The training ground was thick with tension, the sharp scent of metal and sweat hanging in the air as Hendrix barked the order: “Stand by. Be ready.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dFgba9HOE
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The assembled unit, an elite squad of men handpicked for their power and discipline, tightened their grips on sparring weapons, stretched out shoulders, and cracked knuckles.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmJGuGIbmE
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A few exchanged glances; they lost to her a few weeks ago at their first meeting, smirking as if this would be a redemption match. They remembered her. They wanted another go.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyotuF7JsWc
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But they didn’t know that last time, Valentina was at a disadvantage. That she’d been fighting through an internal war. Her body had betrayed her with cramps so deep they laced into her spine, her lower abdomen pulsing with phantom agony.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOAq4JNACv
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She didn’t have a uterus as an intersex person; the doctors had confirmed that long ago: complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, with mixed internal structures. No menstruation, no bleeding. But that didn’t mean she didn’t suffer the cycle.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEd6WbW78w
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Dr Rebecca had explained it clinically—hormonal fluctuations, a sort of rhythm written in her partial ovarian tissue. High oestrogen surges and progesterone drops could send her system into a swirl of phantom PMS, muscle fatigue, pelvic tightness, and even a strange internal ache that radiated like claws pressing from the inside.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNNwQFDLk4
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But not today. Today, she's fine, great even. Balanced. Unburdened by pain. Today, she's at her peak.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVJDZqHsCS
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She walked to Hendrix’s office and dropped her duffel bag with the casualness of someone unbothered by what came next. No one noticed how her jaw set like steel or the precise way her shoulders relaxed. No one realised the predator had just entered the arena.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAnjf1Gj5i
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Then she walks to the ring, no helmet, no glove, not using any safety on her body. Hendrix knows from how silent her step is and how lightly she walks that Valentina isn't just an an ordinary female fighter.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDIdMuLAEh
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And everything changed; she jumped quickly into the ring. Her movements were silent, like water moving over stone. When she took her position on the mat, her eyes darkened—not with anger, but something colder. Focus. Precision. Lethality.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyUVijk1sj
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The men circled. Three volunteers. One after the other. Some of them had gone toe-to-toe with her before—and lost, yes, but they believed it was because she was lucky and they were too tired to fight her.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeVqscZl7L
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This time, they planned to make her bleed. They smirked, but she didn’t even flinch. She stood upright—no stance, no shift, no sign of weakness. Her body was eerily still, like a coiled wire. Every muscle perfectly aligned.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8hzwDjG3U
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Hendrix leaned forward from the edge of the platform, eyes narrowing. He could feel it too. The heat coming off her. The restraint. She was suppressing something. Something wild. And it thrilled him.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW91RzOt4WJ
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“Are you not going to start?” Valentina asked, her voice quiet—casual, like she was asking if he was done tying his boots. “If not… I will.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0IcqJLg50
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The first man rushed her with a roar, feeling humiliated, trying to capitalise on momentum. He charged in low, hoping to catch her mid-torso and flip her over with a body tackle.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGH01wZOVn
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In a blur of movement, she slipped to the side, her boot grazing the mat without sound. One palm flew up, cracking across his neck like lightning. A sharp gasp. His knees buckled. He fell in a heap—unconscious before he hit the floor.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU5WQvqutU
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A ripple went through the group. Jaws clenched. Someone cursed under their breath. Hendrix grinned. “She’s not even warmed up.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCC1J2YPFA
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The second man came in smarter—faster hands, guarded stance, low centre. He jabbed three times to draw her guard up, then swung low with a leg sweep. Valentina leaned back—too far, too smoothly. Her body bent like wind-blown grass. She caught his leg mid-swing, twisted her torso, and threw him sideways into the padded wall with a dull, thudding slam.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBizxBbzXH7
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He groaned and didn’t get up.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ037mgxa4M7
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The third man hesitated, but the pride was too strong. He surged forward, fists blazing, trying to confuse her with erratic footwork and feints. For a moment, it looked like he had her cornered. Then Valentina moved, a blur of motion.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qugU7X3y1
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One strike to the ribs—pop. A heel to the thigh—collapse. Elbow to the chest—wind gone. And then a palm to the face, not enough to break the nose, but enough to send him staggering backward like a ragdoll. She caught him before he hit the ground and laid him down gently.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwgqP8GdU5
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Mercy, because she could have crushed him. By now, the rest of the men had backed up, no longer laughing, no longer eager. She stood in the centre of the training ring, eyes steady, lips parted just slightly as she caught her breath. Not panting. Not strained. Just alive.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj426mXlFr
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Her skin glistened slightly under the lights; she hadn't even broken a sweat yet. Her heartbeat was calm, but her gaze—it was ice and fire all at once. Dangerous. Beautiful. Untouchable.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFD9sOhcgQm
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Hendrix rose from his chair slowly, the tension rolling off him like smoke in thick coils. There was a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes—not anger, not pride, but hunger.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA2YSoew3k
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The kind of hunger only a warrior gets when they find someone worth bleeding for.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLMa4vus9x
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For the first time in years, he felt it again—that itch in his knuckles, the vibration in his bones. Because he's facing someone who doesn't think of winning. Something deeper: the need to survive, and that's much more dangerous than a feeling to win.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxqUU4q6Xy
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He stepped toward the ring, fingers already unfastening the buttons of his shirt. He shrugged off his jacket and peeled the fabric back, revealing a wall of muscle hardened by decades of training. His scars spoke louder than his resume: burns, slashes, punctures, and faded bruises like ghosts of battles past.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7bFPmsJov
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“You guys aren't going to win against her,” he said to the stunned team as he climbed into the ring. His voice was low and heavy, like steel scraping across stone.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpGzzrManb
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He didn’t look at them. He only looked at her, Valentina.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY2SU74mdL
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"Be serious with me, Valentina," he said as he rolled his shoulders back, settling into his stance.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh9WYg79VB
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Across from him, Valentina stood motionless—an unwavering shadow in the centre of the mat. Her eyes didn’t flinch. Her jaw didn’t twitch. She simply looked at him and replied, “Why? You’re a civilian.” That earned a few sharp breaths from the watching men—some even looked insulted. But Hendrix? He laughed.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF7d9W6MWt
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“I’m not a civilian,” he said as he crouched lower into his stance. “I’m Hendrix Peterson. First Sergeant, U.S. Army, six tours, three continents. And now? I’m head of security for the most powerful corporation on this side of the planet—The Romanos. I’ve killed more people than you’ve probably met.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGLTyINmLn
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He cracked his knuckles. “I’m no civilian.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkHnyPMDES
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Valentina tilted her head, expression unreadable. “So I can go?” she asked again, voice flat, clinical.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpo23NsGNho
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He smirked. “Full force. Give me your best—or I’ll end your career today.” No one in the ring dared speak. This isn’t training anymore. This maybe will be a clash of titans.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzb1yAlGy9Z
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"Okay," Valentina said simply.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LBAIo1Axa
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She’d fought people bigger than Hendrix. Stronger. Crazier. In alleyways, jungles, and collapsed cities. With knives, with her bare fists, with blood in her mouth and fear in her chest. She had never lost. Not when the only other option was death.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EQsa5sJR2
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Hendrix lunged first.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLMnVGrUCa
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He's fast—faster than a man his size should be. A clean jab aimed at her ribs. She spun aside, weightless, the blow slicing air. He followed with a low roundhouse kick—this time, fast enough to almost catch her hip.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGyNpgKY8B
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She bent backward, spine like liquid steel, and sprang forward in the same motion—her fist cracking across his chin. A clean shot. He staggered. Just a second. Then he smiled, his teeth bloody.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Yh7NPxJme
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“Finally,” he growled.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRl3R4b4FO7
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The next minute was an explosion. Their limbs blurred. Fists. Elbows. Knees. Feet. Valentina danced just outside his reach, then cut in like a viper, snapping bone against bone. He grunted and returned with force, each hit calculated, powerful, and brutal.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFruILni5tt
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They moved like gods in a storm; the floor shook under their footwork. Breath came hard and fast. Blood started to spray—hers from her lip, his from his eyebrow. It didn’t matter.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3VI0ynB30
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Neither of them stopped.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEa1MkVyMTE
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Forty minutes in, Valentina’s breath began to show. A fine line of sweat traced down her spine, glistening under the harsh lights. Hendrix is bleeding, panting now—but grinning like a madman.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8gVBNWve0
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He loved her already; no one else had kept up with him in years. Not even close. She's young—yes. But sharp. Refined. Deadly. She wasn’t just strong—she was trained for war, and more than that, she had the instinct, the survival instinct.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JeWsZ9654
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The same kind he’d lost somewhere around the fifth tour; the final blow never came. After an hour, Hendrix stepped back, raised his hand, and exhaled. “That’s it,” he said, voice hoarse. “We’re done.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdjW8ao0rB
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Valentina blinked. “Why? I can still fight.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuInqwDgiSp
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He shook his head, still smiling, even as his legs trembled under the pressure,, but he masked it. “I know. But you need to report to HR. Get your uniform. Catch your flight, kid.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3cPKpBE31
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Valentina paused. Then relaxed her stance. “Oh… right,” she said, almost sheepishly. “I forgot. Sorry.” She hopped out of the ring in one fluid motion, collected her bag, and disappeared down the hallway like the fight hadn’t even happened.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wnNnH6quN
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Hendrix stood in the ring a moment longer, staring down at his hands. His fingers were numb. His breath was is uneven. His legs felt like stone. He looked at the blood on his knuckles and the bruises forming on his ribs.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYAhkufHsA
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Hendrix sat at the edge of the ring, one knee up, his shirt still clutched in his hand, the sweat drying slowly on his scarred chest. He glanced down at the faint bruise forming across his ribs—the same spot, hit over and over with surgical precision.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxWnimfXcY
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His fingers still tingled from the shock of her blocks. His joints ached. His lungs burnt. But he was smiling.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzIdvp4dd0
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“God damn,” he whispered to himself with a lopsided grin, voice gritty and full of something close to reverence. “She’s the real thing.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNFafX6M4K
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He turned his head slightly as Bastian, his ever-watchful assistant, stepped in from the shadows. Hendrix didn’t look at him at first—he kept his eyes fixed on the hallway where Valentina had vanished like a phantom—but he spoke low and sure:9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVuvEbZQaC
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“That girl’s a gem, Bastian. She’s built for long, brutal fights. Her technique is refined and brutal. Efficient. She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t hesitate. Her punch?” Hendrix smirked. “It’s deadly. Her kicks? Heavy. Unrelenting. She was trained to kill, not just win.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59rMxNfLI6
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“She played you,” Bastian murmured, as if still stunned.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuxhK8dc2m
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“She outwitted me,” Hendrix admitted, chuckling under his breath. “She kept targeting the same spot, again and again. My side is numb. That’s not luck. That’s persistence. Strategy. Awareness.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FWOPkB4ZT
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Another one of the younger recruits jogged up, eyes wide with concern. “Sir—are you all right?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKS6lPDJyFC
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“My hands are numb,” Hendrix admitted without shame. “She figured it out in minutes. And she doesn’t stop. She's perfect!” He exhaled and reached for his shirt, handed to him by Bastian.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oHK9I9anF
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"You mean," Bastian said carefully, as if double-checking what was already obvious, “she’s perfect to serve as Miss Luiza Romano’s private bodyguard?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIybEPLTHJJ
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Hendrix gave him a long, slow nod. “She’s it. We found the one.” He pulled his shirt back on, wincing slightly at the bruises under the fabric. “Keep her. Watch her. Make sure nobody screws this up.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9axU9xCxYB
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“Aye, sir.” Bastian’s response was immediate and reverent.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lNO7I40o2
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Behind them, the murmurs had already started. The men in the training compound—veterans, specialists, bruisers, and tacticians—were speaking in low, electrified voices.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AvIZYuQZj
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“Did you see her move?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIB982nROK
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“She didn’t even breathe hard.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM6Mw37KHr
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“She smiled while dodging Hendrix’s hook—smiled.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mIlIc6bQ0
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“She made it look like a dance. And Hendrix is a tank.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnF3IHP9Euv
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“The guy trained with Delta Force. And she made him sweat.” Word was spreading like wildfire.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MLptjHG6z
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She's no ordinary recruit; Valentina had become a a legend in an hour. The only one who had ever stood against Hendrix Peterson and held her ground—not just survived, but moved with grace, intelligence, and terrifying precision. And all without even tapping into her full strength.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHAf1HxsPn
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As Hendrix finally stood up and stretched his sore muscles, he muttered just loud enough for Bastian to hear, “She was holding back.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zmgAjccy1
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Bastian glanced over. “You’re sure?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJo3zMpwli2
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“I’m certain.” Hendrix’s eyes gleamed with a strange excitement. “And I can’t wait to see what she’s like when she stops holding back.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidXAUJwDG1
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The HR office was brightly lit, clinical, and packed with the dull sounds of printers, keystrokes, and the occasional impatient sigh. But Valentina’s presence made everything quiet. She stood, still slightly flushed from the fight, her posture perfect as ever, while Veronica Sinclair, head of HR, handed her a neatly packed bundle wrapped in crisp plastic.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0f3eJqj5v
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“Three sets of standard uniforms,” Veronica said, tapping the corner of each pile as she listed them. “Two for training. Standard issue: black slacks, white shirt, black blazer, tie, and boots. Practical and sharp—just like you, I suppose.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzthyaJ55nV
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“Yes, ma’am.” Valentina nodded.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaS0Bc17T5
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Veronica raised an eyebrow. “Call me Veronica, not ma’am.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1SlbUfbij
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“Yes, Veronica,” Valentina corrected softly, her voice still flat, polite, and and military-grade. She finished signing the final form, her handwriting steady and deliberate, and slid her banking details across the desk.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnfWaKx2a0
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“Here’s your flight to New York. Tonight, ”Veronica added, holding out the digital ticket. “And Hendrix will accompany you to HQ. That’s all.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAk5tp5kCcE
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Valentina reached for the papers. “Thank you, Veronica.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxV9n9YRmP
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But as she turned to leave, Veronica leaned back in her chair, eyes trailing up and down Valentina’s form, almost appraising. A slow grin spread across her lips. “Are you working out?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFtFNFE619
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Valentina blinked, her head tilting slightly, confused by the change in tone. “Yes.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJp23zwQrAT
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“Anything else I can get for you, Valentina?” Veronica’s voice dropped—husky and teasing.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyRlDJEaDT
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Valentina paused, sensing something was off. “No, thank you. Unless you need something from me, Veronica?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAk419JMJA
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Veronica’s grin widened. “Your number.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiOWnUMWmB
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“It’s… on my application.” Valentina hesitated.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3ylSibJcD
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The deadpan sincerity in her voice, the innocent confusion etched across her features—it was too much. Hendrix, leaning against the doorframe, burst into laughter. The room around them rippled with quiet amusement. Everyone in the Chicago branch of Romano Security knew Veronica Sinclair—openly queer, unapologetically bold, and never one to let beauty walk past without saying something.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSCOUYKjaJ
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But Valentina? She stood there like a statue—confused, unflinching, and unreadable.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMR4ttLC3Ox
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Veronica stood slowly from behind her desk, approaching with deliberate grace. “Oh, wow,” she said softly, almost admiringly. “A woman who didn’t blush with me. I like you already.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJDfT2Irab
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Then, without further warning, she leaned in and kissed Valentina right on the lips. It was a full kiss—lingering just long enough to make a statement, soft enough to leave no doubt: she meant it.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsD9jSpbVLX
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Valentina froze.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNClqpR2FQ7
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Her eyes widened. Her breath caught. And when Veronica pulled away, she just stood there, shocked. She touched her lips as if trying to confirm what had just happened. Her gaze darted to Hendrix, completely serious.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLcJ1azGVv
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“...What should I do after this?” She asked him, utterly sincere.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4QRQHdUst
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Hendrix was howling now, holding onto the doorframe to keep himself from falling. “Oh my god—Roger really didn’t teach you anything, huh?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfnYeLpwCf
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Veronica chuckled as she returned to her chair, visibly pleased with herself. “That was your first kiss?” she asked, lifting a brow.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimz44XIA7h
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Valentina nodded slowly. “Yes.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HSpUabcJG
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“You tasted so good,” Veronica murmured, her voice dripping with warmth and curiosity.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBnx8OTubr
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“I did?” Valentina repeated, confused but thoughtful.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNKcTZXtL8
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Veronica leaned forward again, practically purring. “Can I kiss her again, Hendrix? Please? I need to kiss her. For real this time. She’s getting on my nerves with that innocent look.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKxXQPa09e
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Hendrix shrugged, trying not to laugh again. “Be my guest. I’d like to see what happens.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbPkRmLpWK
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Veronica walked right back over, placed her hands firmly on Valentina’s hips, and guided her down to sit gently in her lap.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkS897lbrI
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Her voice softened to a murmur, low and intimate. “Don’t think so hard, soldier girl,” Veronica whispered, gently cupping Valentina’s jaw. “Just follow what feels right.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDK6dAAbL3
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She leaned in again, lips brushing softly, a feather-light tease—then pressing with firmer, hungrier intent. This time, her kiss was deeper, more assured, warm and coaxing, a silent promise of pure, unadulterated pleasure.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbDxGDVtKi
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Veronica, a goddess of patience, guided her with a steady rhythm and deliberate slowness, her tongue stroking, tasting, and exploring. She tilted Valentina’s face slightly, her fingers tangling in the soft hair at her nape, encouraging her without force, just pure, sensual persuasion.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprMHvHk1OP
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Valentina sat there, still as stone for a moment, her mind reeling, then something inside her clicked, a primal switch flipping. Her body responded on instinct, a deep, guttural moan rumbling in her chest as her lips parted wider, her breath syncing with Veronica’s, becoming ragged, desperate.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3e7sK19pcR
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She didn’t know what she was doing—every move was new, thrilling, terrifying—but her instincts carried her, guiding her hands to Veronica’s waist. Her fingers curled reflexively, digging into the soft flesh, drawing Veronica impossibly closer until there was no space left between them, only the burning friction of their bodies. She was a quick learner, soaking up every touch, every taste, and every sensation like a thirsty sponge.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqznxkgOkih
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Their second kiss lingered, a deep, soul-consuming plunge into uncharted territory. Veronica’s tongue delved deeper, exploring every secret curve of Valentina’s mouth, tasting her innocence, her burgeoning desire.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiusEb6kSON
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Valentina responded with a desperate fervour, her own tongue meeting Veronica’s, tangling, dancing, a fiery duet. Veronica’s hands slid lower, tracing the curve of Valentina’s ass, pulling her into her lap, a soft, wet friction that sent shivers of pure, unadulterated lust through Valentina’s core. Valentina gasped into the kiss, her hips instinctively rocking against Veronica’s, a silent plea for more.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyCFrZjfLO
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When they finally pulled apart, a soft, wet sound echoing in the sudden quiet, Veronica’s face was flushed, her breath uneven, her eyes dark with a hunger that mirrored Valentina’s own.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1WZsHdr91
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A heavy, sensual silence hung in the air, thick with unspoken promises and raw, simmering desire—until Hendrix cleared his throat sharply, a harsh, unwelcome sound that snapped them both back to reality, a cruel interruption to their blossoming depravity.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXOjnsmBsQ
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Veronica exhaled, visibly dazed. “You’re going to ruin people in New York, you know that?” she whispered.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB7OcuTG5P
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Valentina looked at Hendrix again. “Am I done?” she asked seriously.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk90X2ZPRO4
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He chuckled. “For now. Come on, rookie. Let’s go meet your real boss.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwXxuadcWw
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Veronica stepped back with a flushed laugh, brushing her skirt smooth and fixing her lipstick. “If I visit New York, open your damn door, Valentina,” she said breathlessly.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93Fe9gbsJJ
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Valentina blinked, still reeling. “Yes, ma’am.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZFYJABa8V
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“Don’t ma’am me after that. Just—damn. Where the hell did you find her?” Veronica narrowed her eyes.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhMxOQviFr
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“In the middle of nowhere. She walked into our hands like fate handed her over.” Hendrix is laughing out loud.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dESCCVvyT
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“Fate?” Veronica muttered. “More like a damn divine prank.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT87WdyOs68
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Valentina remained quiet, but inside her chest, a storm was brewing—emotions she didn’t yet know how to name, let alone tame. She excused herself with a stiff nod. “May I go to the bathroom?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yTCmnrMAy
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“Sure,” Veronica replied with a smirk. “Though I’d say I left you speechless.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eHqvRXp2I
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She didn’t reply. Valentina walked fast, turned the corner, and locked herself in the stall; she breathed hard. Her body had reacted with force. Her mind felt fogged, overwhelmed. Not from embarrassment—but from confusion and desire she hadn’t expected. She remembered what Dr. Rebecca had told her about staying calm when her body reacted too strongly.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiVWZYVlom
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Focus. Stay grounded. Breathe.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKlVlPxv8e
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She forced her mind to retreat into cold memories—of hunger, of silence, of how being different meant being targeted. She knew better than to expect people to accept her truth. She buried the feeling.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPpoyIsH5A
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Five minutes later, she emerged—tie in hand, hair tied in a neat ponytail, her new uniform crisp against her frame. Hendrix waited outside, holding her bag and company badge. “Put it on.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9SkGJgolr
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“Yes, sir.” She takes the company badge.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaxhhSBqiL
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When she returned, her stance once again composed, she held out the tie awkwardly. “I… don’t know how to put this on. Can you teach me?”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSKQfJGG2J
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Several people stood up at once, eager to help. But Veronica was quicker. She approached without a word, took the tie gently from her hands, and looped it around Valentina’s neck. Her fingers moved slowly, deliberately, tightening the knot with expert care.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2muIMObD61
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“There,” she said. “Easy.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLutDA1ykHm
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Valentina met her gaze. “Thank you, Veronica.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuz9UW6kpO
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Veronica hesitated. Then he gave her a final kiss—this one soft, barely a brush of lips. “I’ll collect payment later,” she said, stepping back. “Now go—before I do something stupid like follow you to New York.” Valentina turned and walked straight to Hendrix, never once glancing back.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT8YVjqvSy
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Veronica, lips still tingling, whispered to herself, "What a heartless woman. Three kisses, and she isn't even flustered." Veronica has met her rival.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6J4L2tVr8J
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