Him & I (Queen Shadow #1)

Chapter 7 (EDITED)

I was in the garden sitting on one of the cold cement benches, its early in the morning still and have nothing to do for the next couple of hours, I decide to start reading Romeo and Juliet. I'm not very fussed on the story line but it's the only book that I could find in the house and there's not much else seeing Jeremy cancelled our practice session but "accidently" forgot to tell me. So, I still got up early in the morning for nothing.

It has been a week since we started training and is now Monday morning. After reading a few more pages I let out a deep sigh and got up, I slowly started making my way into the house. To say I was a bit bored was an understatement. I wondered around the halls of the mansion aimlessly, finally making my way to my room and walking into my closet, I looked at all my clothes and saw my workout clothes and started to think. I know the workout routine and the stretches and what hits and kicks to do on the punching bag, I don't see a problem if I just went and did it by myself.

Maybe the fact that you hate this type of thing my conscience reminded me.

But I have nothing better to do. I ran my finger over the material of the leggings and let out a small breath before grabbing them of the shelf as well as a sports bra and a t-shirt. Getting dressed and putting my shoes on, I grabbed my phone and air pods and went down the halls and entered the gym, going over to the mats to start stretching.

I had finished my stretches and workout routine; I was now up at the punching bag I started with the basic punches until I started feeling a little more comfortable with it. The punching bag was barely moving and that made me even more frustrated, I punched harder and harder until my hands started to hurt, I lost count of how many times I had hit it but what confused me, this was not me, I'm not violent I don't like fighting yet all I could focus on was hitting this punching bag as hard as I could.

I ended up getting that frustrated because no matter how hard I hit it, it wouldn't budge. I heard the gym doors squeak but, in the haze, that I was in I payed no mind to it and just kept the pace of my hits and kicks the same not missing one beat.

"You know kid if you keep hitting it that hard, you're going to end up breaking your hand" a voice interrupted me from behind. I immediately stopped and slowly turned around I did not recognize the voice and that put an unsettling feeling in my stomach.

As I came face to face with the man I noticed how close he was close to me but still not all up in my personal space but still way to close to me for comfort.

"Can I help you?" I asked cautiously, I didn't know who he was and what his intentions were with me.

"No, I was just wandering how you learnt how to hit like that, because according to your Uncles you hate physical violence so whatever or whoever is making you act like this must have done something pretty bad to you" he shrugged his shoulders at me. I eyed him cautiously he must be alright if he got onto the property, but I had a bad feeling deep down inside of me I knew he was trouble.

"Nothing made me, and I do hate physical fights it's just I was bored and thought It might be best to practice, you never know what can happen" I said my eyes never leaving his face he had brown sandy coloured hair it was neatly sleeked back and he looked very professional.

"Well, in that case you must know what your uncles do then?" he said while taking small menacing steps towards me "Come on kid, deep down you know but you don't want to admit it that's your problem, you don't want to face the truth instead you run like a scared little girl" he was now right up in my face and it made me feel very uncomfortable. His words kept replaying over and over in my mind I did know he is right, i'v know all along but I'm too scared to face the truth of it all, of my family.

"Come on kid the men in suits, the conversation your Uncle had which you stuck your nose in their business, which dug you deeper into this mess so tell me kid what are they" he said lowly looking me straight in the eye, I tried to look everywhere but his face but it didn't work as he got closer and closer. My heart started pounding more and more as the seconds ticked by.

"Tell me kid what are they?" he said to me why? Why does he want to know that's my question wouldn't he want me to ignore it?

"Come on kid" his voice getting louder and louder with every word.

"Mafia" my voice echoed threw out the gym and the guys face now held a smug expression.

"Good kid, now you are getting the hang of it, you see running from your problems isn't going to earn you any respect around here".

"I don't want respect ok; I just came here to live a good life away from drama" I said feeling frustrated with this unknown man "Who even are you?" I asked him.

"Lincoln, your uncles third in command" he said to me the smug look still present on his face.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have to go, not a word of this to your Uncle's understand" his voice turned deadly at the end, so I nodded my head and watched as he turned around and walked out the gym doors.

My legs buckled underneath me, and I crumbled to the floor I slowly felt tears role down my checks. I knew all along but saying It out loud hearing it from someone else made it all too real for me. the words he had spoken to me replayed over and over again in my mind.

You don't want to face the truth instead you run like a scared little girl. He was right every word was right, instead of facing my parents and siblings I ran, I never stood up for myself I let all of them walk all over me.

I felt two dainty arms wrap around me and that's when I snapped out of my pity party. I looked over my shoulder and saw Caroline with a soft smile on her face.

"I saw Lincoln walk out of here don't take anything he said to heart honey, he says things to rile people up most of the time it isn't true" she said to me softly. I nodded my head in response I so badly wanted to ask her about whether my theory was true, but she would put two and two together and find out what he said.

"Come on let's go down for lunch" she said helping me stand up and turned me to face her wiping the tears from my face she gave me a reassuring smile and gently patted my cheek.

I don't know who the real Lincoln is, but I can't help but be worried at what trouble he will cause.

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