Page 83 of Break The Ice

“I do. I’m not thinking about that.”

“What are you thinking about?” I ask a little defensively.

“I’m wondering why there is a man on the street staring up at our house.”

I break out into goosebumps and lunge for the window.

Sure enough, standing on the footpath across the road is a silhouette of a man who is clearly watching our house. I can’t see his facial features. I can’t tell how tall he is or his size. Just that he’s male and there.

My mouth goes dry. He lifts a hand and waves.

“This motherfucker!” I snarl.

I whirl around and sprint down the stairs. In ten seconds, I’m charging out of the house, Raider a heartbeat behind me, but when we get out here, there is no one there.

He’s gone.

Did we imagine it? No, I know we didn’t.

“What is going on?” Raider whispers aggressively.

I shake my head and go to the spot where he was standing. There is absolutely no sign of anyone having been here. He’s simply vanished as if he were a ghost.

Raider pulls me back to the house, and we go inside. I pace the kitchen.

“We don’t tell Ryann. She’s jumpy already.”

I glance back at Callan. “She’s an adult. We should tell her.”

“Who has had a lot of changes lately. We keep forgetting who she is, what she’s been through. She’s so strong, but she’s been travelling alone for a long time. I don’t want to see her leave us and resume that journey.”

Callan’s argument is logical and heartfelt. I can see his point, but I’m not sure he’s right.

“We should go back to bed. You two have your last practice before the away game tomorrow.”

I turn back and, on impulse, grab Callan’s hand.

“What?”

“Come with us?”

“What?” Callan looks at Kit, who hesitates.

“Seriously. Bring Ryann and come with us. Just this once. You can hide in the hotel room. I don’t care. I just don’t want to be across the country from you.”

Callan stares up at me. “What’s wrong?”

I shrug. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve finally accepted that I want them or that I don’t want to be without them. But it’s probably more seeing that guy freaked me out.

I don’t want to leave them here in trouble and be too far away.

“So, come with us?” Raider asks me and then nods. “Sure, why not? We could swing it. It wouldn’t be hard.”

Kit shrugs. “I’m in.”

“Me, too,” Callan says, his eyes holding mine. “All right, we’ll all travel to your game with you.”

I let out a breath filled with relief, but it doesn’t get rid of the uneasy tension that’s building.

---