In Their Arms

30 - Training.

"Are you okay, baby?" I ask Elise.

The way she acted after killing Felipe was... not what we were expecting. That's for sure.

We thought she would cry and break down or something.

"I've never been better." She answers smiling.

"Elise, you just killed a person." Aaron says.

"No. I killed a murderer, I killed a monster." She is now serious.

Elise sits on the couch and crosses her legs.

"Can't you see? I'm finally free!" She tells us, her eyes sparkling. "I've spent so much time afraid and sad, and now I feel like I'm in peace. My nightmare cannot haunt me anymore."

I sit next to her and put my hand on her thigh.

"If you ever want to talk about it, about anything, please talk to us. We are worried, you didn't react the way we expected at all." I caress her leg.

Elise turns to me and pecks my cheek.

"I promise I will. But for now, let me enjoy the best moment of my life."

I nod.

"Thank you for caring about me, but I promise I'm fine. Now I have to get ready for work."

She stands up and leaves to get dressed.

"Let her have her moment, but we keep a close eye on her every behavior. Any sign of a break down, anything. We must take care of her, it is our fault after all. She would've never killed a person before meeting us." Caden says.

"I'll take her to work." I stand up. "But I'll be there the whole time and then bring her back here. I don't want to leave her alone and I don't want her back to that apartment. It's not safe."

They both nod.

"I should get going." Caden says grabbing his keys. "But call me if anything happens."

"I will."

*****

"Are you really going to be here the whole day?" Elise asks me.

It's been about three hours since her shift started. I'm sitting in one of the tables with my computer on, working on some club stuff. I want to make a few changes in Bellissima and this is perfect opportunity to work on it.

"Yes, Elise. I am." I tell her, not taking my eyes off the screen. "Now go back to work, when you're done we're going back to our place."

She frowns.

"What about my apartment?" Elise asks.

"It's not safe there anymore, tesoro." (Darling). "But we can talk about this later, ok?"

She nods and goes back to her work.

Tha day passes by fast. Soon enough, Elise's shift is over and we can go back home.

"Can you do me a favor?" I ask her. "Call Caden and tell him we're going home." She nods.

Elise grabs my phone and dialogs Caden's number. As soon as he picks up, I can hear him cursing from the other side of the line.

"Jesus, Cay. Who puked on your food?" She asks and I chuckle. "I'm just calling to let you know we're already going home. Yes, I have clothes there for training. Ok. Bye, Cay." Elise hangs up.

"You guys training tonight?" I ask her and she nods.

"Does he always answer you this way?"

I chuckle.

"Yes, that's why Aaron calls him our sunshine. Always so sweet and calming." Elise laughs at that.

"Do you and Aaron train as well?" She asks.

"Yes, mostly with Caden when you're at work or on the weekends in the morning."

"Can I participate sometime?"

I think for a second.

"It's a bit rougher than what you do with Caden, darling. It might be a little too much for you."

Elise scoffs.

"Please. I killed a person. I think I can handle a few hot men punching each other around."

I laugh this time.

"Sure, if you want to this badly. Tonight we shall all train together."

*****

Elise was standing there watching us. It was better for her to watch first and then, if she still wanted to, participate.

Caden swings his left arm at me, aiming for my nose. But I am quick to dodge it and punch his stomach.

It doesn't even hurt him.

"Is that all you got, pizza boy?" He mocks.

I smirk and punch his right eye a bit hard, enough to make him stumble.

"I'm Italian, stronzo. Don't fuck with me." (Asshole).

We're not actually trying to hurt each other, it's more teasing and playing around. If we want to cause damage, we usually go for punching bags.

Caden laughs.

"Come here, Elise." Aaron calls her.

Caden and I stop for a second to watch them. We know his going easy on her, but it will be cute to watch her fight one of us.

"I want you to try to hit me as hard as you can." Aaron instructs her.

"Are you sure? What if I hurt you?" Elise asks in concern.

Aaron laughs and I smirk.

"Cute, but don't worry about me. Show me what our sunshine has been teaching you."

"I already told you to not call me that!" Caden says, frowning.

"Shut up, don't distract her."

"Little bitch." Caden grumbles.

Elise sighs.

"Ok, if you say so." She whispers.

Elise tries to hit Aaron but misses as he takes a step to the side.

"I told you to hit me." He teases her.

She tries again, and misses again.

"Come on, are you even trying?" The teasing continues.

He's trying to get under her skin. Elise is getting a bit red, it's working.

She now hits his stomach, not aiming for his face anymore. That takes Aaron by surprise and actually hits him.

Elise smirks and continues. She swings her left hand to his unprotected face, but Aaron holds her fist. Quickly she uses her right fist and hits his cheek.

"Cute. But I told you to hit me as hard as you can, not like a feather." Aaron smirks.

It didn't even hurt him. It's like she didn't even touch him.

"Easy to say when you're twice my size and all muscles." Elise says getting frustrated.

"I think you're just not trying hard enough. I was expecting more of you, you know. Maybe you just-" Aaron is interrupted by Elises kick on his left leg.

It makes him stumble and she kicks him again in the stomach. Aaron gasp out of breath and Elise uses that opportunity to punch his lip. When he's a bit dizzy, she swings her leg under him making him fall. Elise runs behind him and hold him in a chokehold.

"Wow." I whisper.

"That's my girl." Caden says laughing at Aaron's situation.

"I think you need to watch your mouth, Aaron." Elise teases, releasing him.

Aaron chokes twice and looks at her in amusement.

"You looked so sexy trying to kill me." He says.