His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Isabella’s POV

“Again.”

I groaned, every muscle in my body screaming in protest.

.(38)

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When Dominic had told me I’d be learning self-defence, I’d assumed it would be like the classes I’d taken years ago when I was still a teenager-basic techniques, defensive holds, ways to get out of danger. What Paolo had been putting me through for the last two weeks was nothing like that.

This wasn’t just self-defence.

This was combat.

Paolo wasn’t teaching me how to escape an attacker, he was teaching me how to take one down. How to strike first. How to incapacitate. How to leave someone unable to get back up.

And infuriatingly, it was working.

I’d gotten better. Stronger. Faster. Focused.

I’d even managed to bring Paolo to his knees once.

Once.

That alone felt like a miracle, considering the man looked like he could snap someone in half if he wanted to. Right now, he was glaring at me like he was debating doing exactly that.

“I said again, Isabella,” he ordered, voice stern.

I wasn’t as intimidated by him anymore, not after days of bruises, sweat, and relentless drills. Beneath the tough exterior, Paolo was a big softie, one with a massive sweet tooth.

I straightened, wiped sweat from my forehead, and smiled sweetly.

“Don’t you think we should take a break now?” I asked innocently. “I’m fairly certain there’s chocolate cake in the fridge. With chocolate chips.”

Paolo hesitated.

I leaned closer, batting my lashes. “What do you say?”

He looked dangerously tempted, until his gaze suddenly snapped past me.

His entire body went rigid.

“Don Russo….”

19:12 Thu, Jan 15

Chapter 41

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I frowned and turned. Last night Dominic had said that he’d come see my practice today morning. But when it had been more than half an hour already and he hasn’t shown up, I’d assumed he wasn’t going to.

Now, here he was.

He stood at the edge of the training arena, dressed in black sweatpants and a grey V-neck, arms crossed, expression dark and unreadable.

“I’ll take it from here,” Dominic said calmly.

Paolo didn’t hesitate. He practically fled.

I would’ve laughed at the way a man his size was afraid of Dominic if I wasn’t suddenly too nervous to breathe.

“I thought you—”

“Show me what you’ve learned,” Dominic interrupted.

His tone was clipped. Controlled.

He didn’t look pleased.

Before I could say anything else, he stepped forward and without breaking eye contact pulled his shirt over his head.

Every thought in my brain promptly short-circuited.

His body was almost unfairly gorgeous. My past memories of it clearly hadn’t done him justice, or maybe he’d just become more ripped through the years. With his broad shoulders, well defined muscles, scars that told stories I didn’t want to imagine but gave him a dangerous edge, he looked like every woman’s wet dreams

come true.

“I want your hands on me, bella mia,” he said quietly.

My eyes snapped to his.

“What?”

“Hit me,” he clarified. “Show me.”

Oh.

Right.

I swallowed and forced my focus back where it belonged.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I said lightly, getting into position the way Paolo had taught me, thumb tucked, stance grounded.

Dominic’s mouth curved into a slow smirk. “You won’t.”

19:12 Thu, Jan 15

Chapter 41

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I wasn’t so sure. Those scars told a different story. He could get hurt. He was human, too, just like the rest of

Still, I shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I lunged.

Punch after punch, I hit him with all my might, fast, precise, and powerful.

He blocked every single one.

Effortlessly.

It was almost maddening.

“Good form,” he said when I finally paused to catch my breath. “But you need to be faster.”

I scowled, pushing damp hair back from my face. “Easy for you to say.”

His smirk deepened. “Again.”

I inhaled slowly, then changed tactics.

I feinted right, twisted my body, and struck with my left, catching him in the shoulder.

He staggered back a step.

My grin was instant.

“Clever,” he said, amused. “Do it again.”

I tried.

But I didn’t land another hit.

I’d caught him by surprise once, he wasn’t stupid enough to be fooled by the same trick twice.

When I finally stopped, arms aching, Dominic nodded. “You hit hard. Speed will come with practice.”

The praise, small as it was, sent a surprising warmth through me,

Then his expression shifted.

“My turn.”

Before I could react, he grabbed my wrists, spun me, and suddenly I was trapped with my back pressed to his chest, his arms holding me still.

“Get free,” he murmured near my car, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. I almost wanted to melt into

his embrace.

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Chapter 41

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Focus, Isabella, focus. I mentally chastised myself, forcing myself to focus on trying to get free.

I struggled, twisting, using what I’d been taught, but still aware of him behind me in a way that made it hard to think straight.

His grip tightened briefly. I felt the heat of him, solid and unyielding, and my traitorous body reacted before my mind caught up.

I narrowed my eyes. Why should I be the only one suffering?

Smirking to myself, deliberately rubbing my body against his, feeling satisfied when he let out a low hiss and I felt him harden behind me.

Good. Now, I wasn’t the only one affected.

Then, using a release Paolo had drilled into me relentlessly, I twisted sharply, wrenched free, and stepped back.

I turned to face him, heart pounding.

“I’m hard to catch, Dominic,” I said, arching a brow.

His eyes gleamed as he stared at me. Hard.

“Not if I’m the one chasing you.”

Something about the way he said it told me he wasn’t talking about training anymore.

And that scared me almost as much as it thrilled me.

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19:12 Thu, Jan 15