and twisted side to side, before leaning over to the side and stretching my oblique muscles while studying the gym. “And this hall isn’t set up like this just for fun, so something else is going on.” I turned back to face Connor, who had an intense look on his face as he studied me. “That’s right.” His expression darkened, and he gently took hold of both of my wrists to halt my stretching. “Wait. Stop for a second.”
I didn’t miss his throat bob, or the tightness in his jaw as his mouth pressed into a thin line. I twisted my wrists and wrapped my fingers around his muscled forearms, trying to ignore how good it felt to touch him. “What’s wrong?” I whispered. He didn’t speak for a moment. “Connor?”
“It’s better if we discuss it somewhere private. Will you come to my cell after we’re done here?”
“Wait.” I smiled up at him. “Are you asking, or telling me?”
“Asking.”
“Wow, that’s a first.” I smirked.
His broken tooth made another appearance. “Well, will you?”
“Maybe.” I was being deliberately obtuse, but sue me for wanting to push, just a little.
“Ember. This is important.” His smile slipped, and his voice held a note of urgency as his grip on my wrists tightened.
This close, I couldn’t deny my attraction to him. Black bled into his blue irises until there was a startling mix of both. Stepping closer was instinctive. I peered up at him, my body screaming for his. I wanted to jump up and wrap my legs around his waist and kiss the hell out of his beautiful mouth. I didn’t care about all the people around us in the hall, just that he was alive, even if he wasn’t the same person he used to be. “Say please,” I whispered.
He brought my hands between us and pulled me closer, effectively trapping them between our chests. He gave a growl that vibrated through me, but his eyes turned wholly blue again. “Please.”
I swallowed hard. I hadn’t expected him to give in so easily. I was at a loss now. Connor was used to ordering everyone around—including me—he always had, and I had always defied him, but now I didn’t know how to behave in the face of a request from him. I had no reason not to go; besides whatever he wanted to tell me was enough to make worry darken his expression, and I didn’t like it. I nodded and stepped back a bit. He released me and did the same.
“I’ll explain why later, but you need to be in this gym everyday honing those fighting skills you seem to have at your fingertips.” He cocked his head and studied me. It was like being pinned to the spot by a predator who was assessing your strengths and weaknesses before attacking.
I shifted back further, aware we were being watched by a large number of people, including Drake, not that I was worried. I now had Connor’s alpha pack and Drake to protect me. “Who am I fighting?” I stepped even further away. Of course, I didn’t need to ask, the light in Connor’s eyes said it all. I shifted my weight and began to circle him, watching for any sign he might move. Blue eyes twinkled back at me as he tracked my movements, but his body remained relaxed, or as relaxed as I imagined Connor ever was. The next moment he grabbed the hem of his muscle tee and lifted it off.
My footsteps faltered and my eyes feasted on the sight of Connor with no shirt on. And what a sight it was—hard muscle met my hungry gaze, and the dips and planes of his washboard abs had me drooling. I forced my gaze away from the line of dark hair that ran from his navel down below the waistband of his jeans. Just as my eyes were landing on pecs made in heaven, an arm grabbed my throat and yanked me back. I grunted and found myself pinned against a hard, tall body with a training dagger against my neck.
Connor grinned, and leaned back against the ropes opposite me. “Distraction can be a powerful tool, Ember.”
I rolled my eyes and instead of struggling, sagged into my attacker. It was strange, but the male behind me felt familiar, his scent pulling at the chords of my memory. I pushed them away and smiled sweetly. “Piss off.”
Connor chuckled. “Admit it, even though you ran from me yesterday, you still thought you were going