Shattered Valor by Elaine Levine

Author:Elaine Levine
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Elaine Levine
Published: 2012-12-06T13:00:00+00:00

Eden sank her last ball and jumped up in a victory dance.

“Oh, c’mon, Eden,” Fiona complained. “That was hardly a victory. You were mostly playing solo. I got one turn,” Fee groused.

Eden felt instantly contrite. “You’re right. Here I drag you out of bed to come play with me, and then I trounce you. How about we go again and this time I’ll show you some tricks?”

“Okay. But this is for training and not for real. You can’t claim a win.”

“Competitive much, Fee?” Eden grinned.

Fee crossed her arms and glared at Eden. “Says the pot to the kettle.”

Eden laughed. A movement over by the door caught her attention. She looked up and locked eyes with Ty. Her heart skidded to a stop, then lurched forward.

Ty cursed when he saw her. She tried to ignore the weight of his gaze as he stormed in her direction, but it was a lost battle. She straightened and faced him. It was such a relief to see him again. He looked tired and edgy, but when he lifted her face to the light, his hand was gentle.

“What happened?” he asked, still holding her chin.

“Hi,” Eden said with a smile, ignoring his abrupt question. “It’s good to see you again. Where’ve you been?”

“What happened, Eden?”

“I was clumsy at practice today.”

Ty looked over at Angel. “Did you do this?”

Eden pushed Ty’s shoulder. “No. I told you, I did it.”

“Fuck it all,” Ty growled as he marched toward Angel. “Training the girls is one thing, beating them up’s another,” he said, glaring at Angel.

Angel came to his feet. “She’s gotta learn. In real life, that kick would have crushed her skull.”

“You kicked her?” Ty got up in Angel’s grill.

Eden handed her cue to Fee and hurried over to slip between the two men who were now standing nose to nose. “Ty Bladen,” she pushed him back a step. “I told you this was my fault. If you freak out like this with a small injury, they won’t teach me. And I want to learn. I’m going to get hurt. I know it. They know it. Get over it.”

Ty’s gaze lowered to her face. He was breathing hard, teetering close to that point of madness where reason cannot prevail. He looked over her head to Angel. “Be more careful with the girls.”

“I hear you,” Angel answered. “And will do. I didn’t mean for that kick to make contact.”

“Great. We all cool, then?” Eden asked both of them, but looked at Ty.

He nodded and went behind the bar to get a beer.

Eden looked at Angel and smiled. “Phew!”

Angel touched her cheek. “I am sorry.”

Without even looking at Ty, she could feel his tension. She shrugged as she stepped away from Angel. “Won’t be the last time I do something clumsy.”

She and Fee played another game of pool—another easy win for Eden had she been counting it. She was about to set up for a last game when Val took Fee’s cue from her. “My turn.”

“Oh, yeah?” Eden challenged him. “You think you’ve got what it takes?”

“Honey, I know I do.

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