Page 41 of Twisted Ruck

Briefly, I told him about the conversation with Otis Skinner. Quietly I added, "Don't kill him. It's nothing I can't deal with."

I was starting to sound like a broken record having to continuously remind the guys not to kill whoever I was talking about. They probably didn't need the constant reminder.

Or, maybe they did. They all seemed very ready to act on my behalf, whether I liked it or not.

I corrected my previous thought that I'd gone from dating rugby players to mafia spies. More accurately, I'd gone from dating football players to dating hitmen.

Some women would kill to be in my position. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate it, it just put me on edge much of the time.

I'd seen a lot of things in Dusk Bay, things they wouldn't have dreamt of. They might think life here was glamorous, but the reality was dark and covered in blood. And when it had you, it gripped you, unwilling to let you go.

Should I have looked for a job somewhere else? I could have hidden out in a club in Ireland or Scotland. Somewhere further from the violence.

Could I have done that? No, I wouldn't have. When it came down to it, this was home. As hard as I tried to deny thedarkness, I was the one who pulled a gun on Belinda Simmons. I was the one who gave her the death sentence, even if I didn't slide the blade in.

Whether I wanted it or not, I was part of this life. More and more, it sucked me back in.

"Now you sound like Storm," he said with a smile. He nodded over to where the fullback was doing warm up stretches. "Usually when he's dealing with Atlas."

I snorted softly. "Trust me, Otis Skinner is nothing like Atlas. He's more prickly than an echidna, but he keeps it covered with his mask of professional distance." And he had the nerve to accusemeof being arrogant.

"You're right, that doesn't sound anything like Atlas," Frost agreed. "He's definitely not distant. If anything, he's more the in-your-face type."

"It's one of the things I like about him," I said.

"Me too," Frost agreed. "Remind me not to get injured when Skinner is around. He doesn't sound like the kind of doctor I want to treat me."

"He's a good doctor," I said reluctantly. "He's just not a nice person."

"He could learn a thing or two from you and your brother," Frost said.

"My brother would be only too happy to teach him," I said wryly.

I shouldn't imagine Otis Skinner chained up in Ice's workroom, but the mental image was in my brain before I could stop it. I wish I could say I didn't like it, but I was so annoyed right now, it fit in perfectly with my mood.

"So would I," Frost said, after glancing around to make sure no one was listening. A few of the coaching staff stood several metres away, each engaged in conversation, discussing plays and training tactics. They weren't paying us any attention.

"Don't," I warned. "Atlas said to keep an eye out for him. Let's not provoke him." Like I had. I'd have to watch my back around him.

"Who's provoking?" he asked. "I think of it as dealing with someone who has you upset." He put an arm around my waist and pulled me to him.

I resisted for a moment, but then let him draw me closer. Anyone who looked at us would see I was ruffled. He was a friend comforting me, that was all. And if people wanted to see anything more, they would anyway just by watching us talk quietly together. If people were good at anything, it was jumping to conclusions. Myself included.

"If you dealt with everyone who upset me, you'd spend all your time doing that," I said. I leaned against him, trying to absorb his warm confidence. I couldn't deny he was sweet for making the offer, because he was, but his desire to turn to violence so quickly was still a little chilling.

"Retirement doesn't seem so bad." He chuckled.

"How about you go and warm up with the rest of the guys?" I suggested. "Otherwise you might be forced to retire from an injury caused by not warming up properly. Also, Coach Stanley is looking at you like you better get your ass out there." The last thing I needed was to get in trouble for sidetracking him.

"Only because I don't want to get in trouble with my doctor." He kissed my forehead and dropped his arm from me. "I'll see you soon."

I nodded and watched him trot away, quietly wishing this day was over already.

Chapter Sixteen

Chelsea

"What the hellis he doing here?"

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