Navy's Sons: Bullied by Quadruplet Stepbrothers novel Chapter 33

29.Punching bag-1

Tabitha’s POV

His shirt soaks up my tears. I feel the calm and steady rise and fall of his breathing, as if he’s anchoring both of us. His arms stay around me, not too tight, but firm enough that I don’t feel like I’m falling apart alone.

I desperately clutch at his shirt with both fists, barely noticing the boxing gloves still on my hands. And he let me. He doesn’t shift away or tell me to pull it together. He just holds me, without pity or performance, only a steady presence that keeps me from falling apart.

How ironic. The last person I thought I’d ever lean on is now the only thing holding me upright.

My tears begin to slow, turning into small, quiet hiccups against his chest. My face is hot and blotchy. My nose is probably red. But I don’t pull away. And he doesn’t let me go.

I let out a shaky breath. His thumb brushes against the side of my arm, gentle, absentminded even. I didn’t know Evren had this in him. This quiet kind of softness. No ego. No teasing.

Just… care.

For a long moment, we stay like that. No more sparring. No

as08:56 more pushing. Just his arms around me, solid and warm, as if 56

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29.Punching bag-1

he knew I needed this before I even did.

When I finally lift my head, my eyes are still glassy and my chest aches from the crying. Evren looks down at me, unreadable, but his gaze doesn’t waver.

“Feeling better?” he asks.

I nod. Not because everything is okay, but because, right now, in this moment, I think I will be.

Evren gives a short nod. “Good.”

He wipes the last tear from my cheek. His hand stays for a moment longer than it needs to, but I don’t pull away. There’s something about his touch that calms the unruly feelings in my chest. His eyes fall on the gloves still hanging from my wrists.

“Do you still have a need for these gloves?” he asks, cocking a tentative brow. “I can still act as your punching bag if you’re still feeling it.”

Getting free punching rights over Evren Aldair should be hilarious. And it is. But the fact that he says it without blinking makes it even worse. I don’t know how he manages to say something like that without even cracking a smile. But as much as I enjoyed going for a free hit, I can already feel the ache blooming in my knuckles.

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“My fists already ache. I think I have no more juice left to burn,” I whine as I flex my fingers and feel the leather press against sore skin. “And it’s not like I can get a decent hit at you in the first place.”

The corner of his mouth lifts in a covert smile.

“Fine. You can change back to your dress and return to the party if you want,” he suggests, pointing at the locker room. “Or I can drive you back to the estate.”

“I don’t think your father would appreciate it if you suddenly disappeared from the party,” I point out.

“I already did,” he replies, gesturing at the place we’re in now.

He’s right. He really did ditch the party just to sneak into the training room with me. At the time, I didn’t care who saw us leave or what anyone might think. I was too wound up, too full of everything I couldn’t say out loud. But now that I’ve punched all the anger out of my system, reality starts to settle in. I wonder if Alpha Emery has already noticed that one of his sons vanished. Now, I’m starting to worry about the consequences of our absence.

“Yeah, but I can just return to the estate by myself. You don’t have to drive me.”

3gw exactly do you plan on doing that?” Evren raise

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eyebrow.

“I don now. Walk, maybe?”

He

e a look like I just said something ridiculous. “You naval station is at least six miles from the estate,

n, already tired just thinking about it. Plus, it’s already afternoon. Night is catching up in a few hours and it’s not ctly a good idea to walk alone in the night while there are reats of rogue werewolves all over the island.

“Unless you brought a car, you’re walking. And I know you didn’t, because Gerald is still at the party. The only way to ask your driver to take you home is to go back inside and find him. I have my car with me, so I can take you instead.”

I hesitate, and he seems to notice.

r

“You don’t have to worry about me sneaking out. This isn’t the first time I did

father w

savs, as if to assure me. “I doubt my

1.”

He

with his hand on the knob. He

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