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Within minutes, h I wasn’t at all surprised when Phoenix appeared and silently went around to the other side of the bag and held it so it wouldn’t swing as much when I sla down my face and my entire body burned

Unfortunately, so did the rage

“Better?” Phoenix asked as he stepped around the bag to watch ainst the wall

“What do you think?” I asked

“I think you need to go change,” he said softly “I’ve got an extra shirt in aze to a black bag sitting on a shelf near the door It didn’t surprise y tank

“Thanks,” I muttered

I went to the bathrooym and stripped off ot my toet so I could wipe away the worst of the sweat A quick dunking of my hair under the cool water helped counter soh y for me, bottle of water in hand I took it and drained it with just a fes I wasn’t surprised when he handed me another bottle

“You want to talk about it?” he asked

“What’s there to talk about?” I asked in irritation “Don’t pretend that shit doesn’t piss you off too,” I added

Phoenix looked at , “We’ve heard “that shit” before First time you’ve needed to take the fucker out before the vic is even done telling their story”

“He’s not a victim,” I interjected before I could even consider what I was saying I didn’t knohy the term bothered me so much since I knew it hadn’t beenhowhow he’d fought back that day I’d woken hi of him as a survivor

I felt a wave of discoh me as Phoenix studied ood he was at reading people