I give

Adea

It feels like minutes pass in silence. The world stands still and it’s just me and Leo as I listen to the rise and fall of his angry breaths. The groups around us continue on like they don’t see. No one notices the way my breath catches or the way my heart almost pounds out of my chest.

I have no idea what I’m doing or who I even am right now. I swallow and force the dry lump down. Wetness fills my throat and Leo’s lips part slightly. He lifts his arms up slowly and I wrap my legs around his body.

“You’ve already lost,” I hiss.

He’s unbelievably stubborn. If someone threatened to snap my neck in a TRAINING match, I’d admit I lost. A higher tier wasn’t worth risking my life over. His chest rumbled, pulling me from my thoughts.

“It’s not over until I say it’s over and we both know the minute you let go of me, I could snap you like a twig,” he whispers, “Or better yet, I could beat you into the ground until your pretty little face is unrecognizable.”