Page 56 of Beautiful Scars: Unshakeable

I watch her face as Chase's hands move toward her throat. See the moment real fear starts to set in. She freezes under his touch, but doesn't move away, doesn't stop. He grips her throat, watching as tears fill her eyes.

My heart pounds as I watch Sunny struggle against her rising panic. I can see all of her emotions play across her face. Chase's hands rest light around her neck, but her eyes are wide with terror. Every muscle in my body screams to intervene, to rip his hands away from her.

"Breathe with me," Ty coaches, his voice steady. "In through your nose, out through your mouth."

Beside me, Levi's breath has gone ragged. We're mirror images of helpless anger and protective instinct barely held in check.

"I can't—" Sunny's voice cracks.

"You're okay Sunny," Chase says firmly, his hands still on her neck. "You're here. In the gym. With us. Look at the blue mat under your feet. Feel how solid it is."

Her eyes drop to the mat. Her chest still heaves with panicked breaths, but she doesn't pull away.

"Good," Ty encourages. "Now find three things you can hear."

"The... the fan," she manages. "Your voice. My heartbeat."

"Perfect. Focus on them as you breathe. You're safe. You've got this. Remember your power position—feet grounded, core engaged."

I watch her struggle to center herself, to push back against the memories threatening to drown her. I feel every tremor that moves through her body.

"I've got this," Sunny whispers on repeat, more to herself than anyone else. "I've got this."

"You do," Chase confirms. "Whenever you're ready, show me what you learned."

She takes one more deep breath. Then another. Her hands, which had been hanging limp at her sides, curl into fists. The trembling doesn't stop, but something shifts in her stance.

"That's it," Ty says quietly.

The movement, when it comes, is everything it should be. Her arms drive up between Chase's, and then out while she ducks, breaking his grip cleanly. She follows through just like they taught her—step back, create distance.

"YES!" The word bursts out of me before I can stop it. Beside me, Levi slumps in his chair, tension draining from his shoulders.

On screen, Chase is beaming with pride. "Absolutely perfect! Want to try it again?"

Sunny nods, wiping tears from her cheeks. But she's smiling too—a small, fierce expression that makes my heart clench.

"Same speed?" Ty asks, moving closer to spot her.

"Faster," she decides. "I want to do it faster."

They run through the drill again. And again. Each time, Sunny moves with more confidence, more control. The panic doesn't disappear entirely—I can still see it in her eyes, and the tension in her body—but she pushes through it.

"Look at our girl," Levi murmurs, and I hear the pride warring with pain in his voice.

"Yeah." My throat feels tight. "Look at her go."

On screen, they're teaching Sunny how to break another hold, this time adding the knee strike they taught her earlier. Chase staggers back, laughing with approval.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" He high-fives her. "Adding your own combinations already."

Sunny grins, flushed with success and exertion. "Can we try it one more time? I want to make sure it wasn't just luck."

"It wasn't luck," Ty assures her. "But hell yes, we can try it again. You've got this down."

I watch as they set up for another round. The fear is still there when Chase's hands come up, but now there's determination too.

Chapter Twenty-Five