Page 19 of Puck Blocked
“How was practice?” I ask him.
“It was good,” he says. “I… ah… I have an away game tomorrow night. I have to leave in the morning.”
“Okay.” I nod. I know this. “Do you want me to go home?” I don’t know where home is anymore, but if he wants me out, I’ll leave. He’s been more than accommodating. It would be selfish to ask for anything more.
“Tanna, this is your home now. I don’t want you to leave.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“Two days. You could come with me,” he offers. “I can get you your own hotel room.”
“I don’t think I should go with you.”
“Okay. Then stay here, and I’ll be back before you know it.”
Two days is a long time to sit around in this huge house by myself. But that’s okay. I can do it. At least I’m safe. No one would think to look for me here.
“I’m going to have a few security guards stationed in the front and back of the house while I’m gone. You might see them walking around. They won’t come inside, though,” Luke says.
“Why?”
“Because I need to know that you’re safe. I need to do whatever I can to protect you, Tanna.”
“Where are you getting security guards from?”
“Ah… they work for Gray’s family.”
My eyes widen. It’s no secret what Gray’s family does for a living. And I don’t mean the part about them owning a hockey team. “Mobsters?” I raise a questioning eyebrow.
“They’re good at what they do, and I trust Grayson. He’s not going to send over anyone he hasn’t vetted.”
“They won’t come inside?”
“No.”
“Okay.” I sigh. “I really don’t want you to go to so much trouble for me, Luke.”
“Tanna, it’s not even a little bit of trouble. Besides, I want to look after you. You deserve the fucking world, and I’m going to be the one to give it to you,” he says. “But first, I got you something.”
“What?”
Reaching into a bag, which I didn’t even notice was there by his feet, Luke pulls out a white box with an Apple symbol on it.
“You got me a MacBook?” I ask him.
“I did. But if you don’t like this one, we can return it and get something else.”
“Why? I mean, it’s amazing. But why do I need a computer?”
“So you can keep taking your online classes. I’ve also set up an account with a bookstore. I want you to order any textbooks you need and have them delivered to the house.”
“You want me to study?” I whisper. I’m not supposed to study.
“I want you to do whatever makes you happy, Tanna. I remember how excited you were when you first started taking classes. I remember how much you love math.”
“I don’t even know if I’m still enrolled. I mean… I think Andrew would have done whatever he could to withdraw me.”
“Then we will have your transcripts sent here. Find you somewhere local to go,” Luke says it like it’s that easy. “Why don’t you log in and find out? Change all of your passwords as soon as you are able.”
