Healing Love (Love to the Extreme) Read Online Free Page B

get the fuck away from her—and fast. Once he was across the gym, he turned to look at her. She was staring at the wall in front of her. Worry grooved deep lines into her face.
    All the things that baffled him about Kelsey came roaring back.
    She knew he had a secret, but he’d take a gamble and say she also had one. A big one.

Chapter Two
    Inhaling deeply, then releasing the breath slowly, Ella tried to control the threatening burn behind her eyes. Tears were weakness. Weakness was unacceptable.
    The inner pep talk helped, and the stinging faded. Knowing she finally had control of her emotions, she shoved her towel and water bottle into her gym bag. Today had not gone as planned. Not that she’d really expected to get the best of a light-heavyweight fighter, but after all the years of training, she’d at least thought she’d be somewhat of an opponent.
    She hadn’t been. Once Lance had given her his all, he’d tossed her around like she’d weighed no more than a pillow. The whole point of training with a light-heavyweight was to convince herself she wasn’t completely helpless, so that she wouldn’t shut down if she was faced with someone the same weight and build as her ex.
    That plan had backfired. All she felt was vulnerable and afraid…again.
    Those two emotions would wind up getting her killed. Which meant she had to train harder.
    She wasn’t blind to her desperate need to learn more—to feel safer. Nothing seemed to work. She’d taken Krav Maga. The Israeli defense class should’ve been enough, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t real enough. So she moved on to jiu-jitsu, boxing, and wrestling. It still hadn’t been real enough. Everything was pulled back. Too demonstrative. Even when she’d gotten the best of a trainer, she hadn’t felt victorious because he hadn’t been going at her with his all.
    She shook her head. She was focusing too much on the negative. Yes, she was still highly intimidated by large men. However, she had just wrestled with one. When Lance entered the ring, her anxiety almost got the best of her. She came damn close to calling the session off. He was so large. Strong. The idea of trying to fight him overwhelmed her with horrific memories. He’d noticed her hesitation. The fact he’d noticed, had commented on it, had given her a strength to proceed that she didn’t know she possessed.
    That was something to be proud of—even if he’d been able to subdue her with a few tosses.
    “That was freaking awesome.”
    At the unexpected feminine voice, Ella spun around. A younger, dark-haired woman, maybe mid-twenties, was watching her with an expression of awe.
    “Uh…thanks.”
    “How long have you been training?” she asked.
    “A little over three years.”
    Three years, four months, and fifteen days, to be exact. She’d started training the moment the doctors had given her a clean bill of health—like her life hadn’t been changed dramatically anyway.
    “It shows. I’ve only been at this for a year. I can’t wait to get to the level you’re at. Are you going career?”
    She was asked that question a lot. The sad thing was that even though she trained her ass off, trained in the same manner a doomsday prepper stockpiled for the apocalypse, she couldn’t stomach watching a true fight. “Nah. Just a hobby. I enjoy the workout.”
    “It is a great workout. I’m trying to get into CMC. The women’s division seriously rocks with some badass women.”
    Ella wouldn’t know.
    The woman thrust out her hand. “Amber Frist.”
    She hesitantly took Amber’s hand. She wasn’t here to make friends. The farther away she stayed from people, the less likely she was to say something wrong—like give her real name.
    “Kelsey.”
    “It’s great to meet you. I just finished up myself. Want to grab a bite to eat?”
    “I’m sorry. I really have to go.” Though the only place she had to go back to was her tiny bungalow, where nothing in it was hers but a couple of suitcases.