CHAPTER SIX

DALLAS

"Let's get started, Mr Kang." I said, not bothering to disguise my voice.

I moved closer to him. He wore his fencing mask while I try to regulate my heart rate. I've been training him for a few weeks now but I always have my mask on around him. I hardly speak when I'm with him. I started training after I learnt that he was the buyer of my mum's necklace. I wanted to get the necklace back at all costs. The perfect opportunity came when he accidentally told me about the party his mother was hosting. I managed to get a few information about the party from him. It took tons of hard work, persistence, and a few other tricks to get him to talk.

But now that the party was over and I'm going to work for him anyway, I didn't see the need to hide my voice.

"Sword. Posture." I bit out orders.

Oliver picked up his weapon of choice. The epee. The weapon matches his personality. The epee is used for the slowest and most deliberate battle with the entire body as a target. Also, there is no using it the right way. It is the most savage of all disciplines.

The man was extraordinary in a very scary way. I had no idea how he was able to convince Lucien that I should come work in his house as a live-in maid. I would come home on the days I'm off-duty which is the weekends after every two weeks. I was surprised when Lucien sat me down and told me all about it, worse he didn't question me at all. I wasn't exactly comfortable with the arrangements but I convinced myself that it was only going to be for a few weeks. Oliver had promised to hire some private investigators to investigate my mum's death and the best lawyers to contest the will. I was willing to work for as long as it takes for me to get what I want.

"En garde." I said tilting my chin forward.

He melted into position so effortlessly as if he was born into the sport. He put his right foot out front, angled towards my direction, his knees were over his toes. Back straight. Arms loose and perfectly positioned. His position was so perfect that I wanedt to scream. Anyone who saw him at the moment would think he had been a fencer for years. It's took me months to attain that perfect position at the fencing academy but it only took him a few weeks.

I took heavy breaths as I took my position.

"I'm not going easy on you today." I gave him a warning.

"Bring it on, Martha."

The fencer timer began to tick down. Oliver charged towards me seconds into our first three minutes skipping the probes of an epee fencer. Okay, seems I'm not the only one going all in today. He was pretty aggressive. His sword aimed for my head but I was fast enough to dodge it, I retreated, then took a few steps forward. I made sure he regretted the foul he played. I sprung forward, took a dive to the floor, and cut him at the knees. He let out a deep growl at the contact earning a smirk from me. The timer buzzed adding a point to my tally.

1-0.

Take that, asshole.

He charged towards me again, this time aiming straight for my heart. I dodged it and took another cut at his shoulder.

"You need to work on your instincts, they're not as good as you think." I said as I settled on the en garde line.

"I'm not paying you to talk, Martha." He said, walking back to the starting line. He took his position. "I'm paying you to fence."

'Then fence we will.' I thought to myself.

I took my sweet time torturing him in the next match. I circled my sword in the air the whole time. He was on edge not knowing when I'll strike, his aims became fidgety. He paid me back with long and impressive strokes that were almost impossible to get with the spot I put him in. He would invade my personal space when I least expected and strike at me with so much hostility you would think I stole from me. Well, technically, I almost did. I dodged all his strokes but it was still impressive. He had extreme strength, speed, and combat joy, a very dangerous and deadly combination.

The point of his sword grazed my shoulder. The timer buzzed adding a point to his score. I grunted.

1-1.

"Don't be a sore loser, Martha. Be graceful even in defeat." he said as he retreated to the starting line.

He spoke as if he already won the match when it's just a tie. My competitive side start to dominate my entire being. I settled on my engarde.

"Wanna bet?" I asked.

"I don't bet with losers." he said.

There is that word again.

"Loser does anything the winner wants." I said. I had spoken in the last few hours more than I've ever in our three months of training. I had no cover to keep. Infact I wanted to blow my cover. I wanted him to know that I was the one who thought him how to use a sword.

"Sounds good to me." he said, mockery evident in his voice.

We advanced towards each other.

2-1

2-2

3-2

4-2

I had to admit, Oliver has really gotten good with swords. He had me on my toes the entire time. He moved seamlessly with elegance and unparalleled discipline. Midway into the match, I stopped keeping tracks of our scores. I just wanted to beat him. I never lose.

I swung my sword at me but he dodged effortlessly.

"Why fencing?" I asked the question that has been on my mind for a while now.

"You've become quite chatty these days, Martha." he said.

"Yeah yeah, before you ask if that's what you pay me for, I was just curious." I said, rolling my eyes behind the mask even though he couldn't see me.

"I box too, fencing is not the only game I engage in." he said.

"You seem quite passionate about fencing." I said. It was the truth. His fencing skills have improved marvelously.

He went silent and I thought he wouldn't answer.

"The touch of blade is preferable than that of humans." he said.

"What is wrong with humans?"

"Everything. For example, you talk too much for my liking." he said.

A frown settled between my brows. I advanced towards him, moving so fast, I attacked him faster, relentlessly, not giving him a break. He stumbled and fell on the floor, his back against the piste. He tried to recover and spring to his feet but I pressed my foot against his knee, stopping him from standing. I knocked out the sword from his hand. The scoreboard beeped.

10-7.

"That is one foul play, Martha."

"Sorry, I didn't know were playing fair." sarcasm evident in my tone.

He tore off his mask.

"Interesting." he said.

"That you lost the bet? Not such a graceful loser, I see." I said sarcastically.

"I have always thought of you as a monkey, I didn't think you'd be a bull, Red." he said and smirked.

Red. My heart stopped. I've revealed myself to him. But somehow, it felt more like an accident than a goal. I didn't say anything. My breath became shallow and I suddenly felt suffocated under my mask. I tore off my mask. I stared at him with a sneer.

He clickd his tongue.

"Even under a mask, your face looks as pathetic as your chess skills."

"Didn't stop me from beating you the first time." I bit out.

"Feisty huh!" He let out a chuckle. "I'm gonna have so much fun with you, my little monkey. Mine to break. To abuse. To enjoy." he grinned widely.

The gravity of my mistake downed on me. I shouldn't have agreed to work with him. Now he could do whatever he wants with me. At that moment, I did the exact thing I've always accused him of doing. I abadoned a game. I bolted out of the training room towards the locker room. His laughter trailed behind me as I vanished into the hallways.

Oliver didn't bother to stand up. He knew that even though I won the bet, he was at the top. I have accidentally walked into the lion's den.