The Stronger You: Sports Lesbian Romance (Signed Ebook Bundle)

Welcome to a sanctuary where broken doesn't mean beaten. Throughout this series, you'll witness how the Sapphy's women-only gym gym becomes more than just a place to build muscle—it transforms into a vibrant community where women discover their inner champions, forge unbreakable bonds, and find the courage to love again despite their scars. From Dani and Logan's powerful beginning in "Inside Fighter" to the journeys that follow, these stories celebrate the extraordinary resilience of women who rise together, proving that our greatest strength often emerges when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable with another. Join this empowering journey where every setback becomes a setup for something beautiful, and where finding your true strength means finding your way home to yourself—and sometimes, to someone who sees your light even in your darkest moments.

Well, I'm a little drunk, gazing intently at my reflection in the mirror above the sink. My hands and my head feel a little heavier than normal, and when I look at myself, the woman who stares back does so through hooded eyes and with a hazy smile. Through the door of the bathroom, I can still hear the music and laughter from the rest of the bar. The other patrons aren't ready to call it a night yet.
There's a knock at the door that startles me, and I look over at it. "Yeah?"
"Just checking you haven't fallen in."
I snatch up my purse from the sink and unlock the door, stepping back outside where my friends are waiting. Abby is leaning against the wall, nodding her head rhythmically in time to the music, and Beth is standing beside her, checking her phone.
"Your cab's here, right?" I ask, and Beth nods, stuffing her phone into her pocket.
"It's outside. Are you coming with us?"
We walk outside into the street, led by Abby, who's still dancing. The cold air is refreshing as it hits my face after the hot, stagnant air of the bar. We step out onto the sidewalk together, and I take a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment. It's better than a glass of water, and it helps to perk me up a little.
"Are you sure you don't want to get in the cab with us?" Abby asks.
She's drunker than I am. As we stand there on the street corner, she sways a little, struggling to find her balance on the sidewalk. Her mouth is set into a thin line that I've only ever seen on people who are drunk but trying not to look like they're drunk, and despite the effort she's putting in, she's struggling to focus on me. The last two tequila shots she insisted on doing before we left must have hit her.
"I only live a few blocks away," I assure her with a small smile. "You just focus on getting yourself home in one piece, okay?"
She hums in agreement, shooting me that hazy smile that only comes from someone who's drunk enough to pass out on the spot. "Mm, will do."
Beth, the eldest of our group and de facto mom-friend, is (as usual) the most sober out of everyone, and as she sees Abby stumble out towards the curb, she grabs her arm and tugs her back. She sighs heavily and shoots me a withering look, one that I've seen countless times before. "Sure you don't want to join us?"
The offer is there to help her almost as much as it's to help me, I realize with a small smile. If I get into the cab with them, I can help her deal with our mess of a friend.
Never leave your drink unattended and never walk home alone at night.
Those were the two optimistic pieces of advice my mother left me with when I started college, and just like every other night that I'm out drinking, they rattle around in the back of my head like a ghostly warning. Normally, it's advice that I listen to.
But the cool October air feels so good on my skin. It's a shame to waste one of the last nice nights of the year, right? It might be the last time I can comfortably walk home without shivering for another few months.
I shake my head, smiling. "I'll be okay."
"If you're not going to take us up on the ride, at least send me a text when you get home."
"I always do." I wave them goodnight and turn in the opposite direction to head back to my apartment.
The cool night air is sobering, and if Beth had been able to shoulder the burden of walking Abby home, maybe it would have helped her a little. I'm already feeling better than I did back in the bar, more alert and awake.
These streets are so familiar to me; I could probably walk through them with my eyes closed. There's the bookshop that's going to be converted into a Starbucks in a few months. Across the street is the little boutique that sells overpriced jewelry. Up ahead is the little independent coffee shop that's going to be put out of business when the Starbucks rolls into town. And up at the corner is---
The hairs on the back of my neck are standing to attention suddenly, and I feel an inexplicable shudder run down my spine. I can't explain it, but something just feels so deeply wrong. It feels like every nerve in my body is alight; every muscle locked up.
Something here isn't right.
It's the inescapable feeling that I'm not alone in the darkness. I don't know how I know, but I'm not alone on this street any more.
I've just passed the alley between the bookshop and a craft store, and there's something about that darkness that I don't like. It's unsettling.
Was that a footstep?
I'm sure I just heard something. I turn my head just a little, trying to look behind me without turning around fully, and my hand drifts to the clasp of my purse. What's in there? Do I have anything I can use to defend myself?