Shatter: A Jonah Clemence x MC Romance (Ikemen Revolution)

15: A Shred of Fear

(Jonah's P.O.V)

I didn't care that the skin of my knuckles was sizzling and burning after having touched Levie when I punched him.

I didn't care that my older brother's nose was gushing blood, even as he stood up shakily, holding the frame of the door to keep his body steady.

I wanted him to feel the pain of embarassment that I felt - as a fellow relative of his.

I wanted him to realise that I was done with his ridiculous antics.

Causing any form of pain to a woman, no matter the age, status, or behaviour of her own that she brought upon you, was entirely forbidden.

Our father had ingrained that into us, each one of us, since we were born. I couldn't see any reason why my father wouldn't have taught that to Levie.

Hurt a female, and I'll hurt you.

It was as simple as that.

Castell got to his feet, chuckling lightly to himself as he held his broken, bloody nose in one hand.

"Ha ha ha....now that's more like it." His tone had a fond growl to it, to which I could only scoff. I glanced my good wrist to ensure one of the gloves, the ones I had intended to give Levie, was fastened properly to my hand.

It was now or never.

I looked up, our eyes met.

And within a heartbeat, we were sparring once again.

Levie, his fist glowing a haunting red, threw his punches at me hard and fast. His weight was in every strike, coming within inches of my cheek with his right, then swinging a hard hook and disintegrating a few hairs from my head as I just nearly dodged the fatal blow from his left.

I shoved Alice to the side and continued to parry, waiting for an opening that surely wasn't coming fast enough.

"HA HA HA! Just like we were always taught. As fast as the wind, just like Dad." Levie cackled with a deranged excitement, his icy eyes scanning my every move as I dodged left, right, then left again. The two of us were sweating in minutes, both expending all of our energy to outwit the other and using every single trick we'd been taught to somehow gain an advantage.

The Magician brought back his right fist before spurning that insipid glow around it once more. With the two of us now only a few paces from the corner of the living room, he had maneuvered me into a corner.

Levie's grin, even as it shone a blood red from his broken nose, grew even larger.

"Despite how equal we are, you will be the one to lose, dear brother. I will destroy you, just like I did Luka."

The fire in my chest had hardly a second to fester. I dodged left, then right once more. But I was slowing down quickly, as was he.

Then, I saw the moment. Levie drew back his arm and shrouded his hand in Magic.

He was coming right for my jaw. If I didn't move - I'd be hit.

.....

And that's what I wanted.

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(Alices' P.O.V)

My body was aching and throbbing all over. I had the worst headache I'd ever felt, stemming from the extreme swelling and stinging pain in my wrist that climbed up my arm, into my shoulder and neck, and straight up to the top of my head.

I wouldn't say it, but I was in bad shape. We hadn't eaten for hours, and without the ability to procure any sort of food or painkillers, I was exhausted. My senses were dull from constantly feeling so much pain.