Page 28 of Fight
As Jasper nods to me as they begin to run by, I join them at the end, letting the music carry me through the workout. There’s one more fighter to pick up, and then we’ll hit the park that winds through the city, with our trainer choosing different routes depending on level of difficulty.
About forty minutes into our run, it becomes apparent that Jasper wants to kill us. My breath is coming in tight spurts as I keep pace, refusing to drop back as we run harder up a hill that doesn’t seem as if it should be here.
I can’t hear anything Jasper is saying because my music is raging in my ears, but I’ve been running with him for so long that I don’t need to. He uses hand gestures to show when we’re changing directions.
The torture goes on until we lose a few people to puking, and I shake my head because while I’m holding on, I can’t continue like this forever.
Thankfully, he stops in the middle of a large grassy area, and I bend over at the waist to carefully take gulps of air. If I try to drink anything right now, I know it’ll come back up. Fuck me, he’s such an asshole. Turning off my music, I close my eyes to center myself as I listen to him.
“Cool down, get some water, and then we’re going to go through some more endurance exercises. Burpees will be your new best friend,” Jasper says.
There’s a series of groans, but the trainer I am now naming Satan’s bestie holds up his hand.
“You know I’m pushing you because there’s always the chance the person you fight next has an edge on you or advantage. Hold onto the feeling that you’re dying, so you remember how you pushed through. That’s how champions are made,” he says. “I’ll do these fuckers too so you can’t complain too much.”
There’s mutters as they sip water and cool down a little before getting into position. I still can’t stomach any liquids. The next hour is one of the worst experiences of my life, but I get through it by imagining Jasper’s head on a pike.
Or hot pokers going up his ass. I also toward the end imagine using fun red hot brands of all of the different curse words running through my mind.
I guess I can be vindictive when I get going. I learn new things about myself every day.
As Jasper calls it, the sun is up in the sky, and I’m almost positive that Augustine is awake. Sighing, I prepare myself for the long walk home. Fuck me. I won’t need to be at the gym until later, which is good because I need a shower and a damn nap.
“Yo, Martinez,” Jasper barks as people begin to disperse. Double fuck me. “Moment of your time.”
It’s not a question because I don’t have any choice but to stop.
“Sure,” I say, walking over to him. “What’s up?”
“Walk with me while we chat. I need to get my day moving,” he says as if we haven’t been killing ourselves already. My feet are in motion before I even think about it, mostly because I’m too tired to argue.
Between the late night and training session, I’m done.
“You’re in great shape for the fights next week,” Jasper says. A wrinkle develops in my forehead, because I thought I only had one fight. “Yeah, you heard me right. Maurice came to me asking to put you with one of his new guys. He’s trying to up his rep, and thinks he can gain that if he wins in a fight with you in the ring.”
It’s not the first time this has happened, so I grunt in understanding. I’m too tired to do anything else.
“I would usually refuse him, but I know you can take him. I found some tape of his last fights if you want to watch them with me later? You look like you need sleep,” Jasper says with a smirk. The asshole looks fresh as a daisy.
It’s just not fair.
“Yeah, at the gym?” I ask him, brow raised.
“Nah, things are going to get a little hot there today. Tommy has some business to take care of. I’ll text you when. You actually don’t have training there until tomorrow,” Jasper says.
“Yeah, alright,” I mutter, taking a slow sip of water. My body is going to ache once I stop moving, and I can only hope I’m not walking into an argument at home. I would deserve it, though for having to hit Auggie to force him to sleep.
“So that guy is staying with you?” he asks. Fuck, he doesn’t do small talk, so I force myself to focus, even as my body starts to shut down functions it doesn’t think I need, like my brain.
“Yep, Augustine is staying with me until we find Cerenity,” I grunt. I may as well lay down my line in the sand, because even though I don’t know the omega well, she’s even more important to Auggie than I am. My man needs to find her.
“You seem awfully sure she’ll be found,” Jasper says innocently.
I force myself not to fist my hand, because I am a weapon, and just like you wouldn’t take the safety off a gun, I won’t put myself in the position to take a swing unless I intend to. I have a lot of control over my body because of the responsibility this kind of power I carry in it.
“There’s a lot of hell that will rain down if she’s not,” I say with a shrug. “I think Auggie is going to call your sister and her pack today to help with the search. She’s important to more people than just us.”
“Understood,” he murmurs. “So… Auggie?”