The Alpha and The Fool novel Chapter 19

Dean pulled me over to the couch. He sat next to me, his arm laid around my shoulders and tucked me right against him. Again, I found myself struck by how nice this was. “Nic, we have to talk about this,” Dean said sounding serious. I didn’t like him so serious.

“Dean, there is nothing to talk about. I honestly don’t even understand why you’re insisting. This should be good news to you,” I said, letting a little frustration enter my voice.

“Is that what you really think?”

I shrugged, not sure why he seemed so upset.

“Okay, come with me,” Dean said, standing.

“What?”

“Come with me,” he repeated, now holding out his hand.

“Um, Okay,” I said, a little unsure.

My uncertainty grew when I realized we were heading to the gym. “Dean, what are you doing?”

“Making things clear.” We walked inside, and he turned to face me. “You’re going to fight me, holding nothing back until one of us gives up or can’t safely continue.”

“What?” I stared at him, eyes wide. Fight him? Why in the world would he want me to fight him? “No, this is stupid.”

“Yes, you are, and it’s not,” Dean insisted, kicking off his shoes. “We are going to make it clear how we both stand in contrast to each other. If you kick my ass, I’m going to get up and show you unlike your dad, I can take it like a man and not be intimidated. If I kick your ass…” laughed a bark of dry laughter and Dean grinned. “Then you’ll finally believe me when I say I can hold my own. Either way, hopefully, you’ll stop this mopey ‘I’m moving’ on crap. Seriously, where is the girl that knocked me out when we met? Cause I’m starting to miss her.”

That fluttery sensation returned from deep in my belly, and I shook my head. “Dean, we don’t have to do this.”

“This isn’t a debate, Beautiful. We’re going to do this, one way or another.”

“I could walk out right now,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I’d drag your ass right back here.”

“You’re overestimating yourself,” I replied, narrowing my eyes now.

“And you’re starting to sound scared. Are you, the fierce future alpha, afraid of moi?”

My jaw tightened. Of course, I wasn’t afraid of him. I lifted my chin. “I’m only afraid of you getting hurt.”

“Don’t worry I can take it. Hell, I might even like it,” Dean teased.

I sighed and kicked off my shoes as well. “Fine, it’s your funeral.”

“Can’t think of any way I’d rather go,” Dean said, the grin growing as I walked to the center of the room with him. “Oh and remember, hold nothing back, because I won’t.” Without pause, he swung at me with a right hook.

I ducked, and moved to his right, dropping into a defensive pose. He came at me again, throwing punches and kicks. If I couldn’t avoid them, I blocked them, dancing around him and keeping him in the center of the room. I only had to do this until he wore himself out and be done with all of this.

Dean shook his head and clicked his tongue. “You’re holding back,” he said. I gasped as he rushed wrapped an arm around my neck, pulling me to him to knee me in the side twice before sending me back, flying with a uppercutting me in the jaw. I stumbled back, falling, as white spots danced in my vision. “Come on, Nic. You can do better than this.”

I shook my head and stood, feeling irritated. “Fine, but this is on you,” I growled at him and charged, feigning a jab to his midsection and instead hit him with a hook to the face.

For some reason, Dean grinned and nodded. “It is,” he said, walking back to me and tried to grab my shirt, but I brushed him off and sent him hopping back as I kicked out at him, following with another hook. He caught my wrist, pulled me toward him, elbowing me in the back, but I fell and rolled away when he tried to knee me again. I kicked out again, and this time I caught the side of his knee, making him fall.