JESSICA'S POV
I stood frozen in the shadow of the hall outside the study, my back pressed against the cool wall. I'd come back to grab a book I'd left in the main hall, but their voices stopped me cold.
"—shouldn't have taken her out there alone, Dominic. Not after that display." That was Sebastian's low growl.
"What, to train her?" Dominic shot back, his voice tight. "She needs to learn to defend herself. Or did you forget there are actual threats?"
"She needs to learn her place first," Julian's smooth, icy tone cut in. "You're rewarding defiance. Giving her special attention after she spat in our faces."
My breath caught in my throat. They think I left. They thought I was upstairs, hiding. Not listening to them talk about me like I was a problem to be solved. Anger, hot and sharp
