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Max grabs another set of gloves off a shelf with his name on it. They’re more worn than the others, obviously well-loved and used. He puts them on the bench at the back of the room before walking over to me, rolling his shoulders.

“Give me your best hit,” he says.

His cockiness makes me grind my teeth, and without hesitating, I slam my gloved fist into his chest. Max doesn’t move. In fact, the only reaction from him is his chest shaking with laughter.

“You can’t be serious,” he says mockingly.

I growl and hit him again, putting more weight into it.

He just continues to chuckle. “Aren’t fae supposed to be strong?”

I recoil, his words slicing into me. This is why I didn’t want to do this. I turn away from him and throw the boxing gloves on the floor before grabbing my stuff and leaving the room. My whole body feels wrong. His question was meant to strike a nerve, tospur me on, but it hit the wrong pressure point. He wanted to incite anger and fire. Instead, he touched on something vulnerable and raw. It is so deeply buried that I didn’t even know it was there.

“Coward!” I hear him call out to me, but I just keep walking. My fight-or-flight response has taken over, and I have chosen flight.

The wind chill makes me shiver, and I up my pace a little, feeling eyes on me again, feeling him there. There’s a soft growl in my ear, and I stop walking.

“What do you want from me?” My voice shakes a little, and I curse his ability always to find me at my lowest point.

His shadowy projection steps in front of me, and I’m once again taken by how large he is. He softly brushes a lock of hair behind my ear.

“So gentle now?” I whisper.

“When it suits me.” I can hear his smirk, and his voice sounds a little louder than before as it brushes past my ears.

“You want to hurt me,” I state.

He circles me, his presence brushing against me and making me shiver. “You think you have me all figured out?”

“I don’t know anything about you,” I say, and even I can hear the hopelessness in my voice. “And you know nothing about me. So, please,” I swallow, “leave me alone. Please.”

His laugh is dangerous, terrifying, and intriguing.

“Please. Please leave me alone,” I beg, and I hate the sound of it. I long to be strong, but I’ve been hunted for years. While this feels completely different, it exhumes feelings and desires I am desperate not to examine.

“Why?” The question is short and simple.

I look up at his form, shadows curling around him, and try to muster up an ounce of the inner strength I used to pride myselfon having. I needed it when I was alone, but I am not alone anymore, and it might be making me weak.

“Because I want you to,” I say lamely.

He snickers cruelly. “Do you always get what you want?”

I look away. My eyes burn like they do before those rare, precious tears leak down my cheek, but as usual, none come. “Hardly ever,” I whisper.

“Soon, little fae.”

“Leave me alone. I am with Connor.”

He shrugs. “It won’t matter.”

Confusion furrows my brow. That sense of danger amping up inside me again.

He cups my jaw, dragging his thumb along my bottom lip. “Better run home, little fae. The monsters are still out.”

I back up a step, and I can feel his gaze on me, his head cocked predatorily.

“Run.” The word brushes against my ear and down my spine like a lover’s touch. I take another step back before turning and sprinting toward the Morningstar House. My heart races in my chest, pounding in my ears.