Page 62 of Knot Like Other Girls

I nod, already looking forward to it. My muscles are going to hate me in the morning, but right now I feel... good. Stronger. More centered than I have in months.

"For now though, you should rest," Savva suggests. "Before our esteemed client notices you've been doing something so… pedestrian."

I snort at his dead-on impression of Braxley's horrified tone. "Yeah, probably a good idea. Thank you, Liam. For everything."

He waves off my thanks. "Anytime. Really."

As I head for the shower, I catch one last glimpse of Cole. He's watching me with that intense gaze of his, but then he melts back into the shadows, silent as always.

Still, something has shifted between us.

Between all of us, really.

I'm not sure what it is yet, but I can feel it. Like the first tremors before an earthquake. Change is coming.

And for once, I'm not afraid of it.

Under the hot spray of the shower, I let my mind wander back over the events of the day. The park with Cole, Troy, and Savva. The wooden duck. Standing up to Braxley. Training with Liam.

I flex my hands, looking at my knuckles. They're a little red from hitting the practice pads, but it's a good kind of sore. Like the ache in my muscles. A reminder that I'm stronger than I thought.

Maybe that's what scares Braxley so much. Not that I might leave him, but that I might realize I can.

The thought should probably frighten me. Instead, it feels like waking up from a long sleep. Like pieces of myself I'd forgotten are slowly coming back to life.

I step out of the shower and wrap myself in one of the ridiculously plush towels, catching a glimpse of myself in the steam-covered mirror. I look... different. My cheeks are flushed, my eyes bright. I look alive.

I look like me.

When was the last time I could say that?

A knock at the bathroom door makes me jump. "Bella?" Braxley's voice, sickly sweet. "Are you almost done in there? I need to film my evening skincare routine, and the lighting is best in this bathroom."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. Yesterday, I would have rushed to get out of his way, apologizing for taking so long.

Today, I straighten my spine and call back, "I'll be out when I'm done."

There's a moment of startled silence from the other side of the door. Then, "But Bella?—"

"When I'm done, Braxley."

Another pause, longer this time. Finally, I hear him storm off, muttering under his breath about ungrateful omegas and ruined content schedules.

I smile at my reflection in the mirror, and this time, it reaches my eyes.

Yeah. Definitely stronger than I thought.

CHAPTER 19

TROY

Istretch out on the couch in the living room, scrolling mindlessly through my phone. It's been a few days since we moved into Braxley's penthouse, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the ridiculous opulence of this place. The leather beneath me probably costs more than my entire wardrobe.

Not that I'd ever admit that to the others.

A burst of laughter from the kitchen draws my attention. Bella's in there with Liam, learning how to make some fancy pasta dish. Her giggles mix with Liam's low chuckles, and I feel a pang in my chest.

She's been different since that day in the park. More confident, more alive. The training sessions with Liam have only amplified that change. It's like watching a flower slowly unfurl its petals after a long winter.

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