"The rink was never empty when you needed it."
The moment Eli had left, Silver remained frozen in place, her blades gripping against the grooves carved into the ice by countless previous skaters. Her pulse was still hammering from his proximity, from the almost-kiss that had been interrupted by his teammates. She hadn't even begun to process what had nearly happened when the sound of new skates scraping hard against the rink surface cut through her thoughts.
Two figures glided onto the ice from the opposite entrance, moving with the kind of aggressive confidence that belonged to people who knew exactly how to use a public space as a stage for cruelty. Silver recognized them instantly, her stomach sinking with the particular dread that came from facing people who'd been waiting for exactly this kind of opportunity.
Bianca and Bella Mitchelle. Former junior circuit rivals who'd made it their personal mission to remind Silver of her fall from grace every chance they got.
