The Scumbag's Guide To Heroism novel Chapter 89

Chapter 89: 89 | You Fight Dirty, Lukas

Sloane Fitzgerald stared down at Lukas pinned beneath her on the gym mat, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Her thighs squeezed his waist while she kept his wrists firmly pressed to the floor. A satisfied smirk pulling at her lips. She lived for this, the clean finality of a pin.

"That’s five takedowns in a row," she announced, not bothering to hide her smugness. "Sure you don’t want to call it quits for today?"

Lukas looked up at her with those amber eyes that somehow always made her heart skip. His hair stuck to his forehead with sweat, and that stupid half-smile played across his lips.

"Not all of us have been training since we were six, Sloane."

"Excuses, excuses." She tightened her grip on his wrists, enjoying the feeling of his pulse against her palms. "Face it, Belmont. You’re out of your league."

"Says the girl who couldn’t even stand yesterday after—"

Heat rushed to Sloane’s face. "Shut up!"

The memory crashed through her mind like a tidal wave—his hands on her body, his mouth against her skin, the way he’d looked at her when he first pushed inside her. Sloane’s grip loosened just enough.

In one smooth motion, Lukas twisted beneath her, flipping their positions. Her back hit the mat with a soft thud as he settled his weight above her, his hands now pinning her wrists.

"Checkmate," he murmured, eyes glinting with satisfaction.

"You cheated," Sloane glared up at him, trying to ignore how good his body felt pressing against hers. "That was a dirty trick, bringing up... that."

"All’s fair in love and combat training."

Before she could protest further, Lukas leaned down and kissed her. His lips were warm and tasted faintly of salt. The protest died on her lips as he kissed her. A quiet sigh escaped her nose, the sound of surrender. The fight went out of her muscles, her body softening against his.

She forgot the mat, the gym, the five takedowns. There was only the pressure of his mouth and the low, insistent ache blooming deep inside her.

When they broke apart, both breathing hard, Lukas smiled against her mouth. "Still mad?"

"Hmm. Maybe." She bit her lip, trying to hold onto her scowl but failing miserably. "You fight dirty, Lukas."

"I learned from the best." He released her wrists and pushed himself up, offering a hand to pull her to her feet.

Sloane took it, letting him yank her upright. She couldn’t help but notice how much stronger he’d become in the past two months. His shoulders had filled out, his arms now defined with lean muscle. Nothing like the scrawny, withdrawn Lukas who’d spent nine years haunting the corners of her house.

This new Lukas was... different. Confident. Present. His gaze didn’t slide away when she looked at him anymore. It met hers head-on, sometimes with warmth, sometimes with heat that made her skin flush.

"Come on," Lukas said, grabbing his water bottle. "Let’s head upstairs. I promised you breakfast, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah. You better make those strawberry pancakes again." Sloane grabbed a towel and wiped sweat from her face. "I’m starving after kicking your ass."

"Pretty sure I had you pinned at the end there."

"Technicality." She slung the towel around her neck. "I still won the match count."

They walked toward the stairs, shoulders bumping occasionally. Sloane found herself hyperaware of every accidental touch, every brush of his arm against hers. It felt like electricity dancing across her skin.

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