Page 43 of Celestial Combat

June.

The front desk. The training floor. The locker rooms.

And then…

I found her.

A younger version of her, standing at the front desk, in a tiny two-thousands-like outfit she wore like armor. Huge sunglasses hid most of her face, but I saw it.

The bruises.

The hesitation.

The way she shifted her weight on her high heels, like she was making herself taller.

I turned up the audio.

I kept watching. And then…Istepped into the frame.

I barely looked at her. Just grabbed some paperwork from the desk and…

I felt my own words hit like a blade to the gut.

Kali stilled.

She turned her head slightly, looking toward me.

But I didn’t see it then.

Didn’tlook.

I just walked away.

On the screen, I saw it –

The way her shaky hand came up to wipe her cheeks, like she was holding something back.

The way her shoulders stiffened.

And then, after a second, she turned and walked out.

Just like that.

I stared at the screen.

Four years ago, she had come to Python – tome– for help.

And I had shut her down without a second thought.

I exhaled slowly, pressing my fingers against my temples.

I wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

And as for thebastardwho did this to her…

I was going to find him.

And when I did, I’d make sure he never touched another woman again.

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