Page 44 of Celestial Combat

A week.

An entire damn week.

I hadn’t seen her since that night in my office. Since she walked out with that sharp edge in her voice, her eyes burning with something that wasn’t just anger – it wasmore.

And now she was avoiding me.

My patience had just about run out.

I was going to have to hunt her down myself.

I exhaled through my nose, pressing the elevator button with more force than necessary. The private lift hummed as it ascended from my warehouse office to the front-end operation upstairs – the officialPythongym, all pristine white walls.

The moment the doors slid open, I stepped out and then through the door of my front office, walking through the space with sharp purpose. A few trainers nodded in greeting as I passed. I responded with quick chin lifts, keeping my eyes moving.

And then I saw her.

Across the gym, in the free weights section.

Kali.

She was sitting on a bench, pressing a dumbbell overhead, her movements sharp and controlled, her focus locked straight ahead.

Right beside her, Tony DeMone.

The twenty-year-old kid who was now a full-grownproblem.

I made my way toward them, the sound of weights clinking and low conversation buzzing around me.

Tony caught sight of me first. His black eyes flicked up, his mouth pulling into a lazy, knowing smirk. “Zane.”

Kali, on the other hand, didn’t look up.

Didn’t acknowledge me at all.

I stopped right in front of them, my presence casting a long shadow over the bench.

“Tony,” I said, voice calm. “Give us a minute.”

He set down his weight, about to stand.

“Don’t bother,” Kali argued, her voice even more unbothered than mine. “I don’t have anything to say to him.”

Tony paused. Looked between us. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

I let out a slow breath, forcing down the flicker of irritation in my chest.

“Tony,” I repeated, this time quieter.

Tony hesitated. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, stood, stretching his arms over his head. “I need to take a leak.” He walked off, leaving us alone.

I watched him go before muttering, “Charming.”

Kali let out a scoff under her breath, barely sparing me a glance before standing and moving to another machine.

I followed.

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