Sweat stung my eyes as Jax slammed me into the training mat for the fifth time, his voice cutting through the air like a whip.
"Get up, Avery. Again. You’re moving like you’re still at that gala sipping champagne."
I pushed myself off the floor, lungs burning, muscles screaming. The private training room felt like a cage, all padded walls and harsh overhead lights with no windows. My tank top clung to my skin. "I’m trying, Jax. But you’re not training me. You’re punishing me."
He circled me slowly, bare chest glistening under the lights, fists raised. "Punishing? This is survival. After last night’s mess with Crowe, you need reflexes that don’t quit. Block or bleed. Your choice."
I wiped my forehead and lunged at him, throwing a punch that he dodged easily. "You think I don’t know tha
