we’re going to start a new unit on self-defense.”
“That’s not in the curriculum,” Eli points out, wiping his palms on his tight-ass gym shorts. It figures Eli would have memorized the learning outcomes for fucking gym.
“My job is to prepare you for life, and in life it’s useful to know how to kick the shit out of someone.” Antony cracks his knuckles. You could hear a pin drop, it’s so fucking quiet. “No one else with questions? Good. Now, partner up with someone who you’d feel comfortable punching in the face, and we’ll start by learning a few basic defensive moves.”
George puts her hand up, and I know she’s going to pretend to have her period or something to get out of this. I grab her arm and tug her to me. “Got my partner,” I call out to Antony.
“Freaks stick together,” Cleo mutters as she lines up with Daphne. On the other side of the room, Noah and Gabriel are partnered up. Eli glares at them both, then glances around him, but there’s only one person left.
Alec LeMarque.
I glare at Noah. “Do you know what’s he doing back at school?”
“I heard from Chad this morning that his father argued his expulsion down to a suspension,” Noah whispers back. “After all, it would be unfair to ruin poor Alec’s life over a single mistake in judgment.”
Unfair. Right. I only had to see the online campaign in response to our stunt with his car to know I wasn’t Alec’s only victim. But I’m determined I’ll be his last.
“Excellent.” Antony beckons Eli with his finger. “You. Captain America. Come here. Bring your victim—I mean, partner—with you.”
There are titters from the girls as Eli stands in front of Antony. Eli’s no slouch, but my cousin towers over him, and he’s all hard edges and tattoos, whereas Eli is smooth skin and dimples. Antony glares at Alec, who slinks out to join them.
My cousin catches my eye and winks. George whimpers, but I grip her arm. “You won’t want to miss this,” I whisper.
Alec looks from Antony to me and back again, and I know he’s thinking it’s too big a coincidence that a second burly-ass substitute teacher has appeared at Stonehurst in the same day, and that teacher has chosen to drag him to the front of the class for a demonstration. He looks to his friends, but none of them will meet his gaze.
“Okay, grasshopper.” Antony nods to Eli. “Show us how you throw a punch.”
I expect Eli to protest. The head of the student council isn’t going to punch another student in class.
Eli snaps his arm out and lands a punch in Alec’s solar plexus.
Well, color me surprised.
And turned on. There was a fierceness behind that punch that made my knees weak in the best way. Alec drops to the mats, gasping and wheezing. It’s a glorious sound. I try to meet Eli’s gaze, but he’s staring at his fist like he can’t believe it’s attached to his body.
“What the fuck, man?” Alec gasps, rolling onto his knees and clutching his stomach as he gasps for air.
“That’s excellent. Top marks,” Antony says. I can see him struggling to contain his laughter. “The only thing is, you hit him once and then stopped. In a life or death situation, you can’t guarantee one blow is going to incapacitate a villain. If he had a weapon, it might’ve fallen to the ground and he could be heading for it. Like this.”
Antony pulls a flick knife from his belt and drops it on the mat. No one’s laughing or talking anymore. There’s an electric charge in the air – like the heat pulsing whenever I’m around one of the guys, but this one is scented in blood. Alec looks at me with watering eyes, and I see the realization flicker on his face. That’s a real knife, and if he wants to make it out of this fight alive, he needs to reach it.
Alec lunges for the knife at the exact time Eli surges forward. He kicks the blade away and stomps on Alec’s hand. Alec screams as Eli grinds his heel into Alec’s fingers. Eli glances up at Antony, and the expression on his face is unreadable. “Like this?”
“You’re a fast learner.” Antony kicks Alec in the back. “Once he’s on the ground, it’s a good idea to go for the kidneys. Anyone else want a go?”
Blood scents the air. I shove George forward. Her eyes widen, but she looks at me and