Page 77 of Salto

I stilled, fear chilling my blood. I didn’t think anyone had noticed I was here before everyone else.

I’d done nothing wrong, but for some reason, the question still put me on edge.

“Oh…um. I’m doing some extra training to help manage my pain."

"With Rove?"

"Yeah."

"Every day?"

Before I could answer, Eva's eyes flicked over my shoulder.

I followed her gaze.

Sloane was down on the other end of the floor in the stretch lineup, and she was watching us. When our eyes met, she quickly looked away, and realization washed through me.

A sharp laugh escaped me. “Sloane sent you over here, didn't she?”

Eva's face immediately turned pink.

“No.” The answer came a little too quickly.

I raised an eyebrow, and Eva gave a sheepish smile.

“Okay, maybe she was curious.”

“Uh-huh.” I bent down into my cat stretch and shook my head.

“She just noticed you've been showing up before everyone else.”

It wasn’t any of Sloane’s business, and I felt irritation flare in my blood. Could this day get any worse?

"And she sent you to investigate?" I guessed, trying to keep the annoyance from creeping into my tone.

My fuse was dangerously short today.

Stupid hormones.

“I volunteered,” Eva said quickly.

I turned my head to look at her, eyes narrowing.

“Okay… she did ask,” Eva admitted. She gave another embarrassed little smile.

Before I could press her on anything else, Rove's voice cut across the gym.

“Alright ladies, let’s split up into groups.”

“Duty calls.” Eva hurried back over to where she'd been stretching beside Sloane.

Sloane wasn't looking at me anymore, but an uneasy feeling settled in my gut.

The last thing I needed was Sloane keeping tabs on me, too.

“Let’s head to bars.” Rove called out who would be going with him first, and I was among them.

Of course.