Summer pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him.“What did you say?Were you about to call this astupid meet?”Summer could barely credit her ears.He’d been about to denigrate one of the major passions in her life.
But then why would Mårten think anything else?He was a complete stranger, and there was no way he could understand how important this was to her.And now that she was on this train, she was starting to believe her own rhetoric.It was a good excuse not to go into witness protection, but everything she was saying was also true.Most people who didn’t run triathlons could never understand the deep competitive urge driving her on.The personal challenge she set herself every time she ran, to do better, finish faster, get her technique just right so that each stroke in the swim leg was perfect and effortless.There was a sense of accomplishment like no other when she finished a race.Not many individuals could finish a full triathlon.It was an adrenaline high few other people knew.A part of her enjoyed being among that elite number.
She also hadn’t told the complete truth when she explained to Mårten that she started triathlons to stay fit.This was something she’d barely admitted to herself, but six years ago she’d been looking for a means to rid herself of her demons.And running until she was so physically exhausted that she could scarcely suck in a breath, let alone think beyond taking the next step, had helped her push that terrible night when Marco had died into the recesses of her mind.When she was running, or swimming, or riding, she was no longer haunted by the harrowing images.Her senses drifted free, almost as if it were her own personal form of meditation.It was a way to give her memories a break.Slowly, the nightmares had receded, and she had begun to find her equilibrium again.She never wanted to stop running.Because if she did, a tiny part of her was afraid those nightmares would come back with a vengeance.
She let none of that show on her face, however, just allowed the anger to boil over.“What I do is notstupid,” she spat, getting to her feet.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he retorted, also standing so that now they were arguing nose-to-nose over the table.“Don’t twist this around to suit your own truth.This is not about stopping you from doing what you love.This is about keeping you alive!How can you be so stubborn that you cannot see that?”Mårten’s face was turning an interesting shade of red, and a part of Summer was intrigued as to why he seemed to care so much.But she wasn’t about to let him win, and so she started talking over the top of him, until they were both shouting at each other like truculent children.
“Why don’t you take her to Sweden with you?”Nikki said so quietly that Summer almost didn’t catch her words.She turned to stare in Nikki’s direction, letting her argument trail off.Mårten continued to count off on his fingers all the reasons she needed to listen to Jacob and himself, unaware of what Nikki had said.
“What are you suggesting?”Jacob asked, raising a curious eyebrow, as Mårten kept on blustering, talking over the top of him as well.But now all of Summer’s attention was on Nikki, ignoring the annoying Swedish cop who was a major pain in her ass.
“I mean, think about it,” Nikki continued, her voice remaining quiet.
At last, Mårten stopped speaking, one finger still poised in the air, a scowl darkening his features.“What did you say?”he growled.
“We can probably assume this Tyrone King person doesn’t have a clue who Mårten is or where he’s from.So, it’s the perfect hiding place.You’ll be out of the country, but you can continue to train as much as you like.It’s summer in Sweden at the moment, and the weather should be ideal.”
Was this woman mental?That was possibly a worse idea than going into witness protection?Summer opened her mouth to retort, wracking her mind for reasons she couldn’t go.There was no chance she was going to spend the next two weeks in close quarters with Mårten.He was too… She was too… Nope, it just wouldn’t work.Nikki thought she was helping Summer, giving her a way out, but little did she know she was pushing her right into the lion’s den.
“What if Tyrone works it out?What if he follows me to Sweden?Then I’d be putting Mårten in direct danger as well,” she countered with a defiant lift to her chin.
Mårten remained frozen, his finger still raised is if to make his next point, but his face became thoughtful, which worried Summer.He tilted his head to the side and considered her over his hovering hand.
“That could be an option,” he said into the ensuing silence.
“What?No!I’m not going to Sweden.I’m staying right here, and I’m going to continue my life, and not let some asshole scare me off.”
Mårten ignored her, turning to Jacob to say, “Do you want to run it past your superiors?”
“Don’t you dare talk about me as if I’m not here.I refuse to go, and that’s the end of it.”How could this all have turned so quickly?She was losing control again.Spontaneity had never been her strong suit, and her body trembled at the thought of her life being governed by someone else.By Inspector Mårten Viskten, no less.
Summer pushed her chair so she could back away from the table; she’d been smart enough not to sit in the corner this time.She stormed down the hallway and slammed the door to her bedroom behind her.She would not continue this conversation.Not when all three of them were staring at her as if it was already a done deal.She was going to pack her things and get out of here.End of story.
Summer had few belongings with her, and so she’d almost finished stuffing clothes and toiletries into her backpack when there was a light tap on the bedroom door.“Summer, can I come in?”It was Nikki, and Summer’s shoulders sagged.Blast that woman.
“Yes,” Summer said begrudgingly; this was her house after all, she couldn’t very well keep her out.But it was also her fault she was in this mess.Summer didn’t turn around as Nikki entered and closed the door behind her, then came to hover beside the bed.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t realize I’d cause such a problem.Your training is so important to you, and this seemed like the obvious answer.I was only trying to help,” she said, craning her neck to catch Summer’s eye.
“I know you were.Thank you anyway,” Summer conceded with a sigh, continuing to push things into her bag, not wanting to face the other woman.But how could she stay mad at Nikki?Of course, she’d only suggested it because her heart was in the right place; she couldn’t have known what was going on in Summer’s head.Especially when Summer wasn’t even sure why she was so adamant she shouldn’t go.All she knew was that spending two weeks in close proximity with Mårten would be dangerous.Dangerous to all her well-constructed rules and regulations.He was a threat to her self-control.
“So what’s going on?Help me understand.”Nikki opened her palms beseechingly.“What’s the real reason you don’t want to go?Is there something happening between you and Mårten?I know you seem to rub each other the wrong way?But do you hate him that much that you can’t spend two weeks with him?”
Summer stopped packing, sat on the end of the bed and pouted.How could Nikki so quickly delve to the core of the matter?Summer liked to think she kept all her thoughts and feelings well hidden, but Nikki could see right through her.She couldn’t very well tell Nikki it was because she liked Mårten too much that she couldn’t go.How could she explain her jumbled feelings?
“I don’t hate him,” she replied finally.“It’s just that…” Summer sighed, wondering how she could put this.
“Oh, I see,” Nikki said with a sly grin.“You don’t hate him.It’s actually the complete opposite.”
“No.I wouldn’t go that far,” Summer protested.
“When was the last time you dated?”Nikki asked, plonking herself on the bed next to Summer.
“What?”She’d only known Nikki for a few days, how could this woman already be so determined to ask her such intimate things?
“Well, if you don’t hate him, then there’s clearly a lot of conflicting emotions going on, and I wondered why you didn’t have a boyfriend.I am right; you don’t have a boyfriend, do you?”
