“It’s a little weird being around her,” I admit to him.

“Why?” he asks, studying me.

“I don’t know,” I say, shuffling my feet.

“Tell me the real reason, Anna. You know you can trust me,” he cajoles, his expression not giving away anything.

I wring my hands together. “Fine, but don’t repeat this.”

“You know I won’t.”

I expel a deep sigh. “She knows my own brother better than I do, and he’s closer to her, so it’s . . . I don’t know.”

I can’t believe I just admitted that out loud. Nothing like letting a man with the power to break you see your weakness.

Arrow’s eyes flare in realization. “Your brother fuckin’ adores you, Anna, don’t worry about anything else. You let Faye in, she’ll be a good friend to you. Trust me.”

My phone rings. Damien’s name flashes on-screen.

Arrow sees it.

“Who the fuck is Damien?” he asks, in an even tone filled with restrained anger.

I roll my eyes. “A friend from school.”

“Why is he calling you?” he demands.

I lift my shoulder in a shrug. “How am I supposed to know? I didn’t answer the call.”

“You fucking him?” he asks.

I gasp. “What right do you have to ask me that?”

He looks away from me.

My phone rings again. Damien. It must be important.

Before I know what he intends, Arrow snatches the phone from me and presses the green button. “Hello,” he sneers into the line. “This is Anna’s man, call her again and I’ll be paying you a little visit.”

“Arrow, what the fuck?” I yell, trying to grab my phone back from him. “He’s a friend, you asshole! And I’m going to have to face him in class, so thanks a lot!”

Arrow steps back and I’m jumping in the air trying to get my phone back. He hangs up on poor Damien, who is probably traumatized, and looks down at me like I’m the one who did something wrong.

“At least now he knows where he stands,” he says in a smug tone.

“I’ve never wanted to punch someone more in my life,” I muse, poking him in the arm. “You’re turning me to violence!”

He has the audacity to laugh. “You’re fuckin’ cute when you’re angry, you know that?”

I huff. “Well, expect to see a lot of cute from me, then.”

He grins and hands me my phone. “Looking forward to it. Now let’s go and see Faye.”

I follow him out to the living area, quickly texting Damien that I was sorry and I would talk to him in class. He doesn’t reply, but then again I didn’t really expect him to. He’s seen the men who drive me home, so he’s probably scared shitless.

There goes my only friend in college. Guess I’ll have to make a new one next week. Arrow stops in his tracks, so I do the same. The place is still empty, but Arrow yells out Faye’s name, and she soon walks in.

“Hello, Anna,” she says to me, then hugs Arrow. “I hear you’re stuck with us for the next few days.”

“Looks like it,” I tell her, sitting down on the couch. “Where is everyone?”

“The women are out getting supplies. We like to stay stocked before we go on a lockdown,” she explains.

She really is beautiful. Wait, did she just say lockdown?

“Lockdown?” I repeat, looking at Arrow for an answer.

“What?” he asks.

“What about work?” I ask him. “I have to go to work!”

“I told Reid you aren’t coming in,” he says, leaning back against the couch.

“I’m sorry, what?” I whisper, my hands clenching into fists.

Faye cringes, obviously picking up on my anger before Arrow does.

I stand up. “You controlling bastard! I didn’t know I was literally stuck under this roof with nowhere to go!”

“Anna, calm down,” Arrow says, looking up at me. “It’s for your own safety, so I’m not fuckin’ sorry, and I know Rake isn’t sorry either.”

I see Faye look at Arrow curiously, a thoughtful look on her face. “You could have warned the girl.”

Arrow shoots her a look. “You think she would have come? She’s a fuckin’ spitfire.”

“Just how exactly do you plan to keep me here?” I ask him. “You can’t watch me twenty-four-seven, and with you being a man-whore and all, I assume there will be times when you’re busy getting your dick wet.”

Faye surprises me by bursting out laughing.

“Oh, fuck!” she says, tapping her hand on her thigh. She looks at me and grins. “I’ve never seen a woman, other than me of course, put Arrow in his place. This is gold.”

Arrow, on the other hand, doesn’t look so impressed.

“Don’t test me, Anna,” is all he says.

Don’t test him?

I look to Faye, the woman I didn’t think I liked but somehow in the last few minutes has become my ally. “I heard you’re a good fighter.”

She tilts her head, probably wondering what I’m getting at, but then nods.

“Want to spar?” I ask. “I could work out some frustration.”

She grins, widely, showing off perfect white teeth. “Hell yeah. Let’s go.”

“Anna . . .” Arrow says, warning in his voice.

I ignore him and walk off.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I hear him call out behind me.

Has no faith in me, does he?

I’m going to love proving him wrong.

DON’T worry,” Faye says, sounding genuine. “I’ll take it easy on you.”

I smirk. “No need to do that on my account.”

I tie my hair up so it’s off my face and stretch my arms above my head.

“You know, this is the first time we’ve actually been alone with each other,” she says, watching me.

I turn to the door to see Arrow standing there in the frame, his eyes on me. “Except for Arrow watching us.”

Turning my back on him, I face Faye and say, “You’re right. Even though these aren’t normal circumstances.”

Faye laughs. “Hey, you’re the one who wanted to spar.”

“I know.”

“A lot of frustration to get out?” she asks with a knowing smirk.

I purse my lips. “Something like that.”

When was the last time I’d even had an orgasm? I should really get that taken care of, and stat.

“Shall we?” I ask, as Faye stretches a little.

“We shall. Show me what you’ve got, Anna,” she says, stepping to me, raising her clenched fists in front of her body. “If you want to stop, just say when, all right?”

I nod and step closer to her. She strikes first, her punch aiming for my jaw. I block her arm before it reaches my face and strike back with my own hit. Neither of us is hitting with all our strength—it’s more about who can get in the hits than how hard they are. She somehow gets me in a hold, turning me around and wrapping her arm around my neck, applying only a little pressure. I elbow her in the stomach, which has her stepping back, her eyes full of excitement, and the corners of her lips turned upward. “I think I’m going to like you, Anna.”

I grin. “I hope I can say the same.”

She laughs then, and shakes her head at me. “Let me teach you something I learned last week.”

I perk up at the prospect of learning something new. “I’d like that.”

We share a smile.

Looks like I found some common ground with the queen bee after all.

*   *   *

Sweaty, my sports bra and yoga pants plastered to my skin, I walk out of the club’s gym and head straight to my room, wanting a shower more than anything.

“Now I see what Rake was talking about when he said you were badass,” Arrow says, leaning against the wall with one leg bent. “You held your own.”

I smirk. “I know. Now let me pass, I have to take a shower.”

His gaze rakes over me from head to toe, making me feel as though he missed nothing. When his eyes hit mine again, I can see the heat in them.

“Fuck,” he whispers. “You’re perfect.”