rly

"Your weight is still in your chest, M

a deep squat on the edge, gliding around the center circle. Sweat dripped f

aw stayed clamped as he foug

your core. Figure skating is not thea

shed him past every shortcut he knew and forced him into flexibility circuits and deep edge work until he stood huffing

. He leaned forward with hands on his knees and chest h

ck. Twenty minutes left. "Now we switch. I need t

orehead while he looked at the leather str

, you pull up on the line. You absorb part of my weight so I do not land full force on

t. He did not mock me. He looked at the belt and then at my a

ionals are in five weeks. I need

cocky smile vanishe

every shift of my body while his blades hissed in rhythm behind m

e edge. This was the take-off. Wind whipped pas

one turn,

y balance vanished, and I came down side

no

s wrapped around my waist and lifted me clear of the surface. His tor

me tight and did not let go. His hands locked arou

ath brushed against m

and the solid wall of his chest kept me upright. He looked down at the scar on my ankle, and his fingers tighte

it h

when I

eness thickened the air between us u

shattered. His hands dropped from my waist, a

his custom gold Vanguard Club jacket with perfect blond hair and a smirk already in place. My fo

voice carried through the arena. "I told you we would

fists. The ache in my ankle vanished

e are live in three minutes. Is it true you are do

sgust. "The Vanguard Club wanted to show the media where our old talent end

h her luck. Even if she does not have a part

opped ten feet away while t

ing to play catch-up. You are holding onto a dream that died the day your bone snappe

Reporters scribbled on their pads and the

s completely. He slammed his speed skates into the ice,

ad broken my career, and his bl

let this garba