Page 34 of Snow Harm, No Foul

Static screams before I find the local station that’s playing Christmas music. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” floats through the mildew-infested basement, and I start rocking side to side with the beat.

“Do you dance, Niko?” I ask teasingly, offering him my hands.

The big man scowls, hands gripping his hips. “No. And be careful. It’s dangerous down here.”

“Will you dance with me anyway? Just for this one song.”

Jutting my lip, I bat my lashes and wiggle my fingers. The song is already half-over, but as I swing my hips and grin up at him, I know I’d be content with only a few seconds of dancing with him.

I beam when he sets his large hands in mine and tugs me against his chest. With confident movements, he has a hand holding my waist and the other interlocking our fingers before leading us in a quick dance. My laugh is loud as I follow his steps and let him twirl me around the room. He’s careful to keep me from the low dips in the ceiling and the stacks of bins, and I let my mind go empty as my trust in him grows.

I know he won’t let anything happen to me.

The song comes to an end, but he doesn’t release me. Another one starts, and he pulls me close. I don’t have to look up to know that he’s smiling at me again. There’s a knowing feeling deep in my soul that tells me he’s enjoying himself as much as I am.

The radio broadcaster interrupts the music. “That was ‘Jingle Bell Rock.’ We’ll be back with more music in a few minutes, but for now, I hope everyone is bundled up with a fire roaring and those they love close by. The projected snowfall over the next twenty-four hours has risen to twenty inches with blizzard winds of fifty kilometres per hour. It’s advised that everyone stay home until further notice. Road closures have started to take effect in the following counties . . .”

My mouth pops open as I lean away from Niko’s chest and stare up at him. “You heard that, too, right?”

“Yes.”

I blink once, and he’s moving, on high alert. We abandon the bins of decorations, and I chase after him when he starts up the stairs. My pulse quickens the higher up the staircase we get until, finally, we’re in front of the door.

Niko pulls the small red curtain from the window in the door. His inhale is sharp enough to cut.

The street is hidden behind a wall of white. The wind howls, and thick snowflakes blow in the air. It’s cold enough that I can feel the nip of it sneaking through the crack below the door.

“We’re not going anywhere anytime soon, are we?” I ask softly.

Niko lifts a hand to the back of my neck, holding it there. “No, angel. I’m afraid we’re stuck here for a while.”

10

NIKO

If I was goingto handpick who I’d want to be snowed in with, it would be Ivy Bell. Any day of the fucking week, I’d choose her.

That doesn’t mean I’m not worried about what’s happening, though. The weather here can be unpredictable on a good day, but during a Christmas snowstorm? Shit. I’ve got enough food for over a week, but with Ivy’s sickness and our lack of other supplies, we won’t need to last that long before things start going wrong.

They’ll have the plows out as soon as the snow stops, but according to the radio station, nobody seems to know when exactly that’s going to be. The power went out a half hour ago before the backup generator kicked in. If he were alive, I’d thank my grandfather for being so anal about keeping it in good shape.

“The heat’s back on. It’ll warm up soon,” I mutter, draping a thick wool blanket over her shoulders.

Bent over one of the four bins I’ve hauled up the stairs, she stares at me with worried, tired eyes. Maybe I should be as concerned as she is about all of this, but I’m just real fucking happy that I get more time with her. Her undivided attention will be on me and us for however long it takes for the storm to stop.

That’s a gift from the universe that I’m not deserving of.

“How are you so calm about this?” she asks.

“We’ve got a generator, food, somethin’ to drink, and a bed. I’m ready to ride out the storm.”

“You’re not worried about anything back home? No pets? What about Travis? His mother? Won’t they worry? I don’t have any cell service last I checked. My parents are going to freak out when they don’t hear from me,” she rambles, clutching the corners of the blanket beneath her chin.

I cover her hand and stroke her knuckles. “I’ve got no pets. And Travis is spendin’ Christmas with his mother, and she’d probably be grateful to see me trapped here forever. I’ve got nothin’ to help with your parents, but they’ll see what’s goin’ on and relax a bit. We’ll get the cell signals fixed sooner than later.”

“Why would your ex be grateful if you were trapped here forever?”

Her natural curiosity is one of my favourite things about her, but not when it comes to Tanya.

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