Valentina.
There was a large garage in the safe house, which was surprisingly well equipped. It smelled of old sweat and bad oil.
Now I knew the preferred room when the house was designed.
Reed stood near the centre of the garage, his arms crossed as he watched me with a mixture of patience and something else… something heavier.
“First thing’s first,” he said, tossing me a pair of boxing gloves. “We’re starting simple. Footwork, balance, basic punches.”
I caught the gloves clumsily, staring at them like they were alien objects. “Boxing? Really?”
“Got a better idea?” His brow arched in challenge, but his tone wasn’t mocking. If anything, it felt encouraging.
I sighed, slipping my hands into the gloves. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
“Atta girl,” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Idiot.
As Reed began demonstrating the basics, I couldn’t help but compare this to the time Matteo taught me his own basics, which included how to shoot a gun. His lessons were more about control than empowerment.
Did he even care about me at all? He wasn’t married to me technically, so I was just the girl who took her sister’s place in his life.
But Reed… he was different. He wasn’t here to assert dominance or prove a point. He was teaching me because he believed I was capable.
“Focus, Valentina,” Reed’s voice pulled me back. “Your stance is too wide. Narrow it a bit. That’s it. Now, keep your fists up.”
I adjusted my posture, biting back a retort. He was patient but relentless, correcting every mistake with a sharp comment or a guiding touch. Slowly, I started to feel a rhythm-punch, step, and reset.
“You’re not bad,” he admitted after a few rounds. “A little stiff, but that’s normal.”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Reed chuckled, stepping closer to adjust my arms. His hands were steady and firm, and I hated the way my heart stuttered under his touch.
Why did it have to do that?
“You’ve got power,” he said, his voice low. “You just need to trust yourself more.”
I looked up at him, startled by the intensity in his gaze. “It’s not that simple.”
“It can be,” he said softly. “If you let it.”
The moment stretched, the air between us thick with unspoken words. I pulled back, breaking the connection.
“Let’s just keep going,” I said, focusing on the punching bag.
Reed didn’t push, but I could feel his eyes on me as I threw punch after punch.
****
We trained for what felt like hours, my muscles screaming in protest by the time Reed finally called for a break. I collapsed onto the nearest bench, gulping down water like it was the elixir of life.
“You’re tougher than you look,” Reed said, sitting beside me.
“Wow, you really know how to flatter a girl,” I shot back, but there was no heat in my words.
He laughed, leaning back against the wall. “You’re adjusting well, though. Better than I expected.”
“Adjusting,” I repeated, the word tasting bitter. “Sure. I’m adjusting to having no money, no luxury, no sister, no Matteo… no torture.”
Reed’s smile faded, replaced by a look I couldn’t quite place. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
I shrugged, twisting the cap back onto my water bottle. “It’s just… strange. I’ve spent so long fighting to survive, I don’t know what to do with myself now that things are… quieter.”
“Quieter doesn’t mean safe.”
“I know that,” I snapped, then sighed. “Sorry. It’s just… hard to explain.”
“You’ve been through hell, Valentina. It’s okay to feel lost.”
“I don’t feel lost.”
Reed gave me a knowing look but didn’t call me out on it. Instead, he said, “You’re stronger than you think. You’ll figure it out.”
We fell into a companionable silence, the kind that felt more like a truce than anything else. I was about to suggest calling it a night when Reed spoke again, his tone hesitant.
“Valentina… there’s something I need to tell you.”
I turned to him, surprised by the seriousness in his voice. “What is it?”
He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been… I’ve been holding back something for a while now. And I can’t keep it to myself anymore.”
Okay…
What could he want to tell me? Perhaps this was the chance I needed to get him to spill the secret he was hiding.
“You can tell me, Reed. Whatever it is, I won’t judge.”
He looked like he was going to be sick… all green and stuff. “I like you, Valentina. I have for a while now.”
Oh.
That wasn’t what I’d expected… what I’d wanted. I needed information, leverage… not this.
But maybe I could use this, too.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” I stammered, buying myself time.
“You don’t have to say anything,” he said quickly. “I just… I needed you to know.”
I bit my lip, choosing my words carefully. “Why now? Why tell me this now, of all times?”
He sighed, running a hand over his face. “Because I’m tired of pretending. And because… because you deserve to know there’s someone in your corner who sees you for who you really are.”
His sincerity was disarming, and for a moment, I almost believed him. But then he added, “I know I’m not Matteo. I know I can’t give you the world the way he could. But I’d never hurt you the way he did.”
And just like that, the spell was broken.
“I don’t want to talk about Matteo,” I said sharply.
“Then we won’t talk about him.”
For a moment, we just stared at each other. While I was trying to gather my thoughts, Reed leaned in, his hand brushing against mine.
“I mean it, Valentina,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re worth fighting for.”
And then, before I could stop him, he leaned in further, his lips hovering just inches from mine.
Was he…?
My heart pounded so hard while a thousand thoughts collided in my mind. But instead of leaning away, I froze, caught between the desire to push him away and the need to see where this would lead.
“Reed…” I began, my voice shaky.
“Tell me to… stop,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin.
I didn’t.
Time seemed to slow as he closed the gap, his lips brushing against mine.
The kiss was tentative at first, as though he were testing the waters, waiting for me to pull away.
But I didn’t. I couldn’t. My body betrayed me, melting under the weight of emotions I didn’t even realize I’d been suppressing.
Reed’s hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss. His lips were firm yet soft, filled with a tenderness that was so different from anything I’d known. It wasn’t possessive or demanding… it was a promise.
But that promise was exactly what jolted me back to reality.
“I… I can’t.”
I didn’t wait for him to say anything before dashing out of the garage, my mind spinning with everything that had just happened. Reed’s confession, his kiss… it was too much, too fast. And yet, I couldn’t deny the way my heart had fluttered, the way my body had responded.
But what did it matter?
As I made my way back to my room, my thoughts inevitably drifted to Matteo. His name alone was enough to stir a whirlwind of emotions… anger, longing, confusion. He’d hurt me, betrayed me, and yet… a part of me still craved his presence.
What did that say about me?