ed. Replaced by a sur

funny?" she deman

he bead of blood from h

ecessary. You've finally learned to

s hurt, her first instinct was to blame herself. To

times she had yielded to Gisele. Each confrontati

continued, voice a low murmur. "

for the night. As he walked toward the do

e said. "This

r given him. The first bounda

His eyes unreadable. Studying her. The tension in the

in a ghost of a smile. He said nothing. Simply turne

he latch was l

. She sagged against the wall. Her heart

had pushed Ashton N

liar sense of contr

Instead, Ashton led her to an outdoor training

stood waiting. Cold, dead ey

ve the man his orders. "Teach her how to be lethal. Don

Chloe. Dismissing her

ed her onto the packed earth again and again. Pain wa

ot back up. The fire in her eyes burni

he sidelines. A silen

locked his forearm across

nstantly transported her back to the clif

nd primal, c

t Rocco's strengt

ugh her terror. "The courage you had when you

s were t

Instead, she focused her remaining strength a

sfying

. She twisted, sinking her teeth into the fleshy part of hi

pain and surpris

ughing and gasping for air. Her eyes were b

tle of water. For the first time, his v

ing to look like a

Didn't bother with thanks. Drained

hem had shifted. Su

sleep refu

dge. Felt the icy water closing over her head. The

muscles screaming. Her mi

r. She was just... Chloe. The girl who apologized too much.

had offered her an out once. A quiet life somewher

s bruised. Her arms felt like lead. She stared at the d

time. The way her lungs had burned. The way the l

ed. Her fingers cur

asn't goi

n't give herself that excuse. If she was going to drown again,

the dark. The ghost of the girl she used t