I tilt my head, curious. "What's that?"
"Face the pool."
The words hit me like a physical blow. My palms instantly dampen, heart rate accelerating. "I don't..."
"You need to," he cuts me off, gentle but firm. "Not for anyone else. For you."
I shake my head, pushing back from the desk. "Declan, I appreciate the thought, but I can't..."
"You can." His certainty is unwavering. "This is just one more demon to conquer."
"It's different," I protest weakly.
"Is it?" He takes a step closer, and suddenly the studio feels too small, too warm. "Or is it just the one you've convinced yourself you can't beat?"
I stare at him, caught between irritation and a strange, reluctant hope. Could I? Could I finally face this fear that's haunted me for so long?
"I can't promise it'll be easy," he continues, "but I can promise you won't be alone. I've got you, Jade."
Those four words hit harder than they should. Simple, steady. A promise I didn't realize I needed until now.
How many times have I faced my fears alone? How many battles have I fought with no one in my corner?
Maybe I don't have to fight this one by myself.
"Okay," I hear myself say before I can think better of it. "But just... just to the shallowend."
A hint of a smile touches the corner of his mouth. "Whatever you're comfortable with. Meet me at the pool in fifteen minutes?"
I nod, already wondering if I've lost my mind.
After he leaves, I sit frozen for several moments, my heart still racing. Then, mechanically, I save my work and head to my bedroom to change.
The black one-piece swimsuit I select is modest by most standards, but underneath Declan's gaze, I know I'll feel naked. I pull a light robe over it and slip my feet into sandals, then stare at my reflection in the mirror.
"You can do this," I tell myself, but the woman looking back at me doesn't seem convinced.
The pool area is bathed in late morning sunlight when I arrive, the water a shimmering turquoise that would be beautiful if it didn't make my stomach clench with dread. Declan is already there, standing at the edge in black swim shorts that ride low on his hips.
I stop in my tracks, momentarily stunned. I've seen glimpses of his body before: an arm here, a slice of torso there when his shirt lifted while reaching for something. But nothing prepared me for the full vision.
His torso is a map of muscle and ink. Tattoos cover much of his chest and shoulders, intricate designs that wind down his arms and disappear beneath his shorts. But it's the scars interspersed among the tattoos that catch my eye.Pale lines and puckered circles that speak of violence, of survival.
He turns at the sound of my approach, and I quickly avert my gaze, embarrassed to be caught staring.
"You came," he says, and there's a note of approval in his voice that sends warmth through me.
"I said I would." I stop several feet from the pool's edge, unable to make myself step closer. "But I'm not making any promises about getting in."
He nods, accepting this. "One step at a time."
I watch as he moves to the shallow end, where wide steps lead gradually into the water. He descends until he's waist-deep, then turns to face me, extending his hand.
"Come on," he says softly. "Just to the first step."
I hesitate, frozen in place. Images flash through my mind: dark water closing over my head, the burning in my lungs as I fought for air.
"Jade." Declan's voice pulls me back to the present. "Look at me. Not the water. Me."
