He glanced down at her. “You really are a tiny thing aren’t you?”
Andie frowned. “Don’t let my size fool you. I can pack a wallop when I want to. Even with a broken arm.”
A.J. laughed, but she caught the sneer in it. “I’m sure you can.”
Andie just rolled her eyes. She hated being patronized. Men were so dense sometimes. They never took her seriously until she showed them they needed to.
Keeping her left arm protected, Andie suddenly crouched. One leg shot out and she spun low to the ground, sweeping A.J.’s feet out from under him. As he landed on his back, she was on top of him, her knee on his windpipe – not crushing, just sending a message.
Before she could get her point across she was flying through the air. Andie tucked into a back flip, landed on her feet, and then spun and launched herself backwards in a one-handed back handspring. A.J. had just gotten on his feet when her legs wrapped around his neck. She used her momentum to drop him back to the floor.
Andie ended up in a crouch close by. Just like the powerful cat she was.
A.J. held up his hands in surrender. “All right, wildcat. You’ve proved your point.”
Andie glared at him. “Don’t doubt me. And don’t pander to me,” she said in a harsh voice. It was made harsher, perhaps, by the fact that she’d just realized exactly how incredible his blue eyes were. They were a vibrant color made even more interesting by the black ring that rimmed the irises. And she was more than irritated with herself at having noticed that at all.
He levered himself up off the floor. “Fair enough.”
The only thing that kept her from proving her point more – because she suspected he’d held back – was the small amount of respect she could see in his eyes. With a brusque nod, she continued to follow him down the hall.
“So where are we going again?”
“First we’re going to the medical rooms. Need to get you healed up before we start testing you. And then we’ll find you a place to stay.”
Andie wasn’t surprised to hear there would be tests. Loyalty was key in a dare. Skills were also coveted. She’d have to show them both. For now, she said nothing.
This is going to be good!
I love it! Can't wait to read the full thing!