Page 38 of Defiance
A big ball of guilt—cold and heavy—settled in Cole’s stomach.
How was he supposed to face his best friend and lie about something so momentous? If Nick ever found out, Cole doubted he’d forgive him.
Would I if the situation were reversed?
Cole liked to think so, but that was easy to say when he was looking at it from this side. He tilted his head to the sun, closed his eyes, and breathed in deeply, attempting to calm his racing heart. Nervousness gripped him, sweat clung to his palms and the back of his neck.
“Time’s up.” Smith sounded apologetic at least. “We need to get to training. Paul’s expecting us.”
Training.
Cole was thankful to have something else to think about, but what the fuck was that going to involve? He had an active imagination and the possibilities his mind conjured up weren’t pleasant.
Still, there was nothing he could do but follow after them as Rich and Smith led the way out of the garden, Aaron and Logan bringing up the rear.
* * *
The training areatook up pretty much the whole floor as far as Cole could tell. The individual rooms had been removed to create a vast open space filled with mats, gym equipment, and an impressive wall of weapons.
Noise greeted them as soon as they walked through the doors. The few guys using the gym equipment tracked the group’s progress as they passed. Cole felt their eyes on him, cataloguing everything about him.
He shook it off. It was only going to get worse.
Over to the far left, what Cole presumed were the rest of Paul’s team stood around a large mat, about fifteen feet square in size. Conversation ground to a halt as they approached, all heads turning to face them.
It might have seemed comical if Cole hadn’t just been hit with a barrage of emotions he struggled to understand. He had no trouble deciphering the looks sent his way though: curiosity, annoyance, mild amusement, and downright hate in a few cases.
Nothing more than he’d expected, but feeling them directed at him all at once was overwhelming and he stumbled slightly. Logan caught his arm, steadying him and giving him a quick squeeze before letting go.
Paul smirked, some of the others following suit, before his gaze shifted to Logan and then Aaron. He gestured to their clothing. “You two need to change. There’s spare gear in the changing rooms over there.” He pointed to the far side of the room. When neither Logan nor Aaron made any move to go, Paul let out a frustrated growl. “We haven’t got all fucking day.”
Logan shot Cole a quick look, his reluctance far too obvious, so Cole shrugged a shoulder. “It’s not like I can go anywhere.”
Come on, Logan, get it together.
One of the guys watching them sneered. “Scared of joining in, Logan?” He was huge, easily three inches taller than the others. Logan should be scared. Cole was.
Instead of replying, Logan glared at Paul. “Cole is still our responsibility. Nothing better happen to him while we’re gone. I’m not answering to Michael for any of your team’s fuck-ups.”
Disgruntled murmurs echoed around the room, and Cole thought he heard a few mumbled threats thrown in. The atmosphere was decidedly unfriendly.
“He’ll still be in one piece when you get back.” Paul gestured to the changing rooms again, raising his voice. “Now move.”
Cole wasn’t stupid.
He knew what was coming.
Dread crept up his spine as he watched Logan and Aaron jog over to get changed. As soon as they disappeared out of sight, he turned to face the others, fists up, feet shoulder-width apart, ready.
Paul turned and walked away, the signal his team had been waiting for.
The first hit caught Cole square in the chest and lifted him clear of his feet, the sickening crack signalling broken ribs at least. He landed in a heap, pain radiating throughout his body as he struggled to get his breath back.
“We lost people because of you,” one of them snarled.
Cole’s bones ground together, already trying to heal themselves as he pushed up onto his hands and knees.
“This is for Tim.” The female voice registered seconds before a vicious kick caught him on the side of his head. His teeth clacked together, catching his tongue and the inside of his cheek, and blood filled his mouth.
