Always (The Protectors Book 3)

by Leeanna Morgan

  “Braces?”

  “For four years. My orthodontist told me I was his longest-serving patient. Between the cost of my braces and figure skating, I nearly bankrupted my parents.”

  “Your mom and dad must have seen your potential.”

  “Mom and dad have always supported me—sometimes too much. When I was fifteen, I nearly gave up skating. I knew my parents couldn’t afford private lessons, but they wanted me to keep going. It was the first argument I remember having with them.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  “I won a scholarship. It paid for twelve months of coaching. After that, I got a part-time job and eventually applied for a figure skating scholarship for college.”

  “You’ve worked hard.”

  “No harder than a lot of people. Did you like having a younger brother?”

  Grant still remembered the first time he’d seen John. The dark-haired, blue-eyed baby hadn’t stopped screaming. “Not at first. When he was older, he used to follow me everywhere. Even at school he’d find me at lunchtime and want to sit next to me.”

  “Did you let him?”

  Grant nodded. “I didn’t make friends easily. Most of the older kids thought we were crazy sitting together, but he was my best friend. We looked out for each other.”

  “It sounds like you were good brothers.”

  “He’s helped me a lot, especially when I came home with PTSD. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

  “What happened when you came home?”

  The waitress brought their drinks and meals to the table.

  Grant was glad of the interruption. Talking about his past was hard—a lot harder than Mallory probably realized. Even after all this time he still felt disappointed in himself, as if he should have been able to handle the high-pressure, life-and-death situations in Afghanistan.

  After the waitress left, he glanced at Mallory. She was waiting for him to tell her what had happened seven years ago.

  “When I came back to the States, I didn’t live in Bozeman straight away. I stayed in my biological father’s bunker for about six months. I traveled into Havre for supplies, but that’s about it.”

  “You must have been lonely.”

  “I didn’t want any company. When John told me my mom and step-dad had died, I came back to Bozeman and managed the family ranch.”

  “Would you ever want to do something else?”

  “No. My land is the glue that holds me together. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

  “I felt like that about figure skating.” She glanced at the burger and fries she’d ordered. “Yum. This was a good choice.”

  Her forced smile made him feel sad. “It’s okay to have a life that’s different to what you imagined.”

  “If I had to give up skating because of an injury, it would have been easier to understand. But I stopped because someone threatened me. I shouldn’t have listened to them.”

  “And what would have happened if you hadn’t listened?”

  “I don’t know, but it had to be better than being afraid for the last two years. I was so stupid. I should have told the police everything.”

  Grant understood her anger and frustration, but nothing either of them said now would change what had happened. “You didn’t know about Simon’s cloud account or anything his parent’s company was involved in. Even if you’d told the police about the threats you received, it wouldn’t have made any difference. There was no evidence linking Juan Garcia and Simon’s parents to your car accident.”

  Mallory took a deep breath. “You’re right. I need to focus on the future and not the past.”

  Grant handed her the ketchup. “Does your future involve staying on my ranch after the Winter Festival?”

  She squirted ketchup on her fries. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  “Because you’ll be staying in my house without someone else there?”

  “No…that’s not it. It’s just that a lot could happen between now and Saturday.”

  Grant frowned. “Like what?”

  Mallory picked up her fork. “I don’t know. You might decide you don’t want company.”

  “I like spending time with you.”

  Mallory’s cheeks turned red.

  “Is something going on that I don’t know about?”

  She glanced quickly at him. “No. I’ll take an overnight bag to the festival. At the end of the day, if you’d still like me to stay I’ll drive to your ranch with you.”

  He didn’t know whether to feel happy or worried.

  Mallory was hiding something and he had three days to discover what it was.

  ***

  As Grant drove into Bozeman on Saturday morning, he watched the clouds drift across the sky. It was the kind of morning he loved—a blue sky that was so bright it nearly hurt his eyes and a cold breeze that reminded him it was good to be alive.

  He’d expected the traffic to be heavier than normal and he wasn’t disappointed. The Winter Festival brought everyone into town, including tourists and families from as far away as Missoula, Great Falls, and Billings. Parking would be at a premium, so he’d decided to come into town early.

  A lot of good that did him. Everyone had thought the same thing. He took the first park he saw and grabbed his jacket out of the back of his truck.

  He’d spent most of last night tidying his home, making sure Mallory would be impressed. He still didn’t know what she was hiding, but they’d both been too busy to talk about it.

  “Uncle Grant!”

  He turned around and saw Bella madly waving from the middle of the sidewalk. Rachel and John were beside her, and Tank and Tanner were behind them.

  He waited for them to join him and smiled at the excitement on Bella’s face.

  “It’s nearly time for our figure skating program.”

  Grant laughed. “It’s still an hour away.”

  “I know, but we have to warm up and everything. Do you like my makeup?”

  “It’s beautiful. Your glitter will sparkle when you’re skating.”

  Bella grinned at Rachel. “See…I told you Uncle Grant would like my makeup.”

  Rachel gave her step-daughter a hug. “Yes, you did. Are you heading to Bogert Park, Grant?”

  “I am.” He held out his arm to Bella. “May I escort my ice princess to the festival?”

  Bella nodded and held onto his arm. “I’m really nervous,” she whispered.

  “Why?”

  “I might fall over or bang into someone. Zoe banged into Aimee at our practice on Wednesday.”

  “No one will be worried if something doesn’t go to plan. Just keep skating.”

  “And smiling,” she added. “That’s what Mallory told us.”

  “Mallory would know.”

  Bella sighed. “I hope Mallory keeps teaching us how to skate.”

  “Why wouldn’t she?”

  “Mr. Groves from Haynes Pavilion came and saw her on Wednesday. Natasha overheard him say that he was increasing the rink fees. If it gets too expensive, we might not be able to practice there.”

  “Who pays the rink fees at the moment?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Grant thought back over something John had said. He had a feeling that Mallory was paying the fees herself. “Don’t worry. Mallory enjoys teaching you how to figure skate.”

  “That’s what I told Natasha.”

  “The only thing you need to do is enjoy the Winter Festival. Look over there.” He pointed to the bright caravans in Bogert Park. “I bet there’s probably a booth selling doggie treats.”

  Bella turned to her dad. “Can we find a present for Milo?”

  John nodded. “We’ll have to be quick.”

  Bella led Grant toward the edge of the sidewalk. “Let’s go, Uncle Grant. Milo will be so happy if I bring something home for him.”

  Grant waited for a break in the traffic before crossing the road. They had a big day ahead of them, and it
was only just beginning.

  ***

  An hour later, Grant clapped as a team from the Bozeman Stingers left the rink. They’d played an ice hockey game, showing the audience some of the skills needed to skate competitively in the senior A hockey division.

  “Can you see Mallory and the girls?” Rachel asked.

  “Not yet, but Tess is standing beside the entrance to the rink.” He scanned the people behind Tess, searching for any sign of Mallory and her figure skating team. They had to be here somewhere. They were supposed to be on the ice in less than five minutes.

  He nudged his brother. “I can see four bodyguards beside the rink. How many security staff are guarding you?”

  “Eleven.”

  Grant’s eyebrows rose. “Isn’t that a little extreme?”

  “Not for the number of people here. It would have been easier if we stayed together, but we can’t.”

  Rachel jumped up and pointed to the rink entrance. “There they are.” She grinned at John. “They look amazing.”

  Grant pulled her down. “You’d better sit on your seat. You just gave Connor a fright.”

  Rachel looked at the bodyguard who was now standing three seats away from her. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to having your staff follow me around.”

  John held her hand. “It won’t always be as bad as this.”

  “I know.” Rachel kissed his cheek. “At least your team is dressed for the festival. They almost blend in with everyone else.”

  ‘Almost’ was as close to normal as John’s security detail would ever get. Their jeans and down jackets couldn’t disguise their watchful presence or the way they stuck to John and his family.

  Grant turned his attention back to the rink.

  Zoe led the procession of girls onto the ice. They took their places and smiled at the audience.

  He searched for Tess again, hoping Mallory was beside her. She still wasn’t there.

  Rachel pointed her cell phone at the rink and started recording the girls.

  “There’s Bella,” John said with pride. “She looks wonderful.”

  Grant watched his niece strike her opening pose for their routine. She seemed confident and happy, and eager to show everyone what she’d learned.

  The opening notes of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah played on the speakers and he leaned forward.

  The girls linked arms and started skating. As one synchronized move flowed into the next, he let go of the breath he didn’t know he was holding.

  Bella’s wide smile matched her friends as they split into pairs and moved across the rink. After a complicated footwork sequence, they met in the center of the ice, linked hands, and began the next choreographed moves that would bring them to the end of their first song.

  While the audience clapped and cheered, the girls skated into position for their last song.

  Rachel lowered her phone. “Bella’s been practicing every day.”

  John took his cell phone out of his pocket and took some photos. “She’s not the only one. I talked to Natasha and Aimee’s moms last Wednesday. All the girls have been on the ice, practicing each day. I don’t know how Mallory did it, but they love figure skating almost as much as they love cookies.”

  “More than cookies,” Rachel said. “Bella has been watching the U.S. Figure Skating Team on the Internet for the last few weeks. She’s really hooked.”

  Grant finally saw Mallory. She was standing beside the rink, wrapped in a long coat and looking more nervous than her students.

  As Somewhere Over the Rainbow started playing, she stepped into the crowd behind her, disappearing from sight.

  Grant leaned toward his brother. “Is someone guarding Mallory?”

  John nodded. “Tanner’s with her. Why?”

  He looked at where she’d been standing and frowned. “She’s not beside the edge of the rink anymore.”

  “Don’t worry. If Tanner loses sight of her, everyone will be alerted.”

  Grant pulled his gaze away from the crowd and watched Bella and her friends. They were all skating so well. The rest of the program went without a hitch. Natasha sailed through her spin and into the next move as if she’d never had a problem.

  By the end of the song, everyone gave them a standing ovation.

  Rachel caught everything on camera, smiling as proudly as any parent watching their child.

  Grant scanned the audience. He still couldn’t see Mallory.

  As Bella and her friends skated toward the rink’s entrance, he saw her. She was giving each of the girls a hug as they left the ice.

  He leapt to his feet when he saw what she was wearing. “I need to go. Mallory—”

  “Sit down,” his brother said.

  Grant frowned. “She’s going to skate. It’s too dangerous.”

  John grabbed his arm and pulled him into his seat. “She wants to do this. Look around the rink. Four of my senior security specialists are watching the audience. Connor is behind us and we have six other staff in the park.”

  “That won’t stop someone hurting her.”

  “She knew the risks when she decided to skate.”

  Mallory’s name echoed from the sound system as someone welcomed her onto the ice. She lifted her arm above her head and waved at the audience. Her purple dress sparkled under the lights, wrapping Grant’s heart in cold dread. If anything happened to her, he didn’t know what he would do.

  He saw the staff John had placed around the rink. They were scanning the audience, searching for anything out of the ordinary.

  Mallory waited in the center of the ice, ready for the music to start. One hand was on her left hip and the other arm was extended above her head, reaching toward the ceiling.

  John nudged his arm. “Breathe. She’ll be okay.”

  “I can’t believe she’d do something like this without telling me.”

  “What would you have said?”

  “Don’t do it.”

  “If you’re wondering why she didn’t tell you, there it is.”

  “No more talking,” Rachel whispered. “I want to video Mallory, not your commentary on whether she should be on the ice or not.

  She watched Grant and John for a few seconds before pointing her phone at the rink. “That’s better.”

  The music started and Grant turned away from his brother. He had more important things to do—like focus on Mallory.

  Holding her head high, she skated around the rink, twisting and turning in time to the music. She moved with the grace of a ballerina and the speed of a hockey player.

  There was something about her that pulled him into her performance, made him forget the danger she was in and enjoy the moment.

  As she skated past them, she opened her arms wide. The pace of the music changed and she launched herself into the air. She spun so fast that Grant didn’t know if she’d land safely.

  “That was a Triple Lutz,” Rachel yelled above the applause.

  John held his finger to his lips, then pointed at her cell phone.

  Rachel grinned before turning back to the ice. “Double Axel,” she whispered. “This is amazing.”

  Music filled the rink. Grant’s gaze never left Mallory as one move flowed into the next. Seeing her skate on the Internet was completely different to watching her in person. He was in awe of her talent, totally blown away by her strength and skill.

  She powered into the next move, dropping her toe pick into the ice and spinning high into the air. If the person talking non-stop behind them was correct, Mallory had just completed a perfect triple flip.

  The audience went crazy. Claps and cheers rang out from everyone around them.

  He swallowed hard as he watched her. Until today, he hadn’t appreciated how much she’d given up to protect herself and her family.

  Now he knew.

  As the music shifted into a slower tempo, Mallory’s choreography changed. Her moves became more about positioning than power, control as opposed to speed.

  He caught sight o
f Bella and her friends. They were leaning against the barricade surrounding the rink, mouths open as they watched their coach finish her routine.

  Mallory spun in a slow arc as the music came to an end. When she stopped, everyone jumped to their feet and started clapping.

  “Oh, wow,” Rachel said as she followed Mallory off the ice with her camera. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Grant leaned toward his brother. “I’m going to see Mallory.”

  “Take her back to Emerald Lake. I don’t want anyone here for longer than they need to be.”

  He nodded and made his way through the excited audience. Grant wasn’t the only person heading toward Mallory. There was a wave of people heading in her direction.

  As he pushed through the crowd, he worried about what could happen. If John’s staff didn’t get to Mallory and Bella fast, they’d be trapped on the path between the rink and the closest exit.

  Tanner was standing beside Mallory, talking into his earpiece and shielding her from as many people as he could.

  Tess stood on the other side of them, doing her best to hold back the people who were clamoring for her autograph.

  Mallory knelt down and disappeared from his view.

  Grant looked for Bella. This could be more than a disaster. Two of the most important people in the world to him could get hurt.

  He jumped off the edge of the seating and shouldered his way through the crowd.

  The other security guards would be making their way to the rink. He hoped someone got there soon.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Grant stopped beside the entrance to the rink. There was no sign of Mallory, Bella, or Tanner.

  Someone touched his shoulder.

  “They’re in a mobile home out the back,” Jeremy said from beside him.

  “Are they okay?”

  He nodded. “Follow me.”

  A local television crew and a handful of reporters were standing outside, cameras and phones ready for the story of a lifetime.

  Jeremy said something into his earpiece and moved quickly toward a large, white mobile home.

  “Where are the rest of Mallory’s students?”

  “By the changing area. Sam’s staying with them until their parents collect them.”