Chapter 36

Claire's POV The sound of my palm connecting with Adrian's face echoed through the hallway like a gunshot. The force of the slap left my hand stinging, but the satisfaction was worth it. Adrian stumbled back, his hand flying to his reddened cheek, genuine shock replacing his earlier smugness. For a moment, he seemed frozen, his eyes unfocused as if he were listening to something I couldn't hear. A mindlink, I realized. His expression shifted from confusion to something almost like fear before he quickly masked it. "You little—" he started, but his words were cut short by the sharp click of heels approaching. "What the hell is going on here?" Nicole's voice cut through the tension like a blade. She appeared at Adrian's side, her perfectly styled hair slightly disheveled from hurrying, her eyes blazing with fury as she took in the scene—Adrian holding his cheek, me standing defiantly before them both. "Why did you dare hit my fiancé?" she demanded, stepping closer with the predatory grac