ACE

Chapter 78: Training Day

Playlist for this Chapter: Legend by The Score, Unstoppable by The Score.

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As the day went on, we practiced shooting and some hand-to-hand combat.

"Are you sure?" Nico asked me while I tied my hair up and smiled reassuringly.

"I'll be fine." I said and pecked his lips before hooking my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me.

His arms went around my waist and he sighed deeply before nuzzling his face in the crook of my neck and placing a soft kiss there.

"Be careful." He whispered as I let go of him and nod, walking over to the mat where Matteo and Jake stood.

They both were wearing track suits like everyone else for training.

"Be careful, sweetheart!" My mom called out and I flashed her a smile just as Jake handed me a gun staff which was basically a wooden stick used for fighting and martial arts, which I only knew the basics of from self-defence classes.

"Kick their asses, Dove!" Ava shouted time, making us all laugh

"So who am I going first with?" I asked Jake who smirked.

"Matteo, Stuart, me and finally, Ace." He said and my eyes widened in alarm.

That's it, I'm dying today.

R.I.P me, I had a hot, rich boyfriend, so I guess I lived a nice life.

"All of you against me? That's hardly fair." I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my gaze at Nico who watched me with an unreadable expression.

How is he so good at hiding emotions?

"You are the one they're after, so you are the one who needs to hold their own the most." Stuart explained and I nodded slowly, letting the weight of his words sink in when I pouted.

Shit, I'll be fighting all of them.

"Don't worry, since it's your first time doing this with us we'll go easy, especially since you're still healing." Matteo pointed out and I nodded, feeling somewhat better.

Hopefully they won't kill me... Right?

All four boys grabbed onto a gun staff and Matteo came forward first and grinned at my jittery and tense form..

"Don't worry, bella. Calm down, and relax, it'll help, trust me." He told me and I nodded, keeping my eyes on his as I swallowed thickly.

I waited for Salvatore's signal to start as everyone huddled around to watch, away from the mat of course.

"Ready?" Salvatore looked at us before explaining the rules which were simple really.

They mostly consisted of not fighting dirty—which I doubt anyone followed—and tapping out when you couldn't take anymore when one of the guys would take the other's place without warning and each would get one turn to fight with me.

"Fight!" Salvatore's vice boomed in the room and immediately Matteo lunged at me with his staff but I easily blocked it with mine as a reflex and sighed in relief.

Oh thank fuck.

He smirked and we circled each other till he took another shot but I dodged it swiftly, careful not to twist my stomach too much as I slightly winced.

From the corner of my eye saw Nico tense as he kept his eyes where my bandages were when Matteo used my distraction to hit my legs, making me stumble back but luckily I regained my footing and moving quickly, I hit my staff onto his left leg, making him stumble back a bit this time.