d leading to The Gauntlet. Olivia stepped out, the very picture of power and in

olding her ha

tal, and his movements were mechanical, his gaze fixed on the grimy stones i

itors," the d

a second, his mind went blank. She was here. The

a warm, easy smile. "I' m David, Olivia' s fiancé. You

t Alex' s head, a casua

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the training took over. He stopped, took a shallow breath, and cau

ugh his body. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong. But sh

ol and measured. She wanted to see remorse. She wanted to

he flood of memories. A year of torment. The rats, the floor, the beatings, the blo

ice, when it came out, was a raw, barely audible whispe

hed. "I understa

rose in her throat. A year ago, this was all she wanted. She had yearned for him to bend to her will, to understand his place. No

like ash in her mouth. "Now put thos

and turned toward her private jet waiting

lly close together, preventing him from taking full stri