Avery’s pov

The gate didn’t open until I punched the code a second time. My fingers were shaking so bad the numbers blurred. The compound sat behind black iron and thick trees, looking more like a private fortress than any gym I’d ever seen. I gripped the strap of my duffel harder and forced my legs to keep moving up the long driveway.

Dominic Kane stood at the top of the steps like he’d been waiting there the whole time. Tall. Broad. Black training pants and a plain dark shirt that clung to his chest. No smile. No greeting. Just those cold eyes tracking every step I took.

“You’re late,”...