CHAPTER SIXTEEN

B rianna stretched from side to side.

Willow snorted.

“What?”

“Doing that doesn’t make you some kung fu master.” Willow mocked her movements from her seat at the side of the room.

“Ugh, neither does filing your nails, princess,” Brianna replied, giving her the bird. “Now get your butt down here. Sofia will be here any moment.”

“And?”

Brianna stood and planted her hands on her hips. “And! We should look like we know what we’re doing.”

“But we don’t.”

“No. But if we give these males an inch, you know they’ll take a mile.”

Willow burst out laughing and threw the nail file onto the seat beside her, moving to join her on the mats. “They’re teaching us self-defense and how to use weapons, Bri. If any of the instructors harm us, both our mates will eat them for breakfast.”

“No, they won’t. They’ve been banned from joining us today.”

Willow stopped dead. “By whom?”

“Who else?”

“The king?”

It was Brianna’s turn to snort.

“No. It was Kate.”

Willow’s eyes shot to her hairline. “Really?”

Bri nodded. “Yup.”

“Oh. So we actually have to train?” Willow asked. “Like for real?”

“Yes.” Brianna burst out laughing. “So get warmed up, girlfriend, or you are going to feel the burn.”

The doors burst open and in walked five large vampire males and a small female who was obviously Sofia. She was gorgeous despite the Moretti prison uniform she wore. With long dark hair to the middle of her back, the Italian woman was everything the culture depicted; graceful, elegant, and beautiful.

Both of them had been briefed about Sofia’s history and the plan ahead for the female. It was impossible for them not to know, especially as they were part of the plan to some degree, so their mates had trusted them.

While neither of them were impressed with her alliance to Stefano Russo, they thought what he’d done to her was disgusting.

Now that Sofia had given her allegiance to the king, the two females had agreed to do this training session with her. But clearly, only Brianna had been aware it was a legit session. She shook her head at her friend and now princess.

“Princess Moretti,” Sofia greeted and curtsied.

“Welcome to the boot camp from hell,” Willow said as Brianna rolled her eyes.

“All you’ve done is file your damn nails.”

Sofia let out a small laugh, and Bri grinned at her. She had a feeling they would get along just fine.

A male she didn’t recognize clapped his hands.

“Enough chitchat. Let’s get warmed up.”

Brianna grinned as Willows face scrunched up. This was going to be fun.

LANCE SAT ON A CHAIR off to the side and watched as the three females were taken through a warm-up regime by the instructor.

Or at least Sofia warmed up.

Brianna was trying, but looked like she was actually playing Connect Four. On her own. Willow? Well...Lance tipped his head to the side and shook his head. Did she think this was yoga? And did she have her phone tucked up her sleeve?

“Christ, this is painful to watch,” one of the other males standing near the instructor said and ran his hand over his hair, groaning.

“Hey, I heard that,” Willow warned.

Lance smirked and coughed to hide it.

Thank goodness Brayden and Craig weren’t here or it would be mayhem. These males were about to step into some technical jujitsu movements with the females, which meant some close body contact.

“Okay, let’s practice some moves...Willow, you can’t have that thing on the floor,” the instructor said, referring to her smartphone.

“I mean, I actually can,” she replied.

Bri whipped it out of her hand and threw it at Lance. He reached out (way out because it was heading way off track) and caught it.

Sofia laughed, like really laughed, and his chest filled with warm, fuzzy feelings he was getting used to associating with her. He looked her way, and they shared a smile.

“Welcome to crazy town,” Bri said, dancing on her feet like she was about to start a track race. “Right. What are we doing now?”

The instructor stepped up and began to wrap his body around hers, and in one fell swoop, she was on her back.

Oomph.

God, he was glad Craig was not here. The instructor would be in three pieces.

“Oh. My. God,” Brianna let out, laughing despite being breathless.

“Ohhhh. Now I understand,” Willow said, slowly nodding. The reality of why their mates weren’t in the room had obviously sunk in. She looked at Sofia and then over at him, narrowing her eyes. “Lance, you should leave.”

“Why?” he asked, surprised.

Willow looked at Sofia and back at him, shaking her head. “No way. You need to leave.”

“It’s fine,” he argued. “I can’t leave; I’m her guard.”

“Nope. You leave or I’m calling Brayden.” She shook her head, placing her hands on her hips. “If any one of these males flattens Sofia like he just did to Bri, you’ll snap them in half.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

Pfft. That was a bit extreme.

Probably.

Sofia nodded at him, and he flung his arms out. “Okay, fine. I’ll be outside!”

He pushed through the doors and stood leaning against the wall with his fists clenched as he heard giggles and all kinds of concerning noises for the next hour. Eventually, the three females walked out the door as if they were best friends who’d just finished a yoga session. They looked red-faced and frazzled.

“Man, that was amazing. Let’s not ever do it again,” Willow said, slipping on a hoodie.

“I enjoyed it. Did you see me flip the male?” Sofia asked, looking exhilarated. Lance grinned and wanted to swoop her into his arms and kiss her.

“Yes! It was amazing,” Brianna exclaimed, high-fiving her. “I want to go again. We can leave princess on the bench.”

Willow poked her tongue out. “She’s all yours, Lance,” Willow said. “Can she join us for dinner one night before you leave?”

He shrugged. “I’ll check with Brayden.”

The three females hugged each other farewell. Sofia smiled at their backs as they walked away and then turned back to him.

“Yeah, I know; they’re awesome.” Lance laughed and placed his hand on the small of Sofia’s back to lead her to her room.

“They really are. Mad, but awesome.”