“Nicholas? What are you doing here?”

Crossing his arms, he tilted his head to the side. “Mark told me you asked him to teach you self- defense, but his duties are too essential to allow for the time to teach you. But, I do think it’s valuable for

I

you to learn. So I’ve decided to step in instead.”

I wasn’t entirely sure he was being honest here. Yes, Mark did have important duties, but surely so did

the prince? For Nicholas to be here instead of Mark made me wonder if there was more to this than he

was saying.

“I’m still mad at you,” I said. My hurt from the day before didn’t magically disappear.

“I’ll make it up to you.” He came closer. His eyes were earnest, even if his face was impassive. “I’m

proud of you, Piper. For how strong you are, and how far you’ve come all on your own. But I hope you will

let me help you now.”

My cheeks burned a little. “Just teach me, okay?” I didn’t know what else to say.

of his mouth. “Whatever you

one corner of the basketball court, some servants began to put down soft mats that

That way, if we fell,

up, Nicholas led me over there.

wearing a comfortable pair of sweatpants with a tank top. He wore some loose–fitting pants with at

t–shirt. I noticed just how tight it was when he turned his back

width of

and

Nicholas turned to face me again.

I want to show you how

and I try to grab

to stand, and then made a grabbing motion for me. A move,

mes before.

“Now twist.”

+15 BONUS

I twisted.

hissed in pain as I turned his arm in an awkward angle.

immediately released him.

he said. “That was

of the next hour, he showed me

for you, it’s not

for the groin or the eyes. Don’t ever back

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