huff out my question, frustrated that I didn’t land one punch. Not that it would’ve done much. Like Griff, Axel is taller, broader, and just plain bigger than me. There’s no way I can take him down. “This is impossible.”
Two weeks of this torture and I swear my defensive skills are regressing instead of getting stronger.
“You throwing in the towel?” Griff stares at me, willing me to give up. If I do that, I’m out.
“No!” I growl at him.
“Then set up.” He claps his hands and points to the center of the training mat. Before I find my position, Griff claps his hands.
I dodge a roundhouse kick to my head and duck beneath Axel’s fist. I dodge two more blows before Axel scores a direct hit in my solar plexus with his knee. Once. Twice. He doesn’t hold back and I stagger backward until I lose my balance and crash on my ass.
I glare at Axel, but he’s laser-focused on me. He glances at Griff, who shakes his head. Bastard isn’t going to stop this round until what? I’m bleeding? Knocked out?
I hate Griff with righteous anger.
“Hey, boys, you picking on a girl again?”
A low, sultry female voice snaps my head up, just in time for Axel to clock me with his foot. My body careens sideways and I land in a pile of limp muscles and twitching limbs. I’m so damn tired.
“Break!” Griff calls an end to this round while I swipe at my mouth.
Yup, there’s the blood. My eyes pinch in anger as Axel offers me a hand up.
“I hate you too.”
“You’ll thank me later.” Axel gives a shrug like he doesn’t have a care in the world, but the glance he gives Griff is full of concern.
“Hi, Jenny.” Griff greets the newcomer. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“Hey, my pleasure. When Alpha calls Delta, you know we can’t refuse. Is this the one?” Her eyes cut to me, but she otherwise doesn’t acknowledge my existence.
I can’t help but gape at what must be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Her ebony skin soaks in the light. I have great skin, but it’s nothing compared to her flawless complexion. And those eyes. Deep, dark, and mesmerizing, they draw me in deep. Her angular features should be harsh, but they’re achingly beautiful. She’s tall, standing only a few inches shorter than Griff, and while she’s not stacked with muscle, she clearly works out. Nobody gets that kind of muscular definition without a lot of hard work. My mouth gapes, and I can’t help but stare at her lithe body that belongs on a runway, not here in Guardian HQ.
“What’s your name, kid?” She turns that dark stare on me and I feel like I want to crawl into a deep dark hole. “Did you guys knock her senseless? Or is she mute? Cat got your tongue, kid?”
“Moira, stand up and meet Jenny.” Griff pulls me from my stupor and I rise on shaky legs. And that’s where I stay because this woman intimidates the hell out of me.
“Is Charlene coming?” Griff keeps an eye on me while addressing the woman.
“Charlie is coming and she’s bringing Mack. Word to the wise. Don’t call her Charlene. She’ll feed you your balls.”
“Message received.” Griff takes a step back.
Axel laughs and the woman turns her magnetic gaze on him.
“Laugh it up, fuzzball. Griff tells me you and I are going to spar.”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Guardian gulp before, but I swear Axel looks a little paler than he did a second ago.
“Actually, I thought you’d take us both on.” Griff rocks back on his heels.
“Now that would be fun, but Doc Summers heard I was coming over here and she told me to make sure you babied your little boo-boo.” She points to his leg. “Hear you’re still on support.”
Griff’s jaw clenches and he rolls his eyes. “I’m beginning to hate Doc Summers.”
“Chin up. It’s for your own good. Now, about why I’m here.”
“Moira, Jenny is lead for Delta team.”
“Um, nice to meet you.” My wobbly legs threaten to give out on me. I brush the dust off my hands and turn my suspicious gaze on Griff. “What’s going on?”
“I want to prove a point,” he says.
“Prove what point?”
“Why does Axel keep wiping you on the mat?” His expression remains tight, focused, and demanding an answer.
“Um, because he’s ginormous and knows what he’s doing.”
“True, but so do you.”
“Doesn’t feel like it.” I know what to do. Griff’s been drilling that into