Page 2 of Reverence

He stepped forward, towering over me.

Despite his height and body mass I wasn’t easily intimidated, especially not by him. I stood my ground, refusing to falter.

He repulsed me but I didn’t want to give him the impression that his presence affected me in the slightest because it sure as hell did not.

“You’re only victorious because I surrendered.” he scoffed, slamming his bicep against my shoulder as he passed by.

I still stood in the same spot, unmoving. “Oh please.” I sneered. “Sore fucking loser,” I muttered under my breath.

I didn’t look back to see his reaction or wait to hear his response.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get far because there was a tight grip on my ponytail and my head was tugged back forcefully.

On instinct, I grabbed his hand but that’s when he pulled me closer by my hair and I hissed.

He was quick, too fucking quick, and before I could process the drastic change in dynamics he held both arms tightly behind my back with one hand and used his free hand to grip my ponytail again.

“Repeat that,” he said calmly, the undertone almost menacing. When I didn’t respond he tugged my hair even harder and a sharp pain seared through my scalp.

“If you don’t release me, I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” he mocked. “Maybe this will teach you to stop running your mouth.” He leaned in, talking directly into my ear. I shuddered at the proximity. “You were just boasting, so show me what you’ve got, Rivera. Escape this simple manoeuvre.”

I hated him. I loathed him. I wouldn’t allow him or any other man for that matter, to belittle me.

Women in the FBI were always seen as less than, never respected, never treated equally.

He tugged my hair again and I groaned softly.

His hold was once again unrelenting. I stepped on his foot, then used my heel to kick him against the shin. He muttered a throaty fuck in my ear and my body tingled.

Something about seeing a man—no, something about seeing Ares in pain brought me immense pleasure. “That’s your plan?” he tightened his grip. “You’re playing dirty?”

“There are no rules when you need to defend yourself from potential harm,” I repeated the action, kicking him harder than before.

“Fucking brat.”

With the last blow, he shifted his leg and that’s when I made my move. I pulled hard, managing to free one arm and elbowed him in the abdomen.

This easily allowed me to pull my other arm free and I immediately gave a high kick, aiming for his head.

He blocked the action and grabbed my ankle but I used his hold as leverage, clutching onto the back of his neck.

There it was.

That look in his eyes.

It was quick but I saw it and for a brief moment his grip loosened. I quickly lowered my leg and used the other to knee him in the left rib.

“Shit.”

He stumbled backward, but effortlessly regained his balance. “You really are dirty as fuck when it comes to combat, aren’t you?”

He asked rhetorically, holding the spot I landed my blow.

I moved back, creating space between us. “Is it dirty or am I just better than you?”

“Better than me?” He laughed humorlessly. “High hopes. Overambitious. Overly confident.” He slowly walked toward me. “That’s what you are.”