Chapter 5: The Claim

Knox POV

Hunter did not back down. He fixed his gold Vanguard jacket and gave me a fake smile, like the ones they show on the news. He looked at my chest under my track jacket, then at the tape on my wrists.

"Knox Mercer," he said, sounding like a robot. "The short-track guy. I did not know you liked broken figure skaters."

"You have ten seconds to get those skates off our ice," I said, taking a step closer to him. "Before I show you what a short-track guy does to people who get in his way."

The camera crew moved around, trying to get a shot. The red lights on the cameras flashed, capturing every second of our standoff.

Behind me, I heard Everly take a breath. Her fingers touched my jacket, then quickly pulled away. She was stiff, her jaw tight as she looked at the man who ruined her career. She did not look confident like she usually did; she looked small and scared, swallowed up by her past.

I could feel her shaking against my back, her chest rising and falling in frantic breaths. The raw terror radiating from her frame hit me like a physical blow, waking up a fire deep in my chest. I could not stand seeing her look so broken in front of these parasites. It made me feel something protective, an intense urge to smash his cameras and break his jaw.

Ava stood next to Hunter, looking at Everly with a smile. "Hunter is telling the truth, Mercer. The people in charge know it. The judges know it. Everly will never win a medal alone. She has a bad ankle, no team, and no way to win on her own. She needs help."

"Needs help," I repeated, not liking the sound of it coming from her mouth.

I looked at the golden boy. He stood up straight, trying to look tall, but he did not look strong. I stood in front of him, confident and in charge, completely blocking his view of her.

"You must be blind," I said, loud and clear.

The reporter held the microphone close, his eyes wide with excitement.

"What did you say?" Hunter asked, his face red with anger.

"Everly did not lose her partner when you left," I said. "She got rid of someone who was holding her back. Look at how she skates. Look at how she spins. She is a better athlete than you will ever be, Cross. You did not leave her because she was not good. You left her because you could not keep up with her."

He looked like I had hit him. His smile was gone, replaced by a dark look. He took a step closer to me, his chest out.

"You do not know anything about figure skating, short-track," the skater said, his voice low and angry. "It is about hard work and trusting each other. Everly is not a partner. Look at her ankle. If she falls, it will break. Ava is a partner. She is the future of figure skating. We will win a medal together while you watch from the sidelines."

I felt Everly stiffen behind me. Her fingers were still on my back, digging into my jacket. She was shaking, not with fear, but with pure anger. His mean words were making it hard for her to breathe, suffocating her there on the ice. I hated it. I hated him for doing this to her in public, dragging her pain out for the media to see.

He was exposing her trauma just to look big for the television crew. I wanted to step forward and erase that arrogant, mocking look from his face permanently.

Ava crossed her arms, her diamond rings shining under the lights. "Let it go, Hunter. Some people just do not know when to quit. Everly can keep skating here if she wants. It will not change the fact that she will not be allowed to compete."

My jaw was tight. My head hurts. These people did not just want to win; they wanted to destroy her spirit and make sure she never skated competitively again. They wanted her to give up, to hide in the dark and never show her face on the ice again.

Hunter took a breath, his hands tight in his pockets. He sneered at me. "You do not know anything about figure skating, Mercer. Everly is done. She has no chance of winning without a partner. She is all alone."

"She is not alone," I said.

The room went quiet, like something had broken.

Hunter laughed, his hand on her arm. "Oh, please. Who is going to help her? You? This is a speed-skating track facility. You do not even have the proper equipment for her to train."

Hunter smiled, looking directly at the camera. "Who are you to her, Mercer? Just her landlord? You think your dad's money can get her into the competition?"

I felt a surge of anger. I looked at the camera, then at his smug face. He thought he had won. He thought he could come into my home, insult my trainer, and leave without a problem. He thought he could break her down on television.

I was going to take that smile off his face in front of the country right now. I was going to change her future with one sentence. I did not care about the consequences. They wanted to break her on television, but I was about to shock every single person watching this broadcast.

I did not look back at Everly. I did not ask her if it was okay.

I reached behind me, put my hand firmly around her waist, and pulled her close.

She gasped, her hands on my ribs. She did not pull away. Her heart was beating fast against my side, her warmth seeping through my shirt. Her small frame fit perfectly against mine, anchoring me to the spot. I gripped her tight, letting her know I had her.

I looked at the camera, then at his suddenly pale face.

"I am the guy who is taking her to the Olympics," I said, the words feeling strange but heavy in my mouth.

"Now get off our ice."