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“Please. I’m going easy on you, partner. I don’t want to bruise that pretty face before our initiation ceremony.” I’d had plenty of opportunities to take him down but decided to go light on him instead. Hehadlet me sleep in his bed for a while and didn’t complain about me waking him or taking up half the mattress.
“Idohave a pretty face, don’t I?” He winked and flashed those dimples.
I dodged his hit to my shoulder and responded with a kick to his shin, making him wince. “You also have an ego the size of Texas, so maybe Ishouldtake you down a peg or two.”
His laugh bounced through the room, catching the attention of a few other novices who had taken spots on mats to spar or socialize. “You’re exaggerating. Besides, you love me and my enormous ego.”
The bastard wasn’t wrong.
Hawk lunged forward, but I predicted his maneuver. We’d been training together for the last two years, and I knew all his tells. As he came in on my left with a jab to the ribs, I slipped to the other side and blocked his attempt. Before he had time to recover, I hooked my leg around his and forced him to the ground as I landed on top. My elbow dug into his side.
He let out a dramatic grunt. “Sneaky little redhead.”
“Sneaky?” I scoffed and rolled off him, pushing up on my elbows. “That was a perfect textbook takedown. Nothing sneaky about it.”
The door opened, and Roxie strolled through, shaking her hips in a pair of hot pink shorts and a tiny tank top. She'd probably be a swimsuit model if she wasn’t training to become a raven. Most of the guys in the room stopped to watch her saunter across the gym. She flicked her long black ponytail, batted her thick lashes that framed her blue eyes, and waved at a few of them.
“That girl has no shame,” Hawk mumbled under his breath. “She’ll flirt with anything that has a cock.”
I punched his arm. “Like you’re one to talk. All it takes is some cleavage and pouty lips to hypnotize you.” I sat up and leaned back on my hands. “I’m surprised you haven’t hooked up with her.”
Hawk glanced back at Roxie as she continued her purposefully slow walk toward us, grabbing a pair of hand wraps on her way. “Nah. Plus, you two are friends.”
“Why would that matter?”
He shrugged and rolled into a sitting position. “Wouldn’t it be against girl code or something?”
Before I could ask him to elaborate, Roxie finally made it to us and collapsed on the mat beside me. “Can you believe initiation is today?” She slapped my thigh, the sound ricocheting through the gym. “We’re going to be superheroes.”
“Geez, Rox.” Hawk rubbed the spot she’d smacked on my thigh, flooding heat through my bloodstream. “Can you hit her any harder?”
Roxie laughed. “Look who’s being all protective.” She ruffled his hair. “Don’t want anyone hurting little Tatum Teague?”
He batted her hand away. “That’s right. She’s my partner, and I don’t want you damaging her.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek.
Flames crawled up my neck, but I pretended not to be affected by his sudden affection. He was the biggest flirt, so I had to take it with a grain of salt. “I got your back too, Hawk. If anyone’s going to kick your ass, it’s me.”
“Hey, Brycen!” James McDonough, another novice being initiated today, waved at Hawk from across the room. “Stop making a fool out of yourself with Tate and spar with me. At least you have a chance of winning.”
Hawk flipped him off. “You’re on. You don’t have a chance at all, though, McDonough.” He pressed another kiss to my cheek before standing. “See you ladies later. I’ve got to take care of business.”
“TCB, Brycen.” Roxie clapped as he jogged away. “You show him who’s boss.”
James winked at her. “You know who’s the boss in the bedroom, baby.”
“You wish,” she called.
My eyebrows lifted. “Did you hook up with James McDonough?”
“No.” She casually shrugged. “Not yet.”
“You really need to raise your standards.” The girl should at least find a guy that could carry on a conversation with her after they screwed.
“While we’re on the subject of hook ups…” She stared at Hawk and then me. “You two were totally cute just now. Look how he defended you.”
I tucked loose strands of berry hair back into my ponytail and tried to ignore the fresh blush coating my cheeks. “We’re just friends. You know that.”
Her lips pursed. “But you want to be more. And you guys would totally make a smokin’ hot couple.”
