Chapter 9: High Risk Rookie: Chapter 9

I’M KRISTA FUCKING TAYLOR. I repeated Levi’s words as I walked to the window of my childhood bedroom. If there were ever a weekend I needed to remember that, it was this one.

Below me in my parents’ massive backyard, most of the garden was obscured by the two big party tents that had been installed today. Dread didn’t even cover how I felt about this baby shower. I didn’t want to think about what I faced tomorrow, but I knew it would include a lot of questions, well-meant comments, and pitying looks from 120 of my parents’ closest friends.

I squared my shoulders. I needed to focus on Levi and training camp. I had only managed to sneak away to the rink once today, but Levi was right: Brody was his biggest competition. Not only was he fast and smart, but he also had extensive knowledge of the other players on the ice. He had played with all of them before and was able to anticipate their styles when playing defense.

Brody was also favored by Gordon, the coach, who had put him on a much better defensive line. Meanwhile, Gordon had put Levi on one of the worst defensive lines. From what I could tell, Levi had done most of the heavy lifting, but when he had been on the ice, his team had been scored against multiple times.

I had complained bitterly to Mark about it, and he’d given me one of his famous, hard-to-read smiles and told me he’d talk to Gordon about it. But so far, nothing had changed. Mark looked for performance, but they weren’t even giving Levi a fair chance to show them what he was capable of. It felt like he was testing Levi in a way I didn’t understand.

I moved downstairs and walked through the living room. The floor was covered with buckets of fresh-cut flowers. Two women I didn’t recognize stood at the dining room table and appeared to be making table centerpieces.

One of the older women looked at me with a sour expression. “Your mom’s in the kitchen.”

I stopped in the doorway of my mom’s massive, modern, Mediterranean-style kitchen. My mom was chopping something at the stove.

My stomach growled. “Something smells good.”

“Where have you been?”

“I had a work call.” I opened the wine fridge in search of wine, ignoring the disapproving look my mom gave me when I started to open a bottle.

“You know this is an important weekend for your sister.”

And I knew it because it had been drilled into my head since I was young. Every weekend of my childhood had been filled with either my sister’s skating practices or her skating events, often in other cities. I was too young to stay home, so I was dragged around behind her for years. You know this is an important weekend for your sister. That had been my mom’s mantra when I dared complain.

I took a deep breath, not wanting to fight. I motioned my head towards the two women. “Are they from the flower shop?”

“No, they are not. That’s Margaret and Alice. They both belong to my floral design group.”

“That’s nice of them to help.”

She sniffed. “I helped with Alice’s daughter’s wedding. She owed me.”

My mom kept a measure of her own generosity, seeing it as a kind of currency she could cash in down the road. She was playing out that game among the bored Stepford wives, but I saw those same transactions among most of the agents I dealt with. Everyone owed someone something.

“What are you cooking? Can I help?”

“Eduard just arrived, so I told him I would make him some dinner. I’m making him my signature herb-crusted halibut.”

I felt my entire body go cold and then hot at the mention of his name.

“He’s coming here tonight?”

“He’s already here.”

I looked over my shoulder, my heart pounding. “Where is he?”

“He’s checking on your sister. Helene went to bed early.”

I’m not ready.

I wasn’t getting enough oxygen into my lungs. “The agreement was if I came up alone for this shower, Helene’s fiancé wouldn’t be staying here for the weekend. You promised.”

She gave an indifferent shrug. “His golf tournament ended early, and it made sense for him to drive up tonight. Did you expect him to sit at home?”

I worked to hide my panic. “You assured me he would only show up for the party. Those were our terms if I came and helped you out this weekend.”

“His name is Eduard.”

This was unbelievable. “I know what his name is, Mom. I just refuse to say it.”

“There’s no need to get snippy about it.”

I gave a slow blink. “I’ll be staying in a hotel tonight.”

She tossed the knife down and gave me a cold look. “How long is this going to go on for?”

I couldn’t have this conversation again. We’d been having the same argument for months. “I can’t do this.”

“Learn to be a bit more flexible, Krista. You’re way too emotional about this. Why can’t you be happy for your sister? You know this is a big weekend for her.”

Without speaking, I headed for the stairs. I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t want to see him. I could feel the anxiety rise in my body. I just need to get out of here.

I closed the door of my bedroom and rapidly started to pull clothes off hangers and shove them into my bags. A knock sounded at the door.

I spoke loudly. “You’re not going to change my mind.”

The door opened, but I didn’t bother to turn around. “Mom, I told you I wouldn’t stay here if he was here.”

“I came early because I wanted to talk to you.” A familiar deep voice spoke from behind me. My entire body rippled with shock, dread and grief. “I needed to see you.”

I forced myself to turn around.

Eduard stood in the doorway. His eyes roved over my face. His face was shaved clean, making him look younger than his thirty-seven years.

I should have shoved him out of the room and slammed the door, but I stood there, frozen. My overly familiar words happened without my permission. “You shaved off your beard.”

“Helene didn’t like it.”

I swallowed hard as disgust washed over me with such strength I could barely handle it. I turned back to my suitcases, working to pack. “I’m not interested in talking to you.”

He took a step into the bedroom. “You haven’t talked to me since that day. You have to talk to me, Krista.”

I spun around as anger started to take over everything else I was feeling. “I don’t have to do anything.”

His eyes roved over me. “You look good.”

“Just piss off.” I didn’t bother trying to hide my contempt. “My family may not have realized what a rat you are, but I have.”

I shoved past him. In the bathroom, I avoided my own reflection and his as I worked to pack up my toiletries.

My birth control pills were on the counter. As I reached to grab them, I lifted my eyes in the mirror. His eyes bore into mine. “Are you seeing someone?”

I got married, you motherfucker. “Go to hell.” I gave the bathroom one last look before turning to glare at him. “Move.”

He stepped out of the way. “Why won’t you talk to me?”

I shoved everything into my suitcase, zipped it up, and yanked it off the bed. “You no longer have the right to talk to me. And I’m no longer interested in anything you have to say. About anything.”

I opened the door, and at the end of the dark hallway, I saw my mom disappear into the shadows.

Helene’s voice sounded from the other room. “Eduard?”

“My sister needs you,” I said between clenched teeth.

He brushed by me—too close—and bent down so his mouth was by my ear. “We need to talk.”

“Go fuck yourself,” I hissed back.

He stared at me for a long moment before he slowly walked down the hallway towards my sister’s room.

I had an almost overwhelming urge to crawl into my childhood closet and weep. Instead, I carried my bags down the stairs and then went looking for my sunglasses in the kitchen. I had to walk past Margaret and Alice to get there. Both of them watched me with interest.

My mom’s hand pinched my upper arm as she dragged me through the kitchen into the mudroom. The only reason I let her, was because I didn’t want Margaret and Alice to listen in.

She shut the door, crossed her arms, and glared at me. “You want to explain yourself?”

“Did I just get into a time machine? Because I could swear I’m reliving my childhood.”

“You watch your mouth.”

“What do you want me to explain to you? I told you I won’t stay here when he’s here.”

“I’m talking about the fact that he was in your bedroom. With the door partially closed.”

“When I tell you I can’t stand him, what exactly do you think I mean?”

My mom stepped up closer and gave me her look. The look that terrorized me in my childhood. “You need to get over this. He’s going to be your sister’s husband.”

My phone rang. Knowing it would piss my mom off, I answered it.

“Hello?”

“Krista? It’s Dee.” She sounded like she was crying.

“What’s going on?”

“There’s been an accident. Levi’s at the hospital.”

My heart thudded in my chest. “What?”

She started crying harder. “There was so much blood, and he’s hurt. I’m so scared.”

Jesus. I wrestled with my fear and panic before I managed to speak. “Just a moment. Stay on the line.”

“I need to go, Mom,” I said as I wrenched open the door of the mudroom. “There’s been an emergency.”

She put an arm in front of me, barring me from passing. “You promised you’d help me.”

“You broke your promise first, Mom.”

Her eyes widened, but after a moment she dropped her arm. “I expect you here tomorrow morning to help.”

DEE WAS TOO hysterical to give me any relevant information, but she repeatedly said there was a lot of blood.

As I sped to the hospital, the worst-case scenarios formed in my mind. What kind of accident had he had? Was he dying? Would he be alive where I got there?

After fighting my way past the emergency admin desk clerk, I came skidding to a halt when I found Levi alive and conscious, sitting on a hospital bed. His face was bruised and his lip was cut and he was radiating dark emotions, but he was alive and alert. It took me a full moment to process that he wasn’t dead. It felt like my chest would explode with relief.

Beside him, snuggled up way too close, was Dee. In front of him, a doctor was tending to his arm.

Levi and I made eye contact.

So many emotions were boiling just beneath the surface, but I forced myself to speak calmly. “What’s going on?”

Dee spoke for him. “Someone attacked him.”

I held eye contact with Levi. “I need you to start at the beginning and tell me what happened.”

Dee started to speak, but I lifted my hand to hush her. “I need Levi to answer my questions, Dee.”

When she started to protest, I cut her off. “I need to speak to my client alone.”

“I’m not leaving.”

I couldn’t believe her audacity. I turned and blasted her with the same look my mom had given me an hour ago. “I’m not asking.”

Levi spoke to her. “Can you give us a minute?”

In disbelief, I watched as Dee’s face started to crumble in tears. Levi looked back at me with horror sketched over his face. Meanwhile, I worked not to roll my eyes.

She sniffed hard and clung to his arm, putting her head on his broad shoulder. “I was so scared. You could have been killed.”

“Dee.” I used my calmest voice. Did anyone realize how much effort I made in a single day not to lose my shit on people? “I need you to step outside.”

“It’s okay.” Levi awkwardly patted her arm.

She snuffled dramatically and then slowly got off the bed. It was all I could do not to snap at her. I grabbed her coat and purse and followed her out of the room.

When we got out of earshot, Dee turned to me, her expression overly emotional. “Oh god, that was so terrifying.”

It frustrated me that I still had no idea what had happened, but I infused false patience into my voice. “Dee, Levi is injured, and he has a big day tomorrow. He doesn’t need to be managing your emotions or your tears, so I need you to go back to the hotel.”

She looked dismayed. “Can’t I say good night?”

“I will say good night for you.”

She looked back at Levi’s room. “I was so scared.”

I handed over her belongings. “Levi was lucky you were there for him. Are you okay to get back to the hotel?”

She nodded tearfully. “I can wait for him.”

I ushered her towards the doors and lied. “That’s okay. I’ve got this handled.”

I waited until she disappeared before I returned to Levi’s room. I wanted to blast him with my thoughts about his budding relationship with Dee, but right now, she was the least of our problems.

He lifted his face and stared at me when I appeared at the door.

“What happened?”

He shrugged. “I went for a walk. I was cutting across the parking lot of the hotel, and I got jumped.”

“You got jumped?” My voice relayed my shock. “By whom?”

He shook his head. “They came up from behind.”

“There was more than one?”

He thought about it. “Maybe two or three guys? It was dark, and I didn’t get a good look.”

I imagined him being surrounded and hit. I clung to my stoicism, but the mental images horrified me.

I spoke to the doctor. “Levi’s in the middle of training camp. Is he going to be able to play tomorrow?”

“The cut on his arm is surface. It doesn’t require stitches, but it’s going to be tender for the next few days.”

“How bad does it feel?” I spoke to Levi.

He made a fist with his hand and then opened it. “It’s fine.”

The doctor cleared his throat. “Your arm is the least of your issues. I’m not sure you’re going to be able to play with your ribs and legs in the state they are.”

That made me pause as I looked back at Levi. “What happened to your legs?”

He looked pissed. “It’s nothing.”

My voice went up a notch. I was tired of getting the runaround from everyone. “Will someone please tell me what is going on?”

The doctor turned to me. “Levi’s assailants kicked him—quite rigorously from the looks of it. He has multiple contusions on his buttocks, thighs, and ribs. They didn’t kick any vital spots or break any bones, but if they were looking to deeply bruise and slow down a hockey player, they kicked him in all the right spots.”

My hand covered my mouth. Someone from the hockey world was trying to sabotage Levi. “So, this was personally motivated.”

Levi spoke. “We don’t know that, and I didn’t see their faces.”

“Were the police called?”

“Yes. They were here earlier, and they took a statement.”

“Will he risk further injury if he plays?” I asked the doctor.

The doctor looked at Levi. “If you play, you won’t further damage yourself, but you’re going to be in extreme pain. I recommend at least five days of complete rest. No skating, no workouts. Use ice to get the swelling down.”

“But I can play?” Levi confirmed.

The doctor gave him a regretful look. “You can play, but you won’t want to.”

Levi looked up at me. “Don’t worry about it. I’m playing.”

The doctor wrote out a prescription. “Take two of these T3s every eight hours. They will keep the pain manageable. You’re free to go when you want.”

I waited until the doctor walked away before I pulled the curtains closed. “Let’s see.”

He shook his head. “It’s fine, Krista.”

“Let me see.”

He looked annoyed as he lifted his shirt, showcasing his beautiful core muscles. His ribs on either side were dark purple.

Holy mother of all things sacred. Those bruises looked so bad he should have been whimpering with each breath.

“And your legs and ass?”

“They’re fine.” He dropped his shirt. “About the same.”

I wanted to put my arms around him, touch his face and hair, and put my lips against him. For some reason, I couldn’t stand that he was hurt. I crossed my arms to prevent myself from reaching out. “What the fuck, Levi? Were you knocked out?”

He shook his head. “No. I got knocked down, and then the kicks started happening. I covered my head, and then they were gone. It happened fast.”

“Did they take anything?”

“No.”

“This definitely wasn’t a mugging or a robbery?”

“They didn’t take anything.”

“How is Dee involved?”

He stared into my eyes with complete sincerity. “When I finally got off the ground and made my way back to the hotel, she happened to be coming out the front door. I had a bloody nose, and there was blood from my arm. She freaked. She wanted to call an ambulance, but I wouldn’t let her.”

“How did you get here?”

“She drove me.” He thought about that. “Actually, she was so upset I had to drive. But we were in her car.”

“She made you drive?”

“I also bled all over her car—something she didn’t complain about.”

It dawned on me that Levi, at some point, would start dating. And there was a distinct possibility he would start dating Dee. I didn’t want to think about it. “How bad is the pain?”

He tried not to wince as he shuffled to the edge of the bed. “Not bad.”

“You’re such a liar.”

“I’m fine,” he told me, but his voice sounded strained.

I knew he was lying. I needed to get him back to the hotel and I needed to talk to Mark. “Okay, let’s go.”

AN HOUR LATER, I stood in Mark’s hotel suite while he poured me a drink.

“How’s Levi?”

I shook my head. “By the time I got him back here, he could barely walk. I dropped him off at his room and told him to take his pain meds.”

“I’m horrified this happened.”

I gave him a steady look. “The chance of him skating tomorrow is slim. If he does, he won’t be much use out there.”

“I understand.”

“He thinks he’s going to skate.”

“I know.”

“I’m scared he’ll try.”

Mark looked thoughtful. “He’ll try.”

“Did the police check for security cameras?”

“They did, and they caught the attack, but the quality of the video is so poor you can’t identify anyone.”

“I want to see it.”

His voice was low. “You don’t want to see it, Krista. Trust me when I tell you that.”

I felt a wave of exhaustion and emotion roll over me. “Was it bad?”

He looked grim as he handed me my drink. “It wasn’t pretty.”

“How many?”

“There were three of them. All male. They were wearing hoods, which obscured their faces. He took quite the beating.”

“This was someone from the camp.”

He sat down on the couch and motioned for me to sit across from him. “I’ve faced the distinct possibility that my camp is corrupt, and trust me, I’m not happy.”

My voice sounded dark. “You know there are always a few bad apples that we need to weed out.”

“What aren’t you telling me, Krista?”

I studied my drink. “I think someone’s messing with Levi, but he won’t talk about it.”

He leaned forward. “Tell me what you know.”

“He told me someone cut his laces yesterday before practice.”

Understanding washed over his face. “Is that why he was late?”

“The coach has him on the worst defense line—he’s basically giving Brody all the advantages, not to mention that Brody already knows everyone and their playing style. It’s not fair,” I said hotly.

“Someone feels threatened by him.”

“Can you give me some sort of indication as to which way you’re leaning?”

Mark gave me a small smile. “You worry too much, Krista.”