LOVED that we all collectively swooned for Green Beret Edward. Thanks to you for reading and reviewing, thanks to my team for fixing my mistakes and keeping me on track.

Over the next several weeks, when Edward and I come up for air, I learn he's not only skilled in areas that make me weak in the knees. His training and experience in the military have made him stealthy and professional, strong, and confident in his ability to teach me to defend myself against a possible attack from my husband. It took all of one lesson for me to believe Edward was right. It would be stupid of me to rely on only a gun to defend myself, especially since I can't exactly carry a gun everywhere I go.

The places I go these days are limited, especially as Edward hears more and more of my story and how dangerous my husband can be when he feels threatened. Me leaving has definitely left him feeling weak - which is a recipe for a disaster I know will eventually surface. Even though my ventures from the cabin are no more than to the grocery store or other small places in town, I still feel more freedom than I've felt in what feels like decades.

Between being able to hop in my truck and go on my errands whenever I feel like, or stay home and walk along the trails around the lake, I've never felt more alive.

Which is one of the reasons why I feel myself transform with every self-defense lesson with Edward. These lessons aren't just training me to disarm my husband or catch him off guard; these lessons are for me.

When Edward teaches me to focus on the vulnerable areas of a person's body, I close my eyes and let the adrenaline and anger surge through my veins like they should have back in Rhode Island. His face is behind every kick, every punch, every jab Edward teaches me how to execute.

With force.

"No force here," Edward warns as he covers his groin with both his hands as he prepares to catch a blow from one of my kicks. "Please."

I laugh, glad my face is dripping with sweat so I can hide the desire in my eyes as I wipe it with my shoulder, covering my face in the process. It's been two weeks since our kiss at the bonfire, and while things between us have escalated, we haven't crossed the line over anything besides that.

I laugh again at my thoughts, still not over how juvenile they still sound coming from an adult, but I shrug and remind myself to enjoy this moment, these moments, as they come.

And there have been a lot of them lately.

Too many to count.

I wake up each morning happy. I don't dread the thought of another day - in fact; it's the exact opposite. Each day I find something new to love and appreciate. Something new to explore.

I've found I'm most happy with the discoveries I find hidden within myself.

I'm….different. Stronger in more ways than one. Mentally, I've replaced my fear for my husband with burning hatred. Physically, I feel my muscles growing stronger and toned as I work to find the strength to one day defeat him. Emotionally, I look in the mirror and love myself again.

I've lifted the fog from around me that he spent years cultivating, suffocating me with his version of our perfect life. I've escaped from his prison - literally - and found that living alone is a hell of a lot better than living with him.

But I'm not alone.

Looking over at Edward as he readies the mats he's set up on the floor of his spare bedroom, I realize for the first time since I was a child that I'm so thankful for this little life of mine.

"You ready?" He asks.

"Are you ready?" I correct him, walking over to stand directly in front of him.

"For you?" Edward asks with a shake of his head and a chuckle. Then, with his arm, he pulls me forward against his chest. "Always."

And then flips me over onto the mat.

See you tomorrow after we all have a night spent dreaming of Edward flipping US onto the mat. Sigh. See you tomorrow!