THIS BOOK IS RATED MATURE, READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING.
"You've made a deal with the devil, chica. And you're going to suffer the consequences."
Esmeralda Hernandez likes to play pretend. She likes to pretend her life is perfect, that...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"C'mon, Chase ! You can do better !" Coach Darcy yells.
I feel weirdly calm today, as I hit the punching bag with my fists.
The talk with my Mom settled me, even if she said things I still cannot allow myself to face right now.
I needed a distraction, ASAP, so I decided to come to the gym, and workout here, in the open.
I do have an apartment so big it contains a workout room, but this gym has always felt like home, and coming here makes me feel at peace with myself, somehow - as messed up as that might sound.
And Coach Darcy is always a great motivation, because she threatens to kick my ass every time.
She's a real boxing monster. She is the one who taught me how to fight, and self-defense, and I will be forever grateful for her, because she's the reason I love coming here so much.
"One, two, three. That's right, Chase !"
I follow the rhythm sound of her counting, focusing myself on her orders. I focus until I'm the only one in the room.
I am supposed to be in France in less than five days, and I still haven't told Esmeralda.
We need to make one last appearance before I'm gone for a month, and I don't really know how to tell her.
Am I in love with Esmeralda ? Fuck if I know. I did love her once, and she fucking ripped my heart open, so maybe Mom is right. Maybe loving her terrifies me so much, that I try to make myself hate her.
I hit the punching bag again. This time so hard it breaks under my fists.
"You're a fucking beast, dude." I hear the admiration in her voice and can't help but smirk like the arrogant bastard I am.
I release breathy pants, and wipe the sweat on my forehead with the front of my hand.
I turn towards the dark haired woman, and she smiles at me.
"How's Danielle ?" I question her, when she approaches me and gives me a friendly tap on the shoulder.
"Meh. This second trimester's got her all over the place."
Darcy's pregnant girlfriend is one of my friends too. She used to come at the gym everyday, but since she found out she's pregnant, she prefers to stay home.
"Have you found out the gender yet ?"
"Yup. It's a boy." Her eyes light up with happiness and her usual frown morphs into a huge smile.
I grin. "That's awesome."
She claps me on the shoulder in thanks.
"What about you, huh ? I saw you're going all crazy over the younger Hernandez daughter."
