Page 23 of Punished
“Good. Be a good boy at school,” Monty said, then kissed Ren's forehead before leaving.
That went better than he was expecting, and that pleased Monty.
Chapter ten
Chen
“Ugh, I just gotback from my lessons, can I get settled in first before you start harassing me?” Yìchén fussed as he swung his book bag from his shoulder to the chair in his bedroom.
Chen was standing in the doorway wearing a black shirt, sweatpants, boots, and fingerless gloves. “You've got ten minutes, then meet me in the backyard. If I have to come get you, I'm going to take it out on your ass in training. Oh, and wear something comfortable to spar in.” He walked away to leave Yìchén to get situated. Last night, he'd gotten a little taste of Yìchén's fire when the man punched him instead of his uncle. Yìchén had taken his rage out on him and it caught Chen off guard and he let his mask slip for just a second. He knew he couldn't let that happen again.
The conversationthat he had with Da Han following their basement activities didn’t question his moment of weakness. Instead, Da Han praised him for getting his son to step up to prove himself. However, Da Han did warn Chen to keep it professional and he promised that he would.
He made his way to the backyard and began his stretches and right when he was about to go fetch Yìchén, the young man stepped out into the yard, a frown on his pretty face. Chen had to admit, no matter who the child's mother was, Da Han produced beautiful offspring. Three boys and one girl, a great contribution to the Jade Dragon Triad.
“So, what are we going to be doing?” Yìchén asked with more attitude than what Chen would accept.
“Watch your tone when speaking to me, boy,” Chen warned.
Yìchén snarled. “I'm not a boy, and least of all, yours.”
“You sure as fuck aren't a man,” Chen retorted.
Yìchén scoffed. “That bruise on your cheek would say otherwise.”
Chen stared at him.
Yìchén raised both eyebrows. “What? Nothing to say?” he asked in Mandarin.
Chen caressed the bruise he had on his jaw thanks to the punch he took from Yìchén while he wore brass knuckles. He smirked and nodded. “If you actually knew how to punch, you could have knocked me out, or at least a few of my teeth. This bruise...” he tapped it, “it's all you got and nothing to be so proud of.”
Yìchén squared his shoulders. “So what? I'm not like you.”
“A skilled fighter?”
“I can fight!”
“Then show me.”
“I won't hold back,” Yìchén warned.
“I wouldhope not or else I fear I would hardly feel anything.”
Yìchén growled and charged forward, swinging lefts and rights, all of which Chen dodged or blocked with ease. That only added to his frustration toward his father's right-hand man. “Son of a bitch,” he snarled, then let loose a few kicks.
Chen blocked one kick with his hand, then parried the other with a kick of his own, then reversed it to catch Yìchén on his chin with his heel. Yìchén grunted and fell to one knee as he caressed his aching jaw. He looked up at Chen with venom in his eyes.
“Your moves are wild and clumsy,” Chen chastised.
Yìchén huffed, then rose to his feet and swung, which Chen leaned back to dodge, but before he could follow it up, he caught a jab to the nose. The blinding pain that shot across his face put a pause to his sparring. Blood seeped from his nose and he looked at it coloring his fingertips. “What the fuck?” He glared at Chen with all of the accusations he could muster.
“Like I said, your moves are all over the place and you leave yourself open to attacks.” Chen walked up to him and grabbed his chin, tilting Yìchén’s face up so he could examine the injury. “It's not broken,” he said and released the boy.
“And if it was?” Yìchén asked, his tone heated with the rage he felt.
“Then you'd have a broken nose because of your foolish actions and lack of skill,” Chen said.
“I don't have to take this,” Yìchén cursed, then stomped off toward the back door.
