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“Try to land a hit If you e to cut me, you win I want to see how you move”

I took a breath and tried to forget the rip on the knife, then I dashed forward Luca rabbed my wrist and whirled me around until my back collided with his chest

“You don’t have htened a fraction, uncomfortably but not painfully His lips brushed et it I could break your wrist for example or just bruise it” He released me and I stumbled forward

“Again,” Luca said I tried a few ti hi fair I advanced on hirab for s The ht my foot before it couldI landed on my back with a heavy thud My breath rushed out of me and the knife slipped out of my hand I squeezed my eyes shut Luca touched my stomach and my muscles constricted under his warm palm “Are you okay?” he asked quietly

I openedto catch my breath” Then I scanned the crowd “Don’t you have a soldier who’s only five foot so to fight me?”

“My ,” Luca said loudly He held out his hand and pulledto fight my wife?”

Of course nobody stepped forward They were probably worried Luca would skin the

The shadow of a grin crossed Luca’s face “You’ll have to fight me”

A few more attack attempts later, I was out of breath and annoyed by my inability to hurt Luca the tiniest bit but then a chance offered itself He held ainst his body and his upper arm was close to my face, so I turned and bit him He was so startled he actually released ripped my wrist “Did you bite me?” he asked as he stared at my teeth marks on his bicep

“Not hard enough There isn’t even blood,” I said

Luca’s shoulders twitched once, then again He was fighting laughter Not the effect I’d intended when I bit him but I had to admit I loved the sound of his deep chuckle “I think you’ve done enough dae for one day,” he said

We grabbed so to eat on our way home, then settled on the rattan sofa on the roof terrace with a glass of wine

“I’ether, al and his arm was thrown over the backrest behind me but so far he had held back “I didn’t think you’d really try”

“I told you I would I keep my word”