and
strolled toward Jabez. He stopped only a foot away, challenging him with his stare
while stroking a hand up his arm. The touch of his hand made Jabez‟s skin crawl.
“Maybe I can give you a room at my house instead. I could bring in sparring
partners for you. I‟d love having personal exhibitions of your skills.”
Jabez gritted his teeth together. He longed to grab the man by the scruff of his
neck and hurl him across the room against the Sturdi-glass windows, find out if they
were as durable as they were supposed to be. His body vibrated with the need to kill,
and so he held perfectly still, waiting for the fury to pass.
Timon‟s eyes burned like cold blue fire. He was completely aroused, enjoying the
sensation of poking a caged tiger that dared not claw him. At last he dropped his hand
from Jabez‟s arm and stepped back.
“All right then. Tell Andreas I stopped by and I‟ll see him soon.” He walked
toward the door, a whiff of expensive cologne trailing behind him.
The pretty little weasel of a man left Jabez with a queasy feeling—not only because
of his taunting, but because he felt in his gut the guy was as rotten as spoiled meat.
Somehow, some way, Timon was a danger to Andreas. He could sense it and vowed to
keep his new employer safe from his “best friend” if it was in his power to do so.
38
Bonnie Dee
Chapter Five
Andreas had never been so exhausted in his life. Jabez took his role as trainer as
seriously as if preparing him for a death match. He‟d seized Andreas the afternoon he‟d
returned from the board meeting and began working him. The rigorous exercises and
strict discipline had continued for three days now, until his every muscle ached.
But even though his body felt as bruised as if it had been beaten with a stick, it
was a good kind of ache. His muscles were sore but supple from the exercises, the
martial arts moves and the weight lifting in addition to his usual routine of swimming
laps.
The first couple of days, Jabez had mostly stood off to the side barking orders.
“Ten more times. Put more force into it.” Sometimes he took hold of Andreas‟s limbs
and molded them into the proper movement. Those rare touches never failed to send an
excited thrill through him no matter how tired his body was.
Today, Jabez finally stepped into the ring with him, wearing a pad over his chest
and arm guards. Andreas‟s hands were wrapped, but other than that, he wore no body
protection. He was to be the aggressor, lashing out at Jabez with his best punches and
kicks, while Jabez maintained a defensive posture. Andreas was nervous. It was one
thing to assault a weight bag, but he‟d never hit another human being in his life.
Andreas held up his fists and shifted his weight back and forth on the balls of his
feet as Jabez had taught him. He danced forward and jabbed, then gasped with pain as
his knuckles took the impact and it raced up his arm. His punch had been intercepted
by Jabez‟s padded forearm, which had less give than the canvas punching bag.
“You have to learn to take the pain. Suck it up and give it back.”
Jabez‟s helpful comment made Andreas want to punch him. He jabbed high, then
low, trying to get underneath the other man‟s guard. He kicked his foot higher than he
Cage Match
39
ever had before and connected with the side of Jabez‟s head, snapping it to the left. It
must‟ve hurt, but he only grunted and said, “That‟s better.”
Andreas was taken aback, not only at the fact that he‟d caused pain, but that he‟d
kind of liked it. Endorphins raced through his system, giving him a euphoric high and
urging him to hit faster and harder. Jabez‟s training took hold as he copied the moves
he‟d been practicing the past two days, hitting through the pain and driving Jabez
slowly back until he had him up against the ropes.
When the flurry of blows was over, Andreas‟s chest heaved and his heart
pounded. He wiped away
strolled toward Jabez. He stopped only a foot away, challenging him with his stare
while stroking a hand up his arm. The touch of his hand made Jabez‟s skin crawl.
“Maybe I can give you a room at my house instead. I could bring in sparring
partners for you. I‟d love having personal exhibitions of your skills.”
Jabez gritted his teeth together. He longed to grab the man by the scruff of his
neck and hurl him across the room against the Sturdi-glass windows, find out if they
were as durable as they were supposed to be. His body vibrated with the need to kill,
and so he held perfectly still, waiting for the fury to pass.
Timon‟s eyes burned like cold blue fire. He was completely aroused, enjoying the
sensation of poking a caged tiger that dared not claw him. At last he dropped his hand
from Jabez‟s arm and stepped back.
“All right then. Tell Andreas I stopped by and I‟ll see him soon.” He walked
toward the door, a whiff of expensive cologne trailing behind him.
The pretty little weasel of a man left Jabez with a queasy feeling—not only because
of his taunting, but because he felt in his gut the guy was as rotten as spoiled meat.
Somehow, some way, Timon was a danger to Andreas. He could sense it and vowed to
keep his new employer safe from his “best friend” if it was in his power to do so.
38
Bonnie Dee
Chapter Five
Andreas had never been so exhausted in his life. Jabez took his role as trainer as
seriously as if preparing him for a death match. He‟d seized Andreas the afternoon he‟d
returned from the board meeting and began working him. The rigorous exercises and
strict discipline had continued for three days now, until his every muscle ached.
But even though his body felt as bruised as if it had been beaten with a stick, it
was a good kind of ache. His muscles were sore but supple from the exercises, the
martial arts moves and the weight lifting in addition to his usual routine of swimming
laps.
The first couple of days, Jabez had mostly stood off to the side barking orders.
“Ten more times. Put more force into it.” Sometimes he took hold of Andreas‟s limbs
and molded them into the proper movement. Those rare touches never failed to send an
excited thrill through him no matter how tired his body was.
Today, Jabez finally stepped into the ring with him, wearing a pad over his chest
and arm guards. Andreas‟s hands were wrapped, but other than that, he wore no body
protection. He was to be the aggressor, lashing out at Jabez with his best punches and
kicks, while Jabez maintained a defensive posture. Andreas was nervous. It was one
thing to assault a weight bag, but he‟d never hit another human being in his life.
Andreas held up his fists and shifted his weight back and forth on the balls of his
feet as Jabez had taught him. He danced forward and jabbed, then gasped with pain as
his knuckles took the impact and it raced up his arm. His punch had been intercepted
by Jabez‟s padded forearm, which had less give than the canvas punching bag.
“You have to learn to take the pain. Suck it up and give it back.”
Jabez‟s helpful comment made Andreas want to punch him. He jabbed high, then
low, trying to get underneath the other man‟s guard. He kicked his foot higher than he
Cage Match
39
ever had before and connected with the side of Jabez‟s head, snapping it to the left. It
must‟ve hurt, but he only grunted and said, “That‟s better.”
Andreas was taken aback, not only at the fact that he‟d caused pain, but that he‟d
kind of liked it. Endorphins raced through his system, giving him a euphoric high and
urging him to hit faster and harder. Jabez‟s training took hold as he copied the moves
he‟d been practicing the past two days, hitting through the pain and driving Jabez
slowly back until he had him up against the ropes.
When the flurry of blows was over, Andreas‟s chest heaved and his heart
pounded. He wiped away
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