riguez was every

a focused intensity

ly grace, her strikes

ce bar, her stomach twisting ev

ternoon, a blur of motion

Not romance, not

respect between two

y good for a newcomer. Maya

in Ash's vision, rig

D! MUTUAL ADMIRATION LEVELS R

range. Ash wan

e counter, her

g down tables when she saw May

size, handsy, his voic

furious, but

think. She

vy steel water bo

ce loud in the suddenly qu

neering. "Who the hell

cops if you don't back off," Ash sa

s eyes, un

at Maya, then at Ash. He grum

d at Ash,

voice low. "Didn't need y

h said, her hear

between them. Then, slowly

bar. Not about Ethan. About training, a

, fiercely independent, and had

She was just... a pers

to make weight for a fight, l

llness quest, blended a specific concoction Doc Ali

o Maya. "Try th

usly, then drank. Her

tually good. And I

d. "Glad I

Feed fl

NCE' SUBPLOT INITIATED. MAYA

CE' THREAT LEVEL DO

ed wasn't always ab

finding an ally in the

ecure, a little less like she was c

an was recovering,

nd who could probably break her

she could handle