Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(34)

“She’s just a little older than you are.” His voice took on a softer tone.

“You have an aunt who’s younger? That’s weird.” Lennox dropped into the chair beside him.

Quinn glanced up at James, wondering for the millionth time if he could trust him. He didn’t want these people knowing more about his family than they should. “My father is her much older brother. She’s only fifteen … sixteen now … and she’s an incredible fighter—even if she is small.”

“She’s fifteen and she trains? I guess I thought kids got to have an actual life outside this place.” Lennox frowned.

“She goes to school and she has friends but we all train every day, pretty much like we do here.” Quinn sat back and pressed his lips together as if to stop the flow of words. He didn’t want to be the reason Soma went snooping around his family any more than they already had.

“She has friends, though, so it has to be better than this place.” Lennox picked at a rip in her jeans. “So what, you’re going to kick my butt today?”

Quinn glanced back at James, wondering what his agenda really was.

Don’t worry about James, Lennox said in her peculiar way. He’s just doing what he’s told. He never tells them anything important and they don't push him. We can trust him. He’s just lazy, that’s all.

Quinn laughed at the kid’s honesty, wondering if James knew about Len’s situation.

“Quinn’s going to work with you for a while,” James said. “Just routine training, like always.”

“For what purpose?” Quinn asked, though he was certain today was just meant to give them another opportunity to connect now so Livia could use it against him later.

“Well, I’m not the best sparring coach and our little Len has some … personality conflicts with some of the other trainers.” He gave her a patronizing look.

“My personality is just fine. I can’t help it if everyone else sucks.” Lennox shot him a glare.

She’s a mini Allie. Quinn shook his head at the painful reminder of his friend.

“How about you show Lennox how someone small can take down a bigger opponent?” James suggested.

“Come on, squirt.” Quinn forced a smile for the angry little girl beside him. He might as well make this fun for her. She got precious little of that living here. “One of these days you’re going to grow into those limbs of yours.” He crossed the gym to one of the free mats.

“You sayin’ I’m short?” Lennox bit back.

“I’m saying you’re going to be tall … eventually, but right now you’re all arms and legs, so I’m going to show you how to use that to your advantage.”

“How?”

Quinn crouched low. “Come at me in an offensive strike.”

Lennox charged at him like an ox ten times her size.

“Good.” Quinn moved in a defensive sidestep, watching how Lennox responded, changing direction effortlessly. “Now use the span of your arm’s reach to overwhelm me as you come in for your first strike. You can easily reach my right shoulder and my left knee at the same time; use it to tip my balance and take me down.”

Quinn let her move in, showing her how to grasp him behind the knee and put all her energy into throwing him off-balance, using his weight against him.

The first time he went down, she kicked him for added measure.

“Sorry!” She reached to help him up. “I got excited.”

“Len’s a kicker. Better watch out,” James said dryly.

Quinn worked with her for most of the morning, under the careful watch of James—Livia’s eyes and ears. No matter what he said, at the end of the day, that was his job.

Lennox knew how to fight dirty, but her training was far behind what Quinn would have expected for someone her age.

“You’re fast and you have a good sense of how to move in a fight against someone bigger, but you don’t have to resort to cheap shots.” He rubbed his shin where she’d kicked him again.

“I find it quite satisfying.” Lennox laughed as she danced around him, eager to go again.

Quinn shook his head; the smile on his face felt foreign to him.

“Why do I hear laughter when I should hear fighting?” Livia asked from the observation deck above the gym. She stared down her nose, trying to give them her resting bitch face, but even Livia couldn’t help smiling at Lennox when she was clearly having fun.

“Did you see me flip this big ox?” Lennox asked.

“I did.” Livia nodded. “It seems he’s taught you a few new tricks. Care to try them out on me?”

“Bring it on, Liv.” Lennox grinned as Livia came down the stairs to join her on the mat.

Quinn couldn’t help but gape in surprise at the way Livia responded to Lennox—like a for-real, actual nice person.

Tossing her a bo staff from the weapons wall, Livia faced off with the girl, barely half her size but Lennox was determined to beat her. She moved fast and was a pro with the bo staff, but Livia kept her on her toes.

It was good to see Lennox enjoying herself, but it was bizarre seeing Livia act like a real person. When Lennox rushed in to grab her by the knee, Livia hadn’t expected it and went down like a ton of bricks. But she was ready for Len’s signature kick to the ribs and grabbed the girl’s foot, bringing her down beside her with a laugh.