Free Golden Crown Series 02: The Twin Dragons by Rue Volley Page B

a moment until I heard his voice and turned to see Mani walking up looking happy to see me.
    “Hi!” he said in a cheerful tone and I glanced at her as she continued to look me over while chewing her gum.
    “You know she popped out twins Mani?” she asked him and he stopped and looked me over.
    “Yes,” he said and she laughed.
    “Well, listen…you need to tell me what the hell you did t o maintain your body, this is number five for me and I am fucking wrecked,” she said as she lifted her shirt. Her stomach looked like a battleground of crossing lines and craters. I hissed and Mani took my hand and pulled me along as I looked down and saw our hands together. He felt strong and safe, two things I had never had in my life. I looked back at her as she watched me and shook her head. I tried to smile but I had nothing to share with her. The only secret I had is the fact that I had never carried a child, let alone twins.
    We stopped at two large glass doors and I looked in at all of the people, mainly women, who were being flipped over back s and slammed to the plush mats. I hesitated and Mani looked at me and smiled.
    “I won’t lie and tell you that I was shocked when you said you wanted to come , but I am so glad that you did.”
    “That looks in sane,” I said as I looked past him and he laughed.
    “Give it a few classes and you will be knocking the shit out of me.”
    I laughed and looked up at him.
    “I doubt that.”
    “Beth…I am going to show you things that will make you a beast.”
    “I bet, ” I said quietly as he watched me.
    “What?” he said and I bit my lip and then took the bag from my driver.
    “Yes…I mean let’s do this, I am ready.”
    He opened the doors up and the smell of sweat was even stronger. I covered my mouth for a moment and he glanced back at me.
    “You will get used to it,” he said and I nodded to him and walked in as everything continued on around us.
    Mani placed the protective headpiece on me and then held a mouth guard out to me and I stared at it.
    “Open your mouth up,” he said and I did slowly as he slipped in it and watched my lips. I closed my mouth and then slammed my hands together, as they were both encased in cushy boxing gloves. I figured I would move around and throw some punches and then be done here for the day. I mean my real reason for coming was not to really learn to fight, it was to see him and I hoped he was truly happy to see me. It had been two weeks since the disastrous dinner and I waited to call him, I had to. I felt strange enough when I did but his tone was upbeat and it honestly sounded like he was thrilled to hear from me so when the whole self-defense training thing came up on the phone I simply agreed to it before I understood what I had committed too. It was a 5-week program, 3 times a week but that was an excuse to see him three more times a week than I was now. So I said yes.
    I stepped forward and M ani stood there. For a minute I thought he would be my partner but he waved a hand and a large woman came up to us with the same gear I had on and she mumbled something. I leaned up and mumbled a “what?” to her and then Mani stepped back and stared at me.
    I started to jog in place and she watched me like I was insane and then I did a couple of dance moves like I had se en on my exercising videos. She lowered her hands and I continued on like I was going to stun her with my ability to look like a pro. I felt a bit cocky and shook my head yes and leaned up on her and then back. I did it a couple more times and she finally hit me square in the jaw and I spun in place and then hit the mat. She jumped on my back as I cried out and she placed one arm around my throat and one on my leg. She bent me up like a pretzel and I started to tap my padded glove on the mat. She stood up and looked at Mani as he shook his head. I rolled over onto my back and felt a bit nauseous but this was no time to be a pussy so I stood up, swaying a bit and then