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Had I terrorized the gang enough for them to decide it was better just to leave town? If they didn’t, how in the hell could I come down on them harder without stooping to my mother’s level of violence?
Even if I was prepared to slaughter the bunch of them, it’d be quite the challenge to take them all down with only Rafael for backup. Not to mention I’d totally traumatize the entire normal population of Hobb Creek in the process.
I’d end up tainting this peaceful place even more than the wannabe gangsters already had.
I tapped my hand against my thigh, my gaze fixed on the wall without really seeing it. If I could just —
“You in there, Lou?” Niko asked, his tone gentle. “You seem a little distracted today.”
I waited for Jasper to chime in with his usual sarcasm. Somehow, his silence was louder than his snarky words could have been.
“Yeah,” I replied. “Yeah, I’m paying attention. Sorry, I just didn’t sleep so well.”
“Okay,” Niko said. “Not a problem. If you need a break or anything else, you just let me know, all right?”
God, I did need a break—from the problems that’d somehow chased me all the way up here to what was meant to be my escape.
But Niko couldn’t give me that. I wished I could spill at least a little of the worries dogging me with him and soak up the reassurance and affection I knew he’d offer in return, but I had the feeling that if I got at all affectionate withhimin front of Jasper, that might sour things with the other man I’d started falling for even more than I already had.
“Definitely.” I reached up to scratch between the wings tattooed on my shoulder blades. “I’m doing my best to work through it. I’ll be fine.”
“Maybe we should avoid any lifts practice for the time being,” Jasper muttered. “It’s no good for either of us if your head isn’t in the game.”
Even though the words weren’t outright hostile—and he had a point, especially when I was the one who’d be hurt worse if I took a bad tumble—I winced inwardly.
How was he going to take me seriously ever again when I kept screwing up practice, I had a strange man living with me who acted like he was going to pummel him, and I—?
I hesitated over that thought. Maybe there was one thing I could get out in the open with both of my fellow skaters, to clear the air and lift a little of the weight off me.
Jasper hadn’t wanted to talk about the altercation with Rafael, but I could force the issue. Make him see that I hadn’t been betraying anyone or shacking up with a total maniac who had no reason to act protective.
“Actually,” I said, pitching my voice to carry, “before we keep going, I think there’s someone I should introduce the two of you to. Since he’s going to be around a lot, and I don’t want you to be startled if you notice him, as good as he is at keeping a low profile.”
Niko gave me a quizzical look, and Jasper tensed. I glided in a semi-circle to face the stands, scanning the shadowy alcoves that I knew my bodyguard would have favored.
I’d made my first comment loud enough that I was sure Rafael would have heard it, so he’d be ready, but now I lifted my voice even more. “Hey, Rafael! Could you come out so the guys can meet you properly?”
For a second, I thought Rafael might refuse, pretend to not even be there.Notactually being there at all simply wasn’t a possibility.
Then he peeled himself out of one patch of shadows and moved toward the aisle with his typical brawny athleticism. He strode about halfway down the stands toward us, his expression impassive as he assessed the situation.
He didn’t say anything, waiting for me to take the lead. Which made sense. He didn’t know where I was going with this.
As pissed off as I’d been with him, I couldn’t help being a little grateful that he was playing along this far.
I swung back toward my partner and my coach. “Jasper, you two met under not the best circumstances the other night. And I figure Niko should probably hear this story too. Guys, this is Rafael. He’s… basically my bodyguard.”
That was straightforward enough. Why lie about the parts I didn’t have to?
Jasper’s gaze jerked to me. “Why would you need a bodyguard?”
He sounded wary but not incredulous. I guessed that was a decent start.
I took a deep breath. “I mean, not officially. I haven’t hired him or anything.” It was Mom who’d done that, and he was off her payroll now. “You’ve probably wondered at least a little about exactly what I’m doing all the way out in Hobb Creek.”
Niko cocked his head, glancing from Rafael to me. “That question had crossed my mind,” he said with a reassuring smile. So certain this couldn’t be anything too crazy.
Hopefully he’d never have to find out just how messed up my circumstances were.
