Breaking Beast (Pounding Hearts 4)

I’m not completely aware of how long we’ve been sitting on the floor but I can tell from the way the light filters into the kitchen through the windows that it’s been a couple of hours.

I help her get the box of pictures from her childhood in order and then usher her into the living room.

Settling us on the couch, I get her to talk to me about her mother. She shows me pictures, shedding tears at times and laughing at others as she shows me her life before the day I walked into it. Her mom was a looker in her own right, and I can see where my little Viking Valkyrie got her good looks from.

How I’ve kept my cool and not allowed my inner monster to erupt is beyond my comprehension. I’ve never felt such cold rage, such unimaginable hatred for someone before. If I was back in Thailand, I’d make this little fucking bitch of a stepbrother disappear. I’m not back in Thailand, though, but I still want his fucking head.

I want it fucking mounted on my living room wall.

Christy’s light snoring snaps me out of my rage induced stillness. She must have fallen asleep, exhausted from the emotions wrenching through her body.

The girl I’m in love with is hurting so damn badly, and all I can do right now is hold her to me with all the strength I have. I was thinking about telling her of my feelings after I got home from the contract stuff, but now I can’t. I don’t want to push her any further, she’s been through enough today.

Fuck this boy—he sure as fuck isn’t a man.

He pushed my girl into a wall, kicked my dog, and kicked my car...

Any one of those things on their own would deserve a fucking beating… but all three? How the fuck am I not going to kill this little fuck?

I’m going to be a good boy for right now, and I’m going to bide my time.

But one way or another, I’m going hunt that little bitch down.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Christy

“What do you think?” Avery asks, leaning over my shoulder and holding a small mirror in front of my face.

“It looks great, thank you,” I say while admiring the two tight Dutch braids she did for me.

We opted for this hairstyle instead of cornrows, figuring my hair is long enough and straight enough to not come undone during the fight.

Avery’s smile reflects back at me before she pulls the mirror back.

“Wow,” Alex says, coming over to see Avery’s work. “Now you truly look like a beautiful Valkyrie ready to do battle.”

I smile up at him, the nervous pit in my stomach twisting into a knot.

This is it. In twenty minutes or so I’ll be stepping into the cage for my big shot.

“Nervous?” Alex asks, offering me a hand up.

“A little,” I admit as I place my hand in his.

He pulls me to my feet and takes a step back. His dark eyes roam admiringly over me from head to toe.

“It’s normal,” he says with a grin. “But don’t worry, you got this.”

I wish I had his confidence.

With a hand on her growing belly, Avery rises carefully from the bench. “Well, I think I’m going to go find my seat in the crowd. Break a leg, Christy,” she smiles at me. “Just not your own.”

I nod my head at her and manage to keep a smile plastered on my lips as she walks out the door.

As soon as she’s gone, though, I let the smile go and suck in a big breath.

Alex grabs me by the shoulders, turns me to face him, and gives my shoulders a squeeze. “You should start moving around. Loosen up. Let some of that nervous energy out and get your blood flowing.”

I tip my head back, staring up at his face. I still can’t believe after spilling my guts the other day, I didn’t lose him. He didn’t tell me to get lost or even get pissed I was hiding things.

I had to tell him everything. I told him about my mom and how losing her completely devastated me. Then I explained Herb and his downward spiral into the bottom of the bottle. I even explained Travis and how he started acting crazy right around the time I turned sixteen…

Amazingly, even after learning everything, Alex still wants me to stick around.

“Christy?” Alex asks with a confused grin when I don’t immediately follow his advice and start moving.

“Sorry,” I blink at him and feel my cheeks warm with heat. “You’re right. I should definitely get moving.”

He nods and gives my shoulders a squeeze before moving away. “Try bouncing up and down a little, then stretch your shoulders out.”

I do as he suggests and start to bounce on the toes of my feet while swinging my arms from side to side, left to right.