Survival (Twisted Book 1) by Rebecca Sherwin Read Free Book Online

weighed down by the tension that had consumed him. I saw it, as his eyes moved over every inch of my body, leaving a burning trail that made me feel like marked territory: it was the gloves, the fight. His eyes kept returning to the ominous black leather that my hands were encased in; whatever he was thinking was torturing him. My instincts were telling me to go to him, to comfort him, to clear his mind in whatever way he needed, but as I prepared to go with my instincts, he spoke.
    “Once you start, you can't stop,” he said, his eyes glassed over. “You have to battle on forever. From this moment on, there’s no excuse to give up. You have to believe you can do this before I can teach you how.”
    “I’m ready, Curtis,” I breathed as his eyes fell on mine. I held my ground. “I’m ready to fight.”
    A shiver rippled through him and I watched his eyes change; they lightened. He had returned from wherever his mind had taken him.
    “Stop bouncing. Dip your chin, look over your gloves,” he watched me intensely as I did, and smiled softly. “You look cute.”
    I gasped, “Uh…”
    “The most important lesson is to relax. And breathe,” he patted my back and I let out the breath I was holding.
    “Got it,” I sighed. “Breathe.”
    “Good. Now, jab.”
    “What?”
    “Jab.”
    “What the hell is jab?”
    He squeezed the bridge of his nose but smiled, “I’ve got my work cut out. It’s a simple punch with your left hand. The most important punch in boxing.”
    He moved my left hand slowly as he explained it to me.
    “Keep your body still, just straighten your left arm. Turn your fist so your hand is palm down and exhale.”
    He let go and I tried on my own. I noted his smile as my fist connected with the punchbag. It felt good.
    “Again,” I did. “Good. Again, but with power. Exhale sharply, focus on your breathing. Stay relaxed, just tighten your fist as you punch.”
    He watched as I continued to punch the bag, keeping his eyes on my hands and adjusting my posture when I let it slack. I was enjoying it; I wasn’t doing much, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I might.
    “You’re doing good. Another?”
    “Yes.”
    “Okay, the right straight. Your strongest punch,” he stepped round to the other side of me and extended my right arm like he did with my left. “With this one, you need to pivot.”
    “How?”
    “Like this,” I jumped as he placed one hand on my hip, the other on my shoulder, and turned the top half of my body. I had the sudden urge to close my eyes and savour his touch. I did, just for a second but the coolness in his voice made me rethink and open them again. “Same as before, but move your body into it. Keep going.”
    I was soon doing it by myself, but Curtis set his hands on my hips and that’s where they stayed. I let the power I felt from him move through me until I was worn out. I was breathless, shaky and hot from the warmth of his hands cupping my hips and applying gentle, intoxicating pressure. I stopped punching and closed my eyes without thinking, to concentrate on the feel of him so close. I enjoyed it more than I should have; I was heady, floating, fuzzy.
    I held my breath when his lips whispered over my shoulder and a whimper escaped when he kissed the crook of my neck.
    “I think that’s enough for today,” he let go of me and stepped back.
    “But-”
    “I’m hungry. Are you hungry? Let’s eat.”
    I watched him disappear out the front door of the gym as a couple of fighters made their way in.
     
    ***
    Curtis taught me a few moves and how to put them together over the next couple of weeks. It was nothing like what I saw the other guys doing. Their tricks were fancy yet seemed as natural to them as tying their shoe laces, although I wondered how half of them managed to fold their bodies to tie them without muscle getting in the way. Curtis and I kept to ourselves; we said hello and goodbye but the others left a corner of the gym free for us