The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 90

Chapter

90

Mast parents seemed to prefer their daughters taking up pretty and elegant skills like dancing or playing the piano, and Willow wondered if Zane was the same. Did he think martial arts was too rough or inappropriate for a little girl? Disappointment filled Willow, and whatever light had filled her eyes carlier dimmed out.

"Of course not," Zane quickly said. "I'm happy about it.

Willow gaped at him, and he explained without prompting, "Once you learn martial arts, you can defend yourself even when I'm not around you. Why wouldn't I be happy about that?

Willow was so overwhelmed that she cupped his face and planted kisses all over it. "You're the best, Daddy!"

"Now, here comes the problem," Zane said. "Do you want to hire an instructor for private lessons at home, public class?"

or

do you want to attend a

Willow turned to look at me for

that you enjoy others'

didn't like speaking

to oblige with his daughter's requests. "You

him look around for a professional martial arts instructor to give Willow private lessons at

as ever, Eric found a qualified instructor no more than ten minutes after he got off the call with Zane. He reported dutifully, The instructor has won the national martial arts championship on several occasions and is a formidable practitioner. "His family was recently plagued

candidate. "Have him drop by the house tomorrow evening at seven to

lesson."

"Yes, sir," Eric replied.

gaze, he said, "Now that you've decided to pick up martial arts for self-defense, you have to train for at least two hours each day after school, okay?" Willow was about to complain about the long hours when she thought about the benefits of training. If training hard in martial arts could stop her peers from picking on

She nodded in agreement.

pinched her

at the affirmation, but she was so pleased about it that she ducked her

back to, so he said, "Willow, why don't you and Mommy go downstairs to

"Okay!"

!