Page 109 of Pulse
Chapter 33
Ren
With the season pretty much over at The Underground, Ash and I spent most of our time training at Beat. Occasionally we’d go over to his house in Toorak and see Violet, who was always pleased to see us, and spend time at his home gym.
Violet had told me that she hadn’t seen Ash happier, but I couldn’t get past that tingling feeling in the back of my mind that something was eating him up. When I asked, he just said it was nerves, but I knew Ash Fuller. Something was up, but we didn’t have much time to discuss it. After our first time together, no it was after our second on the same night, he’d chastised me for trying to use sex as a weapon. The last few days since we’d gotten the call from Max had been filled with steamy, hold on for dear life, sex.
Couldn’t say I was complaining, but I saw it for what it was. A distraction.
Ash had also taken it upon himself to up my training regime now that we knew I was up against Fury. She was my match in height, weight and skill more so than Claw had been, so we had to be smart and try new strategies to compensate. Our last fight had been close, I’d pipped her at the post, but it was only by a hair.
He had me shadow boxing and testing my reflexes with a swinging punching bag, making me dart and weave, keeping me light on the balls of my feet. A boxing technique he told me. Dart in a jab with my left to test her defenses, and dart back with the dexterity to dodge her counter attacks. It was a hard workout and I was sweating like a pig after ten minutes.
When I couldn’t take anymore, we moved to stationary punch repetitions on a medium bag to help with my upper body. No use being able to dart into range and jab if I couldn’t back it up with juice behind my right hook.
Ash held the bag steady so I could do my repetitions without the swing back.
“When is it your turn Maverick?” I said through a heavy breath as I drew my fist back. “You’re running me ragged. It’s only fair I give you a go.”
“We can have a go on the mat later.” He sealed his dirty statement with a wink.
“I need to work on my crunches,” I retorted, slowing as my lady bits began to churn.
“Okay,” he said. “But that wasn’t an invitation to stop.”
I laughed and began belting the bag again.
We were still making foul sex jokes when the outside door opened. We both turned at the same moment Dad came through the door, dragging his suitcase, closely followed by Dean, Lincoln and Josie.
“Ren!” she cried, dropping her suitcase and coming over to hug me.
I threw my arms around her neck and squished her against me. “I’ve missed your crazy face.”
“I’ve missed your…crazy.”
“I would complain, but that about sums it up.”
She let me go and began hopping from foot to foot. “I want a full report later, but for now I’ve gotta go pee.”
I made a face. “Too much information.”
She waved me off with a laugh and darted across the studio. My gaze caught on Dad’s back as he climbed the stairs. He hadn’t stopped to say hello, so I gathered he was still dark about me fighting at The Underground. Well, he just had to get over it.
The Twins came over; leaving their bags by the door and each of them hugged me, ignoring Ash. Lincoln was the only one who waltzed over to my hulk of a boyfriend and shook his hand. I bet they had a lot of things to discuss. Violet being one.
“I hear you’ve been kicking ass,” I said, shoving playfully at Dean.
“It’s been brilliant,” he said with a grin. He eyed Ash over my shoulder. “How’s everything with, you know?”
“The Underground?” I asked, quirking my eyebrow. “Or Ash?”
“Both.”
