Shattered Hearts ~ Hearts Intertwined Book Two

Chapter Fourteen

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Recap;

Holtens eyes widen, and turn a shade darker, "Trainwreck, I closed that door on my life a long time ago. I don't want to reopen it."

I nod my head and cast my eyes down toward my lap, "Okay."

"But you and I both know somebody who can." Holten says, sitting down beside me and curling me into his chest with one arm around my shoulders.

Caiden.

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Chapter Fourteen

I stand outside the stairs leading down to the door to the actual entrance into Mystic Lair, the dark red rusty-colored door loomed at me from a short distance.

My heart pounds as I stare at the door lost in my thoughts.

It had been a couple of days since waking up with Holten explaining what had happened after I got attacked.

I stood outside the door to my ticket to feel safe.

I have tried to be outside late at night and I have so much anxiety and fear that bubbles inside, I turn into an Agoraphobiac at night.

I walk down the steps and throw open the door, proceeding to walk in with the afternoon sun behind me.

I had asked Caiden if he was underground and he had said yes, I told him I wanted to talk to him, though he doesn't know what.

The pain around my face has subsided to a dull ache, and my throat has healed nicely. I am using that to my advantage and hoping Caiden will say yes to training me to fight.

I need to know how to fight, I need to know how to defend myself and give back just as hard if I am to overcome my overwhelming fear of what if.

I walk into the lowly lit large room, one half of the room was completely bright with overhead lights on, and the other side with the fighting cage was lowly lit and had the only source of music coming from it.

As the door shut off the sunlight and I was thrown into the darkened room, I squinted into the air as my eyes started to adjust.

The sound of something hitting something else was a dull thud and came from behind the cage.

My eyebrows flit together as I walk in my tightly tied sneakers, and ignore the pounding of my heart as it accelerates hearing the constant steady thrum of the fists.

I walk slowly around the cage and see a door, that was only left slightly ajar and the flash of something moving around the room could be seen.

I walk further into the room, pushing the door open to see the back of Caidens head, as he hits a red punching bag hanging from the ceiling over and over.

I walk slowly around the room, my eyes transfixed on the way Caidens hands would make contact with the soft but also hard padding of the punching bag.

As I walk, I take note of the way he was standing, feet apart, h up to his face, where he jabs and rests his hands, going every so often to rest on his hips.

Caidens face was twisted with stress, his light blue eyes hard and cold, his mouth set in a firm line. He wore a dark blue shirt and black shorts.

"Hey." I say.

Caiden not expecting me to be there whirls to the side, his eyes wide and his shoulders and chest heaving, sweat rolls down his face and coats the front of his shirt.

"Ravenlyn." Caiden nods, turning himself around to face forward and continues punching the object.

"Did you hear what happened?" I asked, gulping and stepping forward.

"Yes...I didn't know something had happened until the next morning." Caiden stops once again to turn and face me, "I'm sorry that happened Ravenlyn." Caiden says, his voice holding a soft tone that rang within me.

My own body almost internally sighed upon hearing his voice and seemed to melt as it wrapped around me.

"Thank you. Well, there was a reason I wanted to talk to you. I have asked Holten, but he does not want to fight anymore, I need to learn to fight. I wanted to know if you would be interested in training me." I ask, sucking in a breath, hopeful.

Caiden stops moving and seems to stop breathing as his eyes widen a few fractions above normal and his mouth falls slack for a split moment.

"Me...Train you?" Caiden asks.

"Yes."

"And what does Holten think about you asking me?" Caiden scoffs, his lips turning into a humorless smile.

"First off, Holten does not own or control not that he even wants to, he was the one that suggested you to begin with."

"So, he's okay with me, being closer to you and training you physically?" Caiden asks, his mouth turning up this time into a smirk.

My mind was confused, I thought this conversation was supposed to go an entirely different route.

"He's not worried about it, plus there is nothing to be worried about. This is just strictly trainin-"

"Are you sure about that Ravenlyn?" Caiden asks, he steps closer and whereas I didn't step back, I thought he would back away if I showed I wasn't intimidated by his looming presence.

My heart rate accelerates as my hands start to shake in place at my sides, and my breathing turns erratic as I feel Caidens hands come up to rest on my hips, his fingertips digging through the fabric.

Yeah, not so much anymore.

This is wrong.

I am trying to be with Holten, and Caiden is married to Marley, my ex-bestfriend.

My head tilts up and almost meets Caidens lips, our eyes locked in a heated stare, the seconds that ticked by made that small flickering flame a bright bonfire of fiery emotions that licked my entire body, settling most in my core and inside my heart.

"Yes." I say and pull away, giving us the much-needed space we needed, and cast my eyes down to the floor severing the eye contact that was giving me a heart attack and severe anxiety all in one.

I really wasn't so sure about that answer and neither was Caiden as I see the mischievous glint never leave his eyes and the playful smirk that stays plastered on his face as he begins the training.

But I had racing thoughts about Samson and Holten in my mind.

I shake my shoulders trying to roll out the stress as I begin to listen intently to what Caiden has been saying, watching his movements carefully.

This was going to be a long afternoon.