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I know Hadria’s right. We do need to train them. They’re weak and arrogant when they come in, and it’s up to me to get them into shape—so they can keep themselves alive.
I spend a few minutes pummeling one of the heavy boxing bags, its thick canvas embracing each punishing blow. The rhythm calms my mind…for a few blissful moments, at least. Until my thoughts inevitably stray.
I see Scarlett naked again, pouring cold water all over herself like she was daring nature itself to try to kill her. The way she bent over and?—
Nope.
Nope, nope, nope. I viciously punch at the bag, my next strikes landing with bone-jarring force. I’ve trained myself to suppress such pesky human weaknesses. Attraction is a flaw, a liability.
And yet…Scarlett’s arrival in my life upended everything I thought I knew. Cracked open fissures in the thick armor I thought was impenetrable, allowing flashes of unwanted tenderness, protectiveness...
With a snarl of disgust at myself, I abandon the heavy bag and head back upstairs for some fresh air. All these lingering paint fumes must be making me hallucinate or something.
I nearly collide with Mrs. Graves in the foyer as I stalk through. She stiffens almost imperceptibly, then turns away.
I reach out, grasping her arm before she can go. “How long are you going to give me the cold shoulder?” I demand in a low tone.
Her lips tighten. She says nothing.
“You’ve been part of this Syndicate for years,” I point out. “You know how we operate. What’s your problem this time?”
“My problem? You know what my problem is, Lyssa, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
I flinch inwardly at her words, grateful my face reveals nothing. “You’re angry at me for doing my duty. What about Hadria? She gave the kill order. I just followed it. You want to be pissed, be pissed at her.”
Mrs. Graves’ expression softens slightly. “I’m no happier with her than I am with you, if you must know. But I hate to think you let your duty override your heart so easily. It’s unhealthy, Lyssa. It’s—it’s dangerous to live that way.”
“That’s pretty rich, coming from you,” I say bluntly, but I manage to bite back the rest of what I want to say. Why bother? Pointing out that she’s no stranger to vengeance herself won’t do any good.
But she knows exactly what I mean, I can see it in her face.
“Yes,” she says softly. “Yes, it is. But I don’t want to see you ending up like me.”
She pats my arm in a rare gesture of affection, then turns and walks away, leaving me staring after her.
CHAPTER 7
Scarlett
I glare daggers at Lyssa as she strolls in two nights later, tossing her hair back like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Where the hell have you been?” I snap. She’s left me waiting and wondering for two whole days with nothing but my rage and my fear to keep me company. “I was getting ready to hitchhike back into the city!”
Lyssa holds up a hand. “Easy there. I’m sorry you’re so pissed, but I had Syndicate business to handle. Brought you food, though.” She tosses a paper bag over.
I don’t catch it, letting it land at my feet and then I’m still so angry I kick it aside, scattering the contents across the barn floor. “I’m starving because you never showed up yesterday, you ass!”
“Well, I guess you must not be that hungry,” Lyssa says, looking at the food.
The urge to wrap my hands around her smug throat is getting stronger. I tamp it down with difficulty. “Where. Were. You?” I grit out.
“Like I said, handling business.” Lyssa bends over and starts salvaging what she can from the spilled food. It’s more protein bars and plastic-packaged sandwiches, so it’s mostly fine. “The Syndicate moved back to our base at Elysium. Left that Bianchi hotspot for good.”
She glances up at me and must read the doubt in my expression because she holds up a hand again. “Relax, it’s a good thing. Means you and I can do something I wanted to do for a while.”
“And what’s that?”
“Go back to Grandmother’s house.”
