Until Her - Ami Van Page 0,56

to her memory, this might have been the first time she’s seen Brooks looking forward to something. It should have been a warning that she was going to get her ass handed to her.

Over and over again.

Of course, she can appreciate the workout. She welcomed it versus her lonesome gym routines. It helped that she’d found she wanted the knowledge. Even though this was her first day at training camp, her spirit and her confidence soared. She felt empowered at the mere thought of being able to defend herself. She’d never tried to before. She’d been hopeless under the Romanos’ thumb…under the drugs. She’d thought the drugs would someday take her under anyway.

Exactly two hours after Brooks first showed her how to get out of a hold if someone was holding her from behind, he handed her a bottle of water and walks off. She watches him stroll away with his sweat-soaked shirt clinging to his broad back.

“He won’t be coming back,” Tommy says to her.

“We’re done?” she asks, breathing heavily.

“Nah. He and I are done,” Tommy replies. He nods toward the front of the mansion. “Come on,” he says.

She doesn’t ask questions. Mainly, because she’s still trying to catch her breath and inhale the water from the bottle at the same time.

They reach the front of the house and that’s where she sees James and Jason standing next to a blacked-out SUV. Tommy walks up to them and gives them each a good high-five.

“She did well today but she’s all yours now,” Tommy tells them.

He turns back to her with a grin. “Pay attention to what they tell you. They know what they’re doing and they’re fucking good at it too.”

“Excuse me?” she asks, confused.

“You’re gonna learn how to shoot today, ma’am.” Jason tips his baseball cap at her with a much too wicked grin. “We’re taking you to The Fields. Don’t worry. We’ll start you out slow.”

The Fields? Where the hell is that?

Chapter Twenty-Four

The sound of his family’s laughter echoes around the lake. Sunday dinner ended an hour ago. The kids are getting ready for bed and the adults are lounging around after a long week.

He tries to refocus his attention to what tale Chase is spinning that’s so funny but he can’t seem to get his mind to wander far from Ariana. The sound of her laughter is pure and draws him in.

This is how she’s meant to be. Free. Free from her cage. Free from her mind. Free from the drugs. Free from the process of recovery.

Chase continues with his story as the pen in his hand continues to doodle whatever it is that he’s in the process of collaborating with Ariana.

Ah, yes. That’s what brought the laughter.

Ariana was deep into her sketchbook after dinner. Chase, of course, had to partake with his expertise, making suggestions here and there before words fail him for once and he takes Ariana’s pen and began his scribbling.

Don’t get it wrong. Chase is talented. He’d hand-drawn every single one of their tattoos. But he wonders if he should mention to Ariana that his brother hasn’t taken a single art class since high school…when it was a requirement. Maybe then the asshole can deflate his big head down a couple of hundred notches.

Then again, at least they seem to be getting along now and whatever issues Chase may have thought existed with Ariana doesn’t seem to exist anymore. She seems to have coasted into the family seamlessly.

“We should talk about the birthday party,” Derrick announces when he returns to Stella’s side after putting the baby down for bed.

Leave it to Derrick to put a damper on a good time even though he’s right. Things need to be discussed.

“Is it the baby’s birthday already?” Ariana asks with brightened eyes.

It cracks his armor a little more each time to see her excited about something. It’s going to crack more than that when he tells her what’s going to happen.

“That won’t be for another month,” Stella answers.

Chase drops the pen and leans back into his patio chair. He sees Chase looking over Ariana with a hint of sympathy.

“Tomorrow night, we’re celebrating Chase’s birthday at the Whiskey Gypsy. It’s tradition,” he tells her.

Her smile beams and her eyes twinkle. It makes his heart sink at the same time.

“Ariana,” Stella says this time. “Isabella and Cristian will be there which means you can’t come along.”

“It’s business and was a request from Don Mazzilli,” Chase quickly adds in to save him. “We have to play by their