alright?” Arlo asks, sitting down next to me. I’m still trying to catch my breath and only manage a small nod. He smiles softly, wiping my forehead with a small towel, then offering me a bottle of water.
I don’t think twice before unscrewing the cap, then gulping down the entire thing as quickly as possible. The water hits my throat, and immediately, the body heat starts lowering down internally. With a deep breath, I toss the empty bottle aside, lying down on the floor.
“I’m fine.’’ I mumble, slowly turning my head to the side to look at him. “Is Hudson always this intense?”
Arlo nods. “I don’t know why you chose him instead of me. I would’ve gone easier on you.’’
