“No,” he grunts, shaking his head. “I’m waiting for your charity work.”
“This lecture wasn’t enough?”
His bushy brows draw together, his face darkening. “Nu chto…fight like dogs with SafeSport and USFA to get you only one year suspension with community service. You will do what I tell you,kapishe?”
“What’s the plan?” I sigh, already dreading whatever he has in store.
“I start youth program here for kids without rich parents to put them in sport and hopefully get scholarships. The ones with talent but no direction. I have one who needs role model.” He fixes me with a stern look. “And speaking of direction, how is work going as stunt coordinator on movie?”
“They haven’t fired me yet,” I say carefully, avoiding any mention of Reese. Last thing I need is a lecture about professionalism from Coach’s mustached face. I’d much prefer to hear those scoldings from Reese’s soft lips instead.
“Good, good. Then you can handle this too. If you work hard there, you work hard here.” He doesn’t seem amused as he continues, “This girl I found, Dante.Shestnadtsatlet. Reminds me of you when you first came here. She needs someone to show her the way. You could be that someone.”
The words hit me like a roundhouse kick to the chest. A sixteen-year-old mini-me?Fuck that.I’m barely keeping my own shit together, and Lev wants me playing mentor?
“Come on, your girl needs a real coach, not some hothead who got suspended for starting fights.”
“We both know why you did that, Dante. Even if you don’t want to say truth or let me or Linus stand up for you.” I groan at the reminder. What was the point of coming clean about the fight when I meant that hit? “You have much to offer,blin. Think about it. Sometimes, teaching others helps us remember why we love something in the first place. And this girl could benefit from someone who understands her.”
“This is one of your worst ideas,” I say.
“You underestimate yourself.” He pauses. “Plus, you have no choice.”
I set down my saber, running a hand through my hair as I consider my options. Not that I have many. It’s either play nice with Coach’s pet project or kiss my career goodbye.
But maybe this isn’t the worst thing.
Training some kid will clean up my image, turning me fromhothead who got suspendedintoreformed bad boy who gives back to his community. That’s what the committee wanted, isn’t it? Fuck, it might impress Reese, show her I’m not the troublemaker she thinks I am.
“And how often are we talking?”
“You will work with Em every Friday at the end of our training,” he says. “She practices with the other kids in the program Monday and Wednesday, but the others go too easy, and I want her to see one of my real stars.”
“So the logical thought was to stick me with the trainwreck who’s been suspended?” A girl’s voice joins us in the room.
I turn and—Christ, Em is exactly what I was afraid of. Sixteen, half her head buzzed, thick black eyeliner like war paint. I used to armor myself the same way, all spikes and studs and fuck-you attitude, daring anyone to get close enough to see past it.
“What’s wrong? Did Hot Topic run out of safety pins?” I say with the same old defensive rhythm I perfected at family dinners of six hotheaded kids growing up.
“Go fuck yourself,” she snarls, hands clenching into fists. “At least I’m not some has-been who got kicked out of fencing for being a violent asshole. Did they take away your participation trophy when they suspended you?”
“You have some bite to you, kid.”
“I’m not a kid—”
“Ty sovsem obnaglel!” Coach barks, his accent thickening with frustration.
“What’s he saying?” she demands.
I smirk. Not so clever now. “He says I’m a natural talent, and you should be honored.”
Coach’s weathered face darkens. “Vrosh i dazhe ne krasneysh!I said no such thing, you little troublemaker. I said you are being rude and childish.” He turns to Em. “This one, he thinks he’s clever. Always has. Don’t trust his translations.”
“Great, so I get stuck with a liar for a sparring partner? I told you, I don’t need another training day.” Em crosses her arms,rebellion written in every line of her body. It’s the same way I used to stand, challenging the world to prove me wrong.
“You two are giving me headache already. Em, this is Dante Hastings, my most talented student. Also most difficult. Like you!”
“And this is my charity case?”
