Adonis | H.S

chapter thirty-six: ambush

Sweat ran down the valley between her breasts, her chest heaving as she ran, her ankles and knees throbbing in protest but she pushed further. It was a feat she'd made it this far, previously wanting to opt for another night in a dingy bar wallowing in her sadness.

Over a month since him, and she had only just gotten her drive back. She began her gym routine as normal, before a shift at the store, and then headed home to cook a healthy meal, usually accompanied by Mel. Mel, despite herself, kept tabs on her friend's well-being but was constantly reminded by Scarlett that she did not need coddling.

The treadmill shook under her sheer power, and she grinned as her watch beeped, alerting her stop time. She slowed, gripping the sides and catching her breath. Her trainer emerged behind her, clapping and celebrating her win. She grinned, taking a playful bow.

It had been too long since she'd worshipped her body. After what he'd done... what he'd said... she wasn't sure she could consider her body or her mind a temple of solitude. But she made sure that she rebuilt herself stronger. If she was ever in front of him again, she didn't want him to recognise who she'd become. As brief as they had been, he had done a number on her. From devotion to disrespect. In the blink of a naive eye.

Her phone rang and she answered it, using her towel to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She paced through the private gym, the city view stretched out in the windows.

"Hi, mom."

"Scar, honey. You're still coming for dinner tomorrow night, right?"

"Yes, of course." She smiled, forced. "I can't wait." Forced, again.

"Please don't come on that motorbike again. It'll put your father in a bad mood."

She bit her lip at the memory of Xander dropping her off the last time she saw her parents, and how they disapproved so quickly.

"Don't worry, mom. That won't happen again." More than she knew.

"Good. I'll see you at seven."

She hung up, feeling good to have some form of plans no matter how little she was looking forward to those hours with her parents.

"Same time tomorrow." She grinned at her trainer, heading off to shower and ready herself for work.

And with that, she realised that her life was going to resume, as it had been before him. The only thing she took from it all is that she was a goddess, her very own. Healing was hard, but it was part of the journey of growth. Her only regret was that she couldn't tell him how she truly felt. Both when she'd loved him, and feared him.

Sebastian watched through narrowed eyes at the mess of a man sitting across from him. He was concerned, naturally, by the blood spouting from a wound below Harry's left eyebrow, but that was just the tip of the iceberg of his worry.

"You wanna explain to me what the fuck is going on in your head?"

Harry shot him a bored look, his eyes void of any emotion, even as blood dripped down his face.

"Got nothing to say?" Seb scoffed, throwing his gun onto the seat next to him. He stared out the window as the driver steered them down abandoned streets, taking them to their meeting point.

Harry had tried. Tried to get back into a routine and focus on his work and what made him tick. But he couldn't focus. Couldn't be the hard and powerful man he and everyone else knew him to be. It had only been a month but the pain was just as fresh. He barely felt when he'd gotten whacked in the head by some security guard who now faired far worse, no thanks to Seb.