Page 24 of Untamed

He steps up, his grin widening as his eyes lock on mine. There’s something unspoken in his gaze, a spark that feels electric. “Try not to be too disappointed,” he murmurs, his voice low and smooth. It sends an unexpected shiver racing down my spine.

He grabs the bar with a casual confidence that makes me grit my teeth. His movements are fast but controlled, playful in a way that feels infuriatingly deliberate. By the time he hits thirteen, he slows down, lets go with his right hand and drags out the lastpull with his left like he’s savoring the moment. When he finally drops to the ground, he’s barely winded, wiping his hands on his shorts with maddening ease.

“I could’ve gone higher,” he says, his voice dripping with smugness. “But I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

I laugh, sharp and short, masking the heat rising in my chest. “Oh, trust me. You didn’t.”

Our eyes lock, and for a moment, it’s like the rest of the gym disappears. The hum of machines fades, the clinking weights vanish. It’s just him, his gaze sweeping over me, staying a fraction too long on my lips. My pulse drums in my ears, louder than it should be.

I hop up and once more… crash out at twelve. It’s hard as fuck,ugh.

Then the clang of weights in the distance cuts through the spell. He steps back, his lips curling up like he knows exactly what he’s done.

“Not bad,” he says, his tone full of teasing arrogance. “For a beginner.”

I scoff, crossing my arms. “Beginner? You’ve got a lot of nerve.”

His grin deepens, and his eyes spark with something wicked. “I’ve got a lot of things,” he says, his voice dipping into something that makes my breath hitch. “See you around, beautiful.”

And just like that, he turns and walks away, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding against my ribcage. I’m not sure if I want to roll my eyes or chase after him.

Something about him feels dangerous. Familiar, even…

Where the hell is my head at? It’s like I’ve met two men straight out of my books these days, and I need to focus back onreality.

My phone pings, vibrating on the floor next to my water bottle. I freeze mid-reach, unsure why the sudden sound sends a prickle of unease crawling up my spine. It’s just a notification, another dopamine hit waiting to be claimed. But something stops me, a stubborn refusal to let my curiosity win.

I count to ten before finally checking, keeping my breathing steady. It’s probably just another?—

The sight of the name on the screen punches the air from my lungs. The phone slips from my hand, clattering to the ground, and I bite back a scream that threatens to claw its way out of my throat.

No. Not now. Not here.

Shawn

Hey, little sis. Back in town. Want to grab a drink?

Back in town.

Back in town.

The message is short. Innocent, even. But from him, it’s a bombshell, a ghost I’ve spent years running from finally catching up to me. The stepbrother who turned my childhood into a nightmare is back, and suddenly, I’m a trembling little girl again.

I wish I hadn’t read it. I don’t want to remember.

I force the phone into my pocket like that will bury the past along with it. My reflection in the mirror catches my eye—steady, fiery, and strong. I repeat the lie in my head like a mantra:You’re not her anymore. You’re not weak. You’re not helpless.

But the trembling in my hands says otherwise.

On autopilot, I head back to my apartment.

I have to get out of here. It’s hard leaving a place that’s familiar, that’s home, and venturing into the wide world of newness and unfamiliarity.

But my job can be anywhere now. Well, relatively speaking. And now that my influencer gig’s taking off…

I grab a book from my nightstand, clinging to its weight like a lifeline. Tonight, I’ll lose myself in a fantasy—because that’s all I can afford to trust. A world where women like me can find safety in surrender, even if it’s to someone dark, dangerous, and entirely unreal.

I can still see his predatory grin. I can still feel the way he held me in his clutches, terrified and cowering…

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