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A sweat broke out on the back of my neck. My gaze flicked toward the apartment above us, terrified that I might see one of their faces in the window right now, about to force my mother’s hand.
The panes were empty, but Mom caught my glance. She shook her head. “That turncoat bodyguard of yours won’t be able to keep you here either. Rafael had better stay out of my way if he wants to even keep his head attached to his neck.”
She maintained the same even tone, but I knew her well enough to recognize the fury simmering beneath. Oh, she was pissed off with him, all right.
“Don’t do this,” I said, fighting to keep my voice from shaking. Every nerve in my body jangled with alarm. I couldn’t protect my men from my mother and however many of her people she had on call here, not on my own, not even with Rafael backing me up. And then she’d kill him too. “None of this was their idea. It was all me.”
“That’s the only reason they aren’t already in their graves.” My mom swiveled toward her car, the sedan parked on the other side of the street, and snapped her fingers. “And they’ll remain living as long as you come along without any more of a fight.”
That was probably the only reason she hadn’t immediately killed them as punishment. She realized they were more valuable to her as leverage than dead. If she tore the three men I’d fallen for away from me, she had no way to force my hand. I’d have nothing left to lose.
But Ireallydidn’t want things to get to that point. What was the point in winning my freedom if the people I cherished most in my new life were gone?
I didn’t know what I wouldn’t do just to keep even one of my men alive.
I hesitated just for an instant, and Mom moved as if to stride to the apartment lobby instead. My pulse stuttered, and I pushed myself toward the car. “Fine, fine, I’m coming.”
What other choice did I have?
I had to go with her for now, figure out what she was planning, and hopefully put together a plan of my own that would let me find a way back to my guys while keeping them safe. I could play along if it stopped her from dealing out vengeance.
As I walked up to the car, my fingernails dug into my palms. The driver, an ugly brute with a crooked nose and heavy-knuckled hands, got out to open the back door for me.
I sat down and slid over on the smooth leather seat with a reluctant jerk of my body. The motion woke up the ache in my side where Sheeran’s men had done a number on my ribs before I’d brokered a sort of peace with him.
I’d pushed my body awfully hard since then, relying on a cortisone shot to dampen the pain. I’d meant to spend the next few days resting and letting myself heal.
So much for that.
So much for any of my goals. The National Championships were happening in just two months. Was thereanyway I could sort this mess out in time?
I didn’t just need to get out from under Mom’s thumb before the championships—I’d need practice time too. We weren’t going to impress anyone if I showed up two months out of shape.
And it wouldn’t be onlymyskating debut ruined. Jasper’s comeback would fall apart too.
A smothering weight filled my chest. I gritted my teeth against the prick of tears at the back of my eyes.
They were going to be so worried—all three of them. Rafael would go absolutely apeshit. They wouldn’t even know I was still alive.
But telling them what had happened could draw them right into the danger I was trying to spare them.
Fuck, fuck,fuck.
Mom lowered herself into the seat next to me, all menacing grace. A shiver rippled over my skin as I watched her.
I hadn’t seen her since the conversation when I’d realized that she’d had Coach Balakin murdered. Since it’d sunk in just how brutally ruthless she could be.
I hated her. Did she have the slightest clue how much acid ran through my veins when I looked at her?
Maybe, but she didn’t give a shit as long as she got what she wanted.
She brushed her hands together and motioned to the driver. “Take us straight to the airfield. I want to get back to Austin as quickly as possible.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mom’s gaze slid to me. I could feel her sizing me up, seething over the time I’d already cost her with this mission. But in front of her employee, she didn’t harp on it.
I could probably look forward to plenty of harping later, when we were really alone.
