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“I can go,” I said. “If you want to talk about it just the two of you, or—”
Jasper shook his head and sat down in the armchair. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Wearea team, we’re in this together, and we’re going to get out there on the ice again. No more-than-a-mafia mom is going to get in your way.”
As Niko nodded, hope flooded my chest. I couldn’t judge how well they understood what they were really getting into, but I’d told them everything I could. From the firmness of Jasper’s tone, he was taking the situation seriously.
Niko rubbed his chin. “The qualifying series competitions aren’t very widely publicized. I doubt they’re the type of thing most gangsters would be watching.”
“That’s true,” Jasper said. “I don’t think it’d be all that much risk giving one of those a go. We could pick somewhere you don’t think your mom has connections—there are a bunch of the qualifiers all over the country. And if we get farther than that, into events that are broadcast more widely, we could change up your appearance so you’re less recognizable in general.”
From his intense expression, he was already imagining disguises he could design like he did his skating costumes.
I stared at them, my words shocked out of me. They were willing to risk so much just to keep me in their lives.
I hadn’t let myself give up, but deep down, I’d been sure they’d walk away. That the truth about my past would be too much for them.
Instead they were committing themselves even more than they had before.
Jasper took in my face and grimaced. “Don’t look like that. Of course you shouldn’t have to give up your dream—not for your mom or any crazy stalker. I just wish we could have done more to protect you sooner.”
Niko raised his chin, any playfulness vanishing. “Well, now that we know, we can be better prepared. We won’t let your stalker win, whatever they’re after. Rafael, you’re just going to have to get used to Jasper and I looking out for Lou as well.”
I half expected my bodyguard to argue, but instead he let out a low chuckle. “I guess I can’t complain about sharing the workload. But you have to take this seriously. These people mean business. It’s like nothing you’ll ever have dealt with before.”
“Then we’ll learn,” Niko said. “That’s always been a part of this job.”
The rush of joy and affection overwhelmed me. I scooted over to pull him into a hug and then moved to the armchair to embrace Jasper as well.
He hugged me back tightly. “We’ve got you, Punk. No matter what they throw at you.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled.
My spirits were soaring… but a thread of doubt remained coiled around my gut.
If they didn’t fully comprehend what they were signing up for by throwing their lot in with me, would I really be able to protectthem?
FOUR
Niko
I stuffedmy last few shirts into my second suitcase, unable to stop myself from hearing my father’s voice in the back of my head, chiding me for not being more careful to avoid wrinkles. As if a few creases in my clothes were worth worrying about right now.
Every time I slowed down in my packing, I saw Lou’s face as she’d made her confession to us. The anguish in her expression and her voice replayed in my head.
I should have been rejoicing that the skater I’d come around the world to coach had regained his confidence enough to want to enter the next round of official competitions. And I was thrilled that Jasper had agreed. But I couldn’t help worrying about the other pupil I’d ended up taking on.
Whatever exactly Lou had been through in her childhood, she hadn’t deserved it. I’d seen how compassionate and generous she was.
She lived on beauty and grace. And her family had tried to drag her down into grime and violence.
I had no experience dealing with organized crime directly. We all heard stories, of course—of the yakuza back home, of the “mob” in America—but I could admit I wasn’t sure how to protect her.
I only knew I was determined to do it one way or another.
Cursing my past self for insisting on bringing so much with me from Japan, I lugged the two suitcases and my equipment bag down to the car I’d leased. It’d seemed extravagent when I’d signed the contract, but I’d quickly realized that getting around Canada required a personal vehicle. You couldn’t simply hop on a train from Hobb Creek to anywhere.
As I pushed the suitcases into the trunk, my ringtone pealed out from my back pocket. I pulled out my phone and hesitated for a second at the sight of the unknown caller.
But how would any criminal or stalker have gottenmyphone number?
