CRYSTAL POV
I reset my posture. My hands shook slightly.. I curled them into fists to hide it.
Ryan moved again faster, not giving me the chance to settle, his body closing the distance between us in a single smooth motion that spoke of years of training, years of control, years of being exactly who he was supposed to be.
I reacted late.
His hand caught mine mid-block, twisting it just enough to send a sharp jolt up my arm before he stepped in, his shoulder pressing into me as he forced me backward, my feet scrambling to find stability that wasn't there.
"Focus," he said.
The word cut through me, not because of how he said it.
But because of what it used to mean when he did.
I forced myself to breathe, to steady my footing, to push back against him instead of lett
