Frederic moved.
I ducked under his arm and drove my shoulder into his chest.
He grunted, stumbled back two steps, and laughed.
Actually laughed.
Something warm spread through me before I could stop it.
Fuck it.
“You’re distracted,” he said.
“Am not.”
“You are.”
“Maybe you’re just predictable.”
His smile disappeared.
“Oh?”
I realized my mistake approximately half a second before he grabbed me.
Frederic hooked my waist, shifted his weight, and suddenly the mat was rushing up at me.
I twisted before impact and took him down with me.
We hit hard.
He rolled.
I ended up on top.
For about one glorious second.
I planted a hand on his chest.
“Predictable.”
His eyes narrowed.
Then his arm locked around my waist and the entire room flipped.
My back hit the mat.
Frederic came d
