38. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Hydessa

I set the phone aside after their last message, the questions turned into a rabbit hole that I wasn't sure I was prepared for the reality of. Frustration and annoyance is like a thunderstorm inside me. It builds and builds until reaching a point that I can't concentrate on the investigation at all.

I need to vent, I need to find an outlet that isn't being fucked by masked strangers. I need to hit something.

Glancing out the window I can see that the sun is starting to set, the sky turning shades of orange and pink in the distance. I'm not sure what time Makai said the kickboxing was on at the gym, but even if it's over I should still be able to use the equipment to expel some of this anxious energy.

Quickly changing into my gym clothes, I glance at the brand on my arm. My tank leaves my arm bare, and I can't wrap it again or it will put me at risk for infection when I sweat while I'm working out. I pull out the anti-bacterial cream that was left in the bathroom cabinet for me, applying it to the little mask outlines marked into my skin.

Grabbing my jacket, I head out of the house, the door slamming behind me. I walk quickly down the street toward the beachfront, watching the sun creep toward the horizon as I make my way toward the gym.

The beat of the music and the smell of sweat hits me as I push through the door. I can already see Makai toward the back, talking with Telvin. I make my way toward them, and Makai spots me as I approach, giving me a wide grin.

Telvin turns in my direction to see what has caught his attention. He gives me a small, tentative smile, dipping his head before he turns away and proceeds through an archway, his fingers tapping together nervously.

Makai, on the other hand, approaches me with practiced ease. "You made it," he says. "I was worried you weren't coming. We're about to start."

I laugh in response. "Well, you didn't actually tell me what time to be here," I say. He pauses, frowning as he looks me over.

"Didn't I? Sorry, I must have been distracted," he confesses before his face clears and he motions toward the archway Telvin just disappeared through. Following after him, I'm surprised to see that on the other side of the archway there is a whole boxing and martial arts training center.

The sight of the space immediately lifts my spirits. The sound of gloves hitting bags, the smell of equipment and sweat—it all feels invigorating. I spot Telvin on the far side, already wrapping his hands. There must be some rule against face shots, because his glasses are still on. He looks up briefly and gives me another small smile before returning to his task.

"This place is incredible," I say to Makai, genuinely impressed.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a hidden gem," he replies with a grin before he turns and calls out, "Anyone taking part in kickboxing, prepare and head to the mats!"

He faces me, and gestures to the mats. "Have you done much kickboxing before? Do you know how it all works?"

"Yeah, I have," I reply confidently.

"Great," he says, handing me some tape. "Wrap your hands and let's get going."

Once I've got the tape just how I like it, we make our way toward where Telvin and several other men are waiting. Telvin narrows his eyes, tilting his head as I approach.

"We have no woman here for you to spar with," Telvin says when we stop near him.

I frown, glancing around and seeing that he's right. There are several men I don't know, along with Eli, and surprisingly, Ty is also there.

"I'll spar with her," Makai says with a smile.

Ty laughs. "The poor girl wouldn't survive your muscles. I'll do it."

Telvin shakes his head with a sigh. "I'm the closest to her build, and besides, it would be irresponsible of me as the trainer to risk her getting hurt by any of you," he says softly, but his voice still holds enough weight that it has the others shrugging and starting to pair off instead of arguing. He looks at me. "We will do some pad work so I can see where your strengths are then go from there."

I nod, feeling a mixture of relief and excitement. Telvin hands me a pair of lightweight gloves while he grabs some focus mitts, and we move to an empty spot on the mats. He demonstrates a series of combinations, and I follow his lead, focusing on the rhythm and precision of each strike.

"Good, keep your guard up," Telvin instructs. "And remember to breathe."

I nod, adjusting my stance and throwing a few more punches. The repetition is soothing, and I find myself slipping into a comfortable rhythm. Telvin occasionally stops to correct my form or give me pointers, but overall, he seems pleased with my performance.

"Not bad, not bad at all," he says with a slight smile. "But let's see how you handle some real pressure."

Telvin starts to call out more complex combinations, pushing me to move faster, hit harder. He starts striking my arms and legs lightly with the mitts at random times between strikes when I miss.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunts quietly as I miss another strike. "I thought you said you've done this before."

I grit my teeth, trying to channel my frustration into my punches, but his words start to get under my skin. He knows exactly what he's doing, and it's working.

"Come on, you can do better than that," Telvin challenges. "Maybe you should stick to something less intense, like yoga ."

I can feel myself growing hot, the need to prove myself pushing me harder. I throw a punch with more force than I have skill to back up and my form slips.. Telvin catches the mistake immediately, tapping my arm harder in response. It just happens to be the same arm as the brand and it does nothing but remind me of the reason I came out here in the first place.

"Not bad, but you hit like a tourist," Telvin says, his lips curling into the hint of a smirk.

I narrow my eyes but keep my focus. "I'm just warming up," I retort.

"Maybe, but if you keep hesitating like that, you'll never land a hit in a real fight," he shrugs, not taking me seriously.

Anger bubbles up inside me like boiling water, but I channel it into my punches. "I'm not hesitating," I snap back, aiming a particularly hard punch at the mitt.

"Sure, sure," he says, sidestepping. "I've seen more aggressive sparring from beach bums."

I aim a kick at him, but he grabs my leg and sweeps the other from under me in a swift move I didn't see coming. I land heavily on the mat, my breath escaping me in a rush. Before I can move, he's kneeling beside me, a focus mitt held under my chin.

"Lesson for the day," Telvin says gently, looking down at me. "Control your emotions. Anger makes you sloppy."

I lay there for a moment, trying to catch my breath. The mat is cool against my back, a stark contrast to the heat burning through my chest. He's right, of course. I let him get to me, and I paid for it.

I'm letting everything get to me lately. It's causing my mind to be too distracted and making it impossible to look at the investigation objectively.

"Got it," I finally manage, pushing myself up.

Telvin offers me a hand, and I take it, pulling myself to my feet. "Good," he says. "Now, let's try that again, and this time, keep your cool."

I nod, determined to prove myself not just to him, but to me too. We go through the motions again, and this time, I focus on staying calm and controlled. I match my breaths with my punches, settling into a practiced rhythm. Telvin pushes me hard, but I don't let his comments get to me again.

After a particularly grueling round, he steps back and nods. "Better. Much better."

"Thanks," I say, wiping sweat from my brow. I feel proud of the way I was able to recover and the turmoil in my mind has actually seemed to calm a bit.

"Remember," Telvin says, "it's not just about strength or speed. It's about control. You could potentially win a fight with the strongest man, if you keep your cool and your control in the heat of a fight. You've got the basics down. Now, work on keeping your head in the game."

"I will," I promise, feeling a renewed sense of determination.

Makai walks over, grinning. "How'd it go?"

"Pretty good," I say, feeling exhausted but satisfied. "Thanks for the push, both of you."

"Anytime," Makai replies. "You did great."

Telvin nods in agreement, stepping further away now that the training is over. "Keep coming to the sessions. You've got potential," he says before turning to walk away.

As I gather my keys and phone, Eli walks over, giving me an approving nod. "Nice work out there," he says. "You've got a good punch."

"Thanks," I reply, still catching my breath.

Eli looks around the gym, then back at me. "It's late. Want me to walk you home?"

I appreciate the offer, but I shake my head. "Thanks, Eli, but I'll be fine. I could use the walk to clear my head."

He nods, though I can see a hint of concern in his eyes. "Alright, but be careful."

I wave goodbye to Eli and the others as I walk out. The cool night air is a refreshing change from the heat of the gym, and I take a deep breath, savoring the freshness. The sky is dark, with only a few stars visible, and the street is quiet, adding a sense of calm to the night.

Starting the walk back to the house, my mind can't help but replay the training session, feeling good about all of my work. Telvin's words about control echo in my head.

I'm almost back to the house when something catches my attention.

Frowning, I look toward the house I'm passing. The blinds are open slightly, just enough to see inside. My heart skips a beat as I notice what looks like someone tied to a table, blood running in rivulets down pale skin. A knife is held above the bare chest, glinting in the dim light.

Adrenaline shoots through me, my heart racing inside my chest.

Sneaking quickly toward the window, I try to get a better look at what's going on inside, but the angle is wrong, and I can't see much more detail. I start creeping further around the house, trying to find a better vantage point. Just as I'm passing a door, a piercing scream shatters the silence. I decide not to wait for more detail and throw the door open, rushing forward.

I'm going to catch the killer red handed this time.

But the next sound has me stumbling over my own feet as the scene in front of me unfolds. It's not the killer in action at all, unless you consider what the man is doing to that woman's pussy murder as she screams in ecstasy. A deep moan echoes around me and my mouth drops open.

Lily, the woman who serves me seafood lunches and ice cold lemonade, is strapped to a St Andrews cross, legs spread, and shallow cuts adorn her chest. Kneeling between said legs is the perfect face of the chef at the cafe where she works. I see the moment his tongue sticks out, pushing into her and her body arches in ecstasy.

I'm so caught up with what I'm witnessing that I don't even realize there are more people in the room.

Another sound comes from behind me, drawing my attention in that direction. I regret it immediately, my hands coming up to cover my eyes when they connect with a sweet old man who is watching Lily and her chef as he pounds into none other than the woman I buy my groceries from.

Oh my god, I'm never going to be able to look at old lady Gladys the same. And like fuck am I waving at that old man ever again.

Something touches my arm and I startle almost violently, my hand striking out on instinct. The person side steps me, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. His muscular and tattooed bare chest is on display and his jeans are partially open, giving a clear view of the trail of hair leading down into them.

His light brown hair is disheveled and falling slightly into his green eyes. The smile he flashes is nothing but white teeth and charm. "How about we step out and give them some privacy?" he suggests, motioning toward the door I just barged through.

I turn in a daze and walk straight back out of the house as he follows, closing the door behind him. I take a moment, trying to process what I just witnessed. The scene was startling and entirely unexpected to say the least. It seems that Cain and Abel aren't the only ones with knife and blood kinks in this town.

As I turn, frowning, I meet his emerald green gaze again.

"I guess I should formally introduce myself. I'm Lachlan Hughes. Nice to finally meet you, Taylor," he says, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Didn't expect you to barge in like that. I take it you weren't expecting the scene you walked in on?"

I finally find my voice, still reeling from what I saw. "No, I... I definitely wasn't." My words come out in a rush, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I thought... I thought I was interrupting something much worse."

Lachlan chuckles softly, his green eyes studying me. "Well, I suppose that depends on your perspective. I can see why you might have thought something bad was happening, but I can assure you everything in there is consensual."

I shake my head, trying to clear the image from my mind. There is no doubt in my mind that they were all consenting adults. "I should have just kept walking. I... I didn't mean to intrude like that."

He shrugs casually. "Don't worry about it. These things happen. I have an open door policy if you ever get curious." There's a casualness to his demeanor that contrasts sharply with my own embarrassment.

I glance at him, noticing the tattoos on his arms and the easy confidence in his stance. "You seem... unfazed by all this," I manage to say. "H-how often exactly do ‘these things happen'?"

Lachlan laughs as he meets my gaze with a wry smile. "Pretty often. I've seen my fair share of surprises living here. Nothing much fazes me anymore."

"Right," I respond, drawing the word out, before shaking my head and turning to leave.

As I'm walking away, Lachlan calls out, his voice trailing after me, "I'd ask you to join us, since I have no partner tonight, but... you know..."

I stop abruptly and turn sharply to look back at him, but Lachlan has already retreated inside, closing the door behind him. This has got to be some sort of alternate reality.