Chapter 29 29.Punching bag
Tabitha’s POV
His shirt soaks up my tears. I feel the calm and steady rise and fall of his breathing, as if he’s anchoring both of us. His arms stay around me, not too tight, but firm enough that I don’t feel like I’m falling apart alone.
I desperately clutch at his shirt with both fists, barely noticing the boxing gloves still on my hands. And he let me. He doesn’t shift away or tell me to pull it together. He just holds me, without pity or performance, only a steady presence that keeps me from falling apart.
How ironic. The last person I thought I’d ever lean on is now the only thing holding me upright.
My tears begin to slow, turning into small, quiet hiccups against his chest. My face is hot and blotchy. My nose is probably red. But I don’t pull away. And he doesn’t let me go.
I let out a shaky breath. His thumb brushes against the side of my arm, gentle, absentminded even. I didn’t know Evren had this in him. This quiet kind of softness. No ego. No teasing. Just... care.
For a long moment, we stay like that. No more sparring. No more pushing. Just his arms around me, solid and warm, as if he knew I needed this before I even did.
When I finally lift my head, my eyes are still glassy and my chest aches from the crying. Evren looks down at me, unreadable, but his gaze doesn’t waver.
“Feeling better?” he asks.
I nod. Not because everything is okay, but because, right now, in this moment, I think I will be.
Evren gives a short nod. “Good.”
He wipes the last tear from my cheek. His hand stays for a moment longer than it needs to, but I don’t pull away. There’s something about his touch that calms the unruly feelings in my chest. His eyes fall on the gloves still hanging from my wrists.
“Do you still have a need for these gloves?” he asks, cocking a tentative brow. “I can still act as your punching bag if you’re still feeling it.”
Getting free punching rights over Evren Aldair should be hilarious. And it is. But the fact that he says it without blinking makes it even worse. I don’t know how he manages to say something like that without even cracking a smile. But as much as I enjoyed going for a free hit, I can already feel the ache blooming in my knuckles.
“My fists already ache. I think I have no more juice left to burn,” I whine as I flex my fingers and feel the leather press against sore skin. “And it’s not like I can get a decent hit at you in the first place.”
The corner of his mouth lifts in a covert smile.
“Fine. You can change back to your dress and return to the party if you want,” he suggests, pointing at the locker room. “Or I can drive you back to the estate.”
“I don’t think your father would appreciate it if you suddenly disappeared from the party,” I point out.
“I already did,” he replies, gesturing at the place we’re in now.
He’s right. He really did ditch the party just to sneak into the training room with me. At the time, I didn’t care who saw us leave or what anyone might think. I was too wound up, too full of everything I couldn’t say out loud. But now that I’ve punched all the anger out of my system, reality starts to settle in. I wonder if Alpha Emery has already noticed that one of his sons vanished. Now, I’m starting to worry about the consequences of our absence.
“Yeah, but I can just return to the estate by myself. You don’t have to drive me.”
“How exactly do you plan on doing that?” Evren raises an eyebrow.
“I don’t know. Walk, maybe?”
He gives me a look like I just said something ridiculous. “You realize the naval station is at least six miles from the estate, right?”
I frown, already tired just thinking about it. Plus, it's already late afternoon. Night is catching up in a few hours and it’s not exactly a good idea to walk alone in the night while there are threats of rogue werewolves all over the island.
“Unless you brought a car, you’re walking. And I know you didn’t, because Gerald is still at the party. The only way to ask your driver to take you home is to go back inside and find him. I have my car with me, so I can take you instead.”
I hesitate, and he seems to notice.
“You don’t have to worry about me sneaking out. This isn’t the first time I did this,” he says, as if to assure me. “I doubt my father would even be surprised.”
He walks to the door and pauses with his hand on the knob. He glances over his shoulder to look at me one last time.
“I’m going back to the estate either way. If you want a ride, I’ll be at the station’s parking lot.” Then he leaves.
I stand in the quiet that follows, listening to the sound of my own breathing. My body is still sore, and the thought of slipping back into the crowd and pretending everything is fine makes my chest tighten.
I head into the locker room and grab the folded dress on the bench. My hands are slower now, like the adrenaline is finally wearing off. When I walk outside, the air is cooler. The lot is quiet, but a navy blue car blinks its headlights once, and I know it’s him.
I walk over and open the door. I settle into the passenger seat quietly. Evren starts the engine and pulls out of the lot without bothering to chat. And somehow, the silence is exactly what I need.
The next morning, I don’t come down for breakfast. My body feels like it’s been run over, and my thoughts haven’t caught up with the sun outside. I stay curled beneath the sheets, staring at the ceiling, too drained to move. Besides, I don’t think I’m in the mood to deal with any of my stepbrothers right now—not even Evren, and he’s the one who helped me pull myself together last night. And oh, don’t get me started with Jace. Catching him kissing another girl in the bathroom is one thing, but me walking out after that just makes it worse. Ugh, why did I even walk out in the first place? Now, I just made things awkward between us.
I am bathing in my misery when I hear a knock at my door. It creaks open and Mom walks in with a breakfast tray. She offers a curt smile and sits beside me on the bed.
“You didn’t come down for breakfast,” she notes.
“Hm-mm. I’m feeling lazy.” I try to sound casual.
She just nods while placing the tray on my bedside table.
“What happened last night?” she asks. “I noticed you left early. Did something happen?” I sense the worry in her voice.
I sit up slowly and pull the blanket across my lap. “I just wasn’t feeling well. You know how I am during social functions.” I try to make my tone light. The last thing I want is my mom knowing about my apparent crash out last night. “Don’t worry, Evren drove me home. I guess I’m not the only one who is not fond of parties.”
She watches me for a moment. I half expect her to push for more, but she just nods and smooths a wrinkle in the blanket near my knee.
“Well,” she says, “I have a cake tasting this afternoon at Petaline’s. It’s that fancy pastry shop in town. You should come with me.” Her mood shifts at the mention of her appointment. She seems excited.
Petaline’s... yeah, I remember Mom gushing about that pastry shop when I was younger. It’s one of those well-known places on the island—reputable and expensive. Back then, my dad had to save for months just to buy her the cheapest cake on their menu. Now, she’s getting her wedding cake from the same shop. No wonder that puts her into a good mood.
“There are a lot of flavors to try, and I want to make sure I pick the right one for the wedding cake. So… I’d really appreciate it if you came with me. I’d like to hear your opinion, darling.”
I think about it. My body still feels like it’s made of lead, but the idea of being out with her, doing something simple, doesn’t sound terrible. Plus, driving away from the estate is like a free ticket away from my stepbrothers. That seals the deal for me.
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll come.”
“Great!” Mom claps her hands and grins. “Finish your breakfast and get ready. Then, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
I do as she says. After finishing my toast and wiping my mouth with a napkin, I change into a cream knit top and a pair of high-waisted jeans. I throw on a light beige cardigan and slip into flat sandals that won’t kill my feet if we end up standing around too long. I tie my hair into a loose ponytail before heading out.
When I reach the front of the house, Mom is already waiting by the open car door. Thankfully, I don’t run into any of the brothers on the way down. I slide into the backseat of the black limousine beside her, and Gerald starts the engine.
It takes roughly twenty-minutes before we arrive at Petaline's. We hop out of the car, and Mom immediately starts chatting away about how excited she is for the tasting. She’s already going on about how many flavor combinations she hopes to try and how long she’s been looking forward to this appointment. I give her a small smile, amused by how giddy she looks.
But that smile disappears the moment I spot four figures standing in front of the shop.
Evren, Luca, Reed, and… Jace! They’re all waiting outside Petaline’s, their eyes instantly fixing on me. My stomach drops.
Holy shit. What are they doing here?
Mom turns to me with a bright smile. “Your stepbrothers will be joining us for the tasting! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Shit.