“Your sister wants to play with us,” Nate says and his eyes flicker with tenderness. He shrugs. “Let her come.”
“Fuck no,” Bryce snarls and I want to kick him in the crotch. “It’s just us.”
But Nate wants me to come along!
It doesn’t matter how much I plead. Bryce doesn’t want me going and Nate gives me an apologetic smile before they walk out. I stand in the hallway, watching them cross the field through the open door and anger boils in me. Clenching my fists, I decide I’m not letting Bryce stop me. He’s not keeping me from Nate and I grab my wool coat and my hat, dressing as warmly as I can before seizing a pair of ice skates.
Feeling like a girl in charge of my destiny, I run down to the lake. Nate and Bryce are already at each other’s throats and I snort.Men. So freaking competitive. Bryce groans when he sees me but I ignore him, putting on my skates and cautiously sliding onto the ice.
“I fucking hope it cracks under your weight,” Bryce shouts and I grit my teeth when I feel the ice shudder. “It’ll teach you a lesson.”
“Your brother’s right,” Nate says, his voice also loud but somehow he doesn’t shout. He never shouts. “The ice is too thin. It’s dangerous.”
They seem to be doing fine so why shouldn’t I? I brush Nate off but I’m secretly thrilled he worries about me. Giving him what I hope are seductive eyes, I slide over to a part of the lake where he can see me clearly.
I’m not a perfect skater by any stretch of the imagination but I know how to do the basic pirouettes and swirls. They manage to hold Nate’s attention for a while, his gaze wandering between me and the puck and it seems like he’s having a hard time concentrating because Bryce is winning. I wonder whether Nate is a sore loser. In that case, I can be the one comforting him, the one who makes him feel all good again. Spinning around with a bright smile, I look for Nate but he’s not watching me anymore.
He’s too caught up in the game.
I blow up my cheeks in frustration but then I get an idea. I could try out a jump. A small one but it’ll be noteworthy enough for Nate to be impressed and I want him to be impressed by me more than anything. Sliding over the ice, I reach back then jump in the air with my arms gracefully to the sides like a swan but land clumsily with a thump...
There’s the sound of something breaking and I glance down in horror, watching the crack spread between my skates and I let out a scream, falling through the ice. The cold isn’t like anything I’ve ever felt before, as sharp as a blade and my mouth fills with water. I reach for the surface, grabbing for the edges and gasp for air.
“Help!” I cry but Bryce and Nate are already on their way. Nate’s thundering over the ice, his eyes filled with panic and tears stream down my face when Bryce grabs him.
“Don’t, it’s not worth it. You too could fall. We need to call for help.”
“Let go of me,” Nate growls, yanking his arm back and he lowers his body before crawling toward me. I see everything in a haze, my heart is ice, my thoughts are ice. My breath puffs and I’m not sure whether I’m shivering or not. I can’t feel my body anymore. “Take my hand,” Nate grits and tears stream from my eyes as I reach for him. His fingers clasp around mine like he’s never going to let me go, never let me be swallowed by the dark water. He tugs at me, gently and carefully and it feels like it takes forever until I’m on the surface again.
Nate pulls back, clasping me to his chest as he takes off my skates and then he rises, hurrying back to the shore. Bryce comes after us, his eyes moody and he snarls,
“I fucking told you not to go out on the ice. Now look what you’ve done.”
“Don’t yell at her,” Nate says, rocking me as he carries me across the field. “She was brave for holding on for so long.” He brings me into the warmth of the house and dad comes out of his office, scratching his head and wondering what’s up. Just like Bryce he’s slow to react and I thank the universe for bringing me Nate.
If not for his bravery, I probably would’ve been dead by now.
“We need hot water,” Nate orders, “and make her some tea and take out the warmest blankets you have.” Thundering down the hallway, he opens up my bedroom door and puts me down on the floor. I whimper from how bad my body hurts and his eyes flood with sympathy. “I need to take your clothes off,” he says, removing my coat, my wet socks, my sweater and pants until I’m only in my underwear.
I’m too distressed to squirm and he struggles not to look at me, his brows frowning over his eyes as he grabs a blanket and throws it over me. Pushing his hands under it, he takes off my underwear while still protecting my modesty and then he carries me to my bed.
“Nate,” I whimper between clashing teeth when I feel myself sink on the mattress and Nate looks down at me. “Don’t leave me.”
“Never,” he whispers, leaning his forehead against mine and his lids shudder. I stop breathing. “I’m here now. I won’t leave.”
Relief floods me and I fall back on the bed, letting go of my hold around his shoulder. “C...cold,” I stutter and something that looks like pain floods his eyes but quickly disappears. He rubs my feet between his palms, ordering the fireplace to be lit when dad and Bryce walk into the room. Their presence disturbs me but I don’t mind so much now that Nate’s showering me with affection and attention. He makes me take small sips of tea and buries me beneath a mountain of blankets, the concern in his eyes never fully disappearing.
A weak smile crosses my face when dad bends down and strokes a hand over my head. I almost burst out in tears because it was so long since he showed me any kind of care. “What were you doing out on the ice, kiddo?” he asks in a low voice.
“Trying to impress Nate,” Bryce snorts, crossing his arms and dad frowns and I’m too cold to blush.
Nate clears his throat. “She was having fun that’s all.Playing. She couldn’t have known it would crack.”
“She did though. It’s not like we didn’t warn her,” Bryce insists and Nate throws him a silencing glance, letting him know that’s enough. Nate turns to me and dad puts a hand on his shoulder, squeezing.
“We should leave. Let Amabella rest. She’ll feel better in the morning.”
I feel a pinch of panic because I don’t want Nate leaving me and I croak his name. He doesn’t hear me and he’s ushered out of the room by dad and Bryce and the door closes. I want him back. I need him to come back. If I was strong enough, I’d get up and follow him but instead sleep takes me like a thief in the night...