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“Then why are you up at”—based on her pause, I assumed she was checking the clock—“three-thirty in the morning?”

I turned to glare at her.I’m going to the gym.

“Atthree-thirtyin the morning?”

Yes. Hell, I’d sleep in the gym if I could. Anything to get away from her and erase the memory of her body against mine.

My expression chilled.Go back to sleep, Ayana.

I didn’t wait for a response.

I left the room and headed straight to the hotel’s lower level. The fitness center was open twenty-four hours, but it was deserted at this time of night.

Ayana probably thought I was an asshole with mood swing issues. She wouldn’t be wrong, but the more she disliked me, the better.

The only thing worse than having the woman you were obsessed with hate you was having her try to befriend you.

I grabbed a pair of dumbbells. My skin still buzzed from our brief moment of contact, but I ignored it.

Instead, I channeled all my pent-up frustrations into a punishing workout. If Sean were here, he’d berate me for being reckless with my body, but fuck that. He wasn’t the one who had to sleep in the same bed as his friend’s fiancée.

After an hour of weights and cardio, I finally stopped the treadmill and sank onto a workout bench. Sweat poured down my face and back, and my muscles screamed with fury.

I welcomed the ache. It gave me something else to focus on besides the mental image of Ayana in a white lace gown. I’d managed to push it aside during my workout, but now that I was sitting still, it came roaring back.

I rested my forearms on my knees, my heart thundering in my ears. The mirror opposite me reflected my glare.

Even after all these years, my reflection was a kick in the gut.

The scar across my face had faded from an angry red to a pinkish white, while the burns around my neck had settled into a purplish pink. The ruined skin was as healed as it would ever be, but it wasn’t the aesthetics that made my insides twist.

Whenever I looked at myself, I remembered his screams. Smelled the reek of burning flesh. Felt the pain clawing at my face and throat.

Some things stay with you no matter how much time has passed.

Back then, I didn’t have the money and medical access I had now. Even if I had, I would’ve left my scars alone.

They were my price to pay for what happened—rage and guilt and horror all packaged into a monstrous visage for everyone to gawk at. A warning to stay away, and a reminder of what I’d done.

Even if Ayana wasn’t engaged to Jordan, she wouldn’t be mine. We belonged in different worlds.

But there were moments—days—when I didn’t give a fuck. Shebelongedby my side. And she was right there, only floors away, like the universe had dropped her in my lap on purpose to fuck with me.

My lip curled.

I tore my eyes away from the mirror and entered the adjoining bathroom, where I turned the water on full blast and took my second cold shower of the night.

CHAPTER6

Ayana

Vuk was already awake and dressed by the time I woke up the next morning. Perhaps he hadn’t gone to sleep at all, but if the lack of rest affected him, I couldn’t tell.

He sat at the living room table, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper while I got ready. Broad shoulders and rough edges, his shirt open at the collar to reveal a sliver of lightly tanned skin. Not a trace of fatigue marred his glacial features.

I didn’t bother saying good morning. He didn’t deserve it after last night.

Petty of me, I know, but I was tired of getting rebuffed. I didn’t believe for a second that he suddenly got the urge to work out at three a.m. He just didn’t want to be near me.