a's

nd the rink l

o fast. I had changed into black leggings and the lavender jacket Mom got me two birthdays ago because it was the warmest thing I owned and right now I needed armor. My h

felt too raw, too revealing. Like I had h

en w

rth a scholarship. Without it, Mom would keep working nights until her body gave out, and I would end up in the same fluores

his own execution. Hoodie up, jaw locked so tight I could see the muscle jumping, black bag slung over one shoulder like it con

I said. My voice soun

hreate

id pl

old and short. "Sa

s I felt his hands on my waist again-sure, strong, terrifyingly gentle-like he had done it a thousand times befor

g to tell any

o mine, wary, tire

e cond

changed. It grew hea

f the bag until his knuckles went wh

ch taller this close. He smelled like cold air and locker-room soap and something darker undernea

rtner for the E

le

of melting ice somewhere behind the building. Then he did something I

N

ol

I blocked him with my body, heart slamm

The way you took my weight, the way you turned in the air with me-that isn't something you fake.

kate pairs

ia

storm gray turning almost

breath mixed and I could see the scar through his eyebrow in perfect detail. "I felt it. You felt it. For th

ed off his shoulder and hit the ground with a heavy, final

at

te

against my ribs

ched the bag up like it was on fire, but it was too late. I had seen them. The same white skates Coach h

ying to yoursel

know anythi

tell

N

ou look reformed for the scouts. I'll show up at your games, smile for the cameras, pretend to be whatev

ed like a blade unde

hands were braced on either side of my head, caging me in completely. He wasn't quite touching me, but the heat of his body poured into

dea what you'r

show

My fingers curled into the front of his hoodie the same way they had on the ice this morning, gripping like I was still falling

d vibrating between u

er his breath, low and vicious, and yanked it out of his pocket, st

both our faces i

wn nu

vi

ay withou

waist like they belonged there. The camera zoomed in on his face when he set me down-raw, open, terrified, soft in a

avorite enforcer doing figure skating. End the little partnership..

inst mine. I felt the moment the

crunched-slow, del

was st