The North Star | COMPLETED ✔️

Chapter 55~ Proof

Double upload. Hope you enjoy 😁❤️ Next upload tomorrow morning. I'm going to go lie somewhere and play dead for at least thirty minutes lmao.

Chapter 55

The next morning came too soon, and I was forced to break away from the most comfortable sleep I'd ever had. Everyone packed up, and we headed down the mountain at a crawling pace thanks to more than a few hangovers.

Boe seemed to be avoiding me, and the fact bothered me far more than it should have. He walked with Amber, who kept to the back for the majority of the trip.

When Zeke stole Bard's attention for a moment, however, she caught up to my side. "I feel like I always need to apologize to you. I'm sorry. I realized after you took off how that must have sounded."

"It's fine." It wasn't. I was over trusting her. Even now she sounded nothing but genuine, but I wasn't stupid. She had an agenda. She was sneaky as fuck and far too good at lying. Despite this, I couldn't do anything about her. Not until she pushed it too far. As it stood, she'd simply told a story. A story I'd taken out of context. She hadn't flat out said what she'd implied, and I knew, unless she did, I'd be the one who looked unreasonable.

She was good. I'd give her that. She played the game well, but she wouldn't get the better of me again.

Bard slowed his pace until I caught up to his side and draped an arm over my shoulder.

Zeke peeked around him. "So, I was thinking, how do you feel about testing those fighting skills you've acquired?"

"Against you?" I eyed the mountain of tattoos that was Zeke. I'd just barely begun to be able to get the best of Bard, and even that was a rare occurrence. The memory of Zeke fighting in the yard came rushing forward. I wouldn't stand a chance.

Zeke nudged Bard's side and grinned. "Unless you're scared."

Bard squeezed my shoulder. "She's got you. As soon as we make it back."

Zeke winked then rushed ahead to catch up to Charlene.

I glared at Bard. "You can't be fucking serious. He's gonna kill me."

His lip twitched. "You'll be fine."

We trudged the final distance down the path and broke into the backyard. Zeke reached the patch of ground where Bard and I trained long before we did, and I swallowed hard at his amused expression.

"Just remember," Bard leaned down to look at me. "Zeke always leaves his left side open after a right punch–bad habit of his."

I chewed my lip and cut another look over at the massive man, one who I knew for a fact was a fucking MMA fighter.

Fuck it.

"Fine."

"That's my girl." Bard patted my back then gave it a slight push.

Zeke's eyes danced as I took my place in front of him. "Wagers," he started. "If I win, you've got to kiss my nephew."

I laughed. The memory of the last wager felt like another life ago, and I couldn't believe how much had changed since then.

"If you win, I've got a sketchbook and some art supplies in the truck for you."

I almost hugged him but refrained. "Oh, it's on now!" I got into stance.

Zeke swept his arm up, and my attention moved to it. But the arm did nothing, while his left leg swung out and knocked me down. "If you let me do that three times, I win."

I hopped back to my feet and determination settled through me. I needed to beat him, to prove a point, to him, to the crowd of onlookers, to myself.

And Bard. I wanted Bard to be proud.

Zeke lunged, and I dodged, then again. We danced. One of us would lash out, and the other would weave away.

Zeke let out a stream of steady laughter when neither of us could seem to get the upper hand. "You've learned quite a bit out here."

I didn't answer, just paid attention, watching his every move. The sound of Bard's words echoed across my memory, and sure enough, an opening appeared, then again each time he threw a right punch.

Adrenaline surged through me, but I continued the dance, clung to all the patience I had and waited for the perfect moment.

Then, it came. His right arm jabbed at me, and I took my opportunity, swung my body, and roundhouse kicked him in the side.

Zeke hit the ground and laughed, big and loud and throatily. He looked up with the proudest expression anyone had ever given me, and the smile that tilted my lips made my cheeks hurt.

He stood back up. "We're tied up now. You still got to do that two more times."

"Sounds good." I quickly bent down, swung my leg across his ankles, and threw him back to the ground.

He leaned his head back into the dirt and guffawed. "That's playing a little dirty, don't you think?"

"Never let your guard down." I smirked. It was the same damn thing Bard had drilled into me a thousand times.

Zeke lifted an eyebrow and looked towards his nephew. "You've been working hard with her."

Bard's eyes stayed glued to me, lit up like stars in the darkening evening.

I basked in their light, in his prideful stare. It warmed me, filled me up with emotions so strong, I thought for sure my heart would explode.

"Alright. Stop making goo goo eyes at my nephew and pay attention."

My cheeks heated, and I turned back to Zeke. "I'm ahead of you now. You should pay attention."

He grinned at me, and in a move I can't even begin to describe, sent me spiraling backwards onto my ass. "Now we're tied."

I jumped back to my feet, and the dance resumed.

Zeke stopped leaving his left side open.

We hit, punched, kicked, over and over, and each time one of us moved, the other would block.

My limbs tired. My muscles ached. Sweat perspired from every pore, and I was wearing down too fast.

Zeke didn't seem affected at all, but his grin grew wider with each move, and excitement danced within his eyes.

In a last attempt to best him before my body completely gave out, I moved forward and did the move I'd used on Bard. I wrapped my leg behind his, then pushed against his chest with all the momentum I could manage.

He fell.

An uproar resounded, everyone, laughter and cheers, taunts from Scarlet that Zeke had been beaten by a girl a third his size.

Zeke didn't seem bothered. His smile was wide, his laughter infectious.

Bard stepped forward and pulled me up into a tight hug. "That has got to be the sexiest fucking thing I've ever seen," he murmured in my ear, his voice deep and hoarse. My stomach flipped, then tightened. My heart called out to him, and inner Jessie swooned.

I held him tight, arms locked around his neck, chin rested against his shoulder.

It gave me a perfect view.

The old man was sitting on the back steps, smiling at the scene before him. He seemed so content, and my heart swelled even more that he was.

Then Amber stepped over to him and leaned down.

My brow furrowed, and my hold on Bard loosened.

She whispered into his ear, and the moment she did, his head whipped to her. His eyes widened, mouth moved around a barrage of words as he broke into a rant. Whatever she'd said set him off. His arms flailed up into the air, and the moment they did...

Amber threw herself to the ground beside him and yelled out as if he'd attacked her.

Here ya go, Lovelies! Next upload tomorrow!