Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 88

Briar

A few hours later, I nudged Carter. Who was nodding off.

“Hmm?”

“We have a run to make up and training to do, the cameras can wait till tomorrow,”

“That's right, we had things to do.” He agreed before he got up and stretched. I followed him upstairs to dig through my bag to find something to run in as he unbuttoned his work shirt the rest of the way and peeled it off. I took my clothes to the bathroom and came out in a sports bra and tight workout shorts. My hair balled up into a tight, messy bun coming out of the back of one of Jake’s old hats. Carter walked out of the bedroom in a pair of sweats and sneakers and nothing else. Looking fine as hell.

We ran the two miles down a different trail that overlooked the valley in the light of the waxing moon. It was so breathtaking in the stillness of the night that I couldn’t help but soak it in as we jogged down the trail. Its energy kissed my skin and soaked into my being. 

After that, Carter took me to the basement, where I was surprised to see not only a weight bench set up, but a series of different bags. Mats lined the floor on one side. I guess he took his fitness seriously, I cocked my head watching him, it definitely showed.

He guided me to the weights first and added an extra 20 to the barbell of light weights I had been working up to. He had high hopes, but I followed his instruction and was flabbergasted when I found it…easy. He added another 2o after each rep of five until I lost count. Eventually, I complained as my muscles quivered and strained with the effort. 

“You're benching more than you weigh now,” he let me know. When did I ever step on a scale? I wandered.However, it was definitely progress, only I hadn’t expected it so soon. Maybe he was just a good judge of wight, suspect descriptions and all.

He showed me the speed bag, then the hanging bag, before he brought me to one that stood on the floor and was weighted with sand. He tossed me a pair of hand wraps and I put them on as he continued to speak.

“This is the one I want you to picture the face of all your frustrations on.” He reached over to a sound system, and 90s metal came through the speakers. “Now beat the fucking shit out of that mother fucker Briar,” he yelled above the music. I complied,

I stared at the bag, my mind swirled with feelings, brimming and overflowing with agony… anger. It took a few moments for me to collect myself as I secured both hands in the protective layers of fabric before I released all the pent-up rage and turmoil into simultaneous punches, kicks, and knees as I assaulted the stand-up bag with trained and honed fury. The weight of it wobbled as the random combinations flowed out of my body, and impacted the bag with force I didn’t know I possessed. The release felt good; my mind ran through a list of every unbidden touch he had forced upon me and every strike he had marred my skin with. The drugged state that was involuntarily enforced upon me, and the vile things he did to gain what? Who was I to him but a pawn in his big plans? His stupid fucking obsession for fucking what? He had come to me and I had tried to stave him off. The force of my blows pounded into the bag, a drum beat calling a part of myself forth I didn’t understand. I barely noticed Carter’s eyes watching me as the sounds of his assault on the hanging bag halted. Hot tears streamed down my face and mingled with trickles of sweat that ran down my face. Why couldn’t Creedon just let me be? He had already destroyed me, and he couldn’t just leave me to pick up the pieces and let my shattered self live in peace? I spun, and let the momentum of it fuel the kick as I let out a shout of frustration. My foot struck the bag with such force that it caused the heavily weighted bag to topple over. 

The music stopped as I stared at it where it lay across the floor, ignoring the burn of the sweat in my eyes as my chest heaved. I was vaguely aware of Carter walking up behind me, and I turned to him as he approached, he just wrapped me in his arms without a word. We stayed like that for a long while, as he cradled me close to him. I felt as though I was completely drained of all energy. Empty. Hollow. I sagged against him in search of support, he steadied me like a a rooted tree, his strength, his entier being seemed as if it leeched into me, filling the void, and I accepted it selfishly. Whatever it was, whatever we were together, was my only salvation.

“Thats enough for tonight,” Carter murmured softly before guiding me up the stairs then to the bathroom on the second floor. He turned on the water and helped me remove my clothes before he removed his and pulled me into the warm sprays of the shower. He washed my hair, and body with no intentions of a sexual nature before he quickly suds up and rinsed himself. He turned the water off before wrapping a towel around me and helped me dry my hair. He sat me down on the edge of his bed and ran my brush through my hair before he got up and traded his towel for a pair of sweats. Tucker and Rosie watched silently as he pulled one of his shirts over my head and pulled back the blankets and sheet in a silent command to get in bed. Too dazed, I followed the soft order. He turned off my bedside light and chucked my towel in the hamper before climbing in and turning off his. He hooked my waist and pulled me to him making me his little spoon but I rolled into him and flung my arm and leg over him and nestled into the hard planes of his chest. I inhaled, and let the feeling of safety only he could provide wash over me as my body surrendered to a sleep so deep my dreams were riddled with wolves instead of men.