Lucas stopped dodging and playing, bringing back the spar into an exchange of fleshy impacts with Estrella trying to overpower him. His counterattacks were timed to be sharp and painful.
The sounds didn't get to the level of artillery impacts, but they still proved the strength behind the blows.
After putting down Estrella one more time by striking the side of her knee, hitting her in the ribs and adding an elbow strike to her jaw, he retreated to leave her some space.
Maybe some men would feel pain on behalf of their lovers in his situation, but he didn't feel any of that. He was not sadistic, not even for fun, but his girlfriend didn't need his pity. Before being his woman, she was her own person. And since she wanted to climb higher, he could only let her experience the sharpness of the rocks, the harshness of the wind, the pain from the journey toward the ambitious goal.
