Dale Brown watched from a distance as Ella Hawk wrapped her arms around the man beside her. It took him a mont to register who he was looking at—but then the pieces clicked into place. That man was none other than Nathaniel Hawk, Ella Hawk’s half brother—and, apparently, his own sister Serena’s close friend. His lips curled slightly in distaste.
Serena really did have strange taste. The fact that she had married Aiden Hawk—of all people—was already sothing he found utterly inconceivable. But to count Aiden’s half brother among her closest companions? That was sothing else entirely. Odd. He had a truly odd sister.
And yet, considering how she had so suddenly transford into this doting, ever-present younger sister—the kind who sent him ssages almost daily and asked about his well-being with an almost suspicious consistency-it all sohow seed- believable. Strange, yes. But believable, in that uniquely Serena way.
He’d thought that he had done well by protecting her from those people but he never realized what he was missing out on. Unexpectedly, Serena Dawn, his only blood relative in the world was soone he actually appreciated having in his life.
And now, he needed to handle this person who had actually hurt his little sister. He sighed. Usually, he would have not shown any rcy... but sothing inside him moved whenever he saw this girl and vulnerability. He firmly attributed feeling to worry about Serena not liking if he hurt Ella but his mind kept saying it was probably sothing else. He ignored that stupid part of his brain.
Finally, the man who had been talking to Ella for almost an hour now got into his car and drove away and Dale decided it was ti to reach the apartnt and begin Ella’s training. After all ti was of essence.
He waited a few more minutes after Nathaniel’s car disappeared down the narrow road, so that he would give the impression that he had just arrived a few minutes after his departure.
She’d already gone inside the small house and sohow he did not like that she did not return to her old position where she had been sitting under the tree peacefully.
He knocked on the door and when the door opened, Ella stood there, looking almost startled to see him, though she tried to mask it quickly. He raised a brow at her expression but simply asked, "Were you expecting soone else?"
She shook her head and stepped aside to let him in without offering a na. That annoyed him more than it should’ve.
He walked in without another word and made himself comfortable in the modest living room, leaning back on the faded couch like he owned the place... which he did but she didn’t know that.
Ella followed him, lingering near the doorway, her eyes darting toward him with that sa quiet wariness that had followed her every move since their first eting. Dale could feel the ension radiating off her in waves... and it scratched at his nerves.
"You find this place comfortable enough for now?" he asked casually and she nodded again. No questions. No explanation. No comntary. Just silence.
His jaw tensed slightly. She was like a ghost with all that hovering and skittish quiet- drifting around him, never quite daring to speak. He could handle fear. He could handle defiance. But this? This in-between guardedness, this unreadable stillness- he didn’t like it. Especially when he knew she could be different. He had just seen her smile at her brother. And even though it had not seed like a genuine smile, she had been comfortable.
She needed to be comfortable with him as well. For the mission. After all, if she was not confident, then how was she supposed to play the vixen and seductress? She was even a virgin... It was going to be a long road ahead.
"Co sit down," he said, gesturing at the empty space beside him. "I don’t bite."
He noticed how she flinched slightly at his tone but obeyed, starting toward the couch and that sohow pleased him and frustrated him at the sa ti.
"Not there," he said, just as she was about to lower herself onto the cushion. He needed to push her.
She froze, eyes wide, clearly startled as she stared at him. Challenging her, he patted his thigh and said slowly," Here. Sit here."
He didn’t move, just watched her offering her no explanation as she stood frozen in place. But deep down, sothing coiled tightly inside him as he waited to see what she would choose to do next.
A mont passed and he let out a breath. He was about to explain that she needed to be comfortable with a man, even an aggressor but before he could say anything, she stepped forward and sat down on his thigh gingerly.
She sat.
Gingerly, carefully, like she thought she might break sothing-him, maybe, or herself. Dale hadn’t really expected her to do it. He’d expected more of the frozen silence but here she was... sitting on his lap... light like a feather.
He blinked once. Surprised. But also pleased with her action.
His hand ca up almost of its own accord and settled on her hip. Predictably, she flinched again, her body going taut like a startled deer as she stared at him wide eyed. He didn’t say anything simply patted her side, as if trying to calm a jittery animal.
"We’re short on ti," he said ina low voice, "There are two major issues we need to deal with before this mission can even begin. First, your ability to defend yourself. And second..." He glanced at her, watching the way her shoulders stiffened slightly. "...your inexperience."
Her eyes flicked up toward his face and then away again. But she nodded.
"In the mornings and evenings," he continued, "we’ll focus on physical training. Strength, speed, reflex. Self-defense and attack if needed. I don’t want you relying on anyone else when things go south. You need to know how to survive."
She nodded again, smaller this ti, but steady.
"And in the afternoons and nights," he added, his hand still resting on her hip, "we’ll work on the other part of your training."
She went still.
Not stiff—but still. No nod this ti. But no protest either. She was processing. That was enough for now.
His voice dropped a fraction lower. "Since it’s afternoon already... we’ll start now."
Finally, she looked at him properly-uncertain, wary, but holding his gaze. That was new. That was good.
"Kiss ," he said.
The words landed between them like a gauntlet thrown.
Her eyes widened.
But he didn’t move. Didn’t elaborate. Just looked at her with that sa calm steadiness, as if this was as normal as asking her to lift a weight or throw a punch.
His fingers tapped once on her hip.
"Now, Ella."
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