Checking my watch, I head back into her room to find her dressed in leggings and a hoodie.
“Wasn’t sure what’s on the agenda for today, so I went with casual,” she says, running her fingers through her hair.“I thought we were going out for lunch to some fancy restaurant, followed by a little shopping spree before catching a show, but then I remembered we’re stuck on a mountain in a snowstorm and also hiding from gang lords, so I put back the Versace number Nita must have packed for me.”
She’s opting for humour—her defence mechanism when she doesn’t know what else to do—and I’m relieved.Her only other line of defence is attack, which I’ve been on the receiving end of far too many times to count, so I’ll settle for the comedy.
“We’re digging a path to the wood store and then probably target practice, but only if that fits in with your agenda.”
Hayami raises her eyebrows.“My agenda consists of drinking hot chocolate and reading for most of the day, so, yeah, I suppose I have a window.Have you seen how bad the snow is?”
I edge over to the balcony doors and pull back the curtains.
The glare hurts my eyes, the white so bright it’s almost glowing.
Everything is covered in snow.
The trees.The ground.The bushes.
“It’s like someone has dusted the whole place with icing sugar,” Hayami says as she joins me.“It’s so quiet.Why does snow make everything silent and peaceful?”
“I suppose it’s the white,” I say.Hayami looks confused, so I add, “Colour of innocence.”
“Wow, that’s a little philosophical for this early hour,” she points out.
“It’s eleven o’clock.”
“Okay, maybe not that early, but I think you’re right.White just makes everything look so clean and calm.I almost don’t want to ruin it by going outside and making footprints.”
“I don’t think they’ll remain for long at the rate the snow is still falling,” I tell her.
“Then why are we going out and digging a path to the wood store if there’s more snow forecast?Shouldn’t we wait until the worst is over?”
“We need more wood.Better to go now than when it’s doubled in depth.We’ll salt the walkway to try and discourage it from settling.Although, I don’t think it’ll make much difference.”
There’s a beep from Willa’s phone, which is on the bedside cabinet.
Striding across the room, I reach the bed and pick it up.There’s a message.
“Markus wants an update.”
Hayami joins me and takes the phone from my hand.She’s better at pretending to be Willa than I am.Markus would know the second I replied that something was amiss, as I have no way of filtering my answers.
“What should I tell him?”she asks.
“Tell him that we’re all okay and stuck in the house due to a snowstorm.Tell him that this helps our situation, as no one could reach the house even if they wanted to.”
Hayami types out a text and then passes it to me.
Nothing to report other than two feet of snow surrounding the property.No need to worry.We have supplies.The only good thing about the snow is that no one is getting within spitting distance of us, as all the roads are impassable.Hayami is fine.She’s been busy with her coursework.Over and out.
It’s perfect—businesslike enough to be an official report of what’s going on, but also with the little chatty side of Willa.You don’t work within a team without getting to know one another, and Willa has been working for the Devalls for the last six years.Markus told me that Willa is the longest-standing female bodyguard Hayami’s had who hasn’t left after one of her tantrums.
Feeling like I’m detonating a bomb, I hit Send and we wait several seconds before the phone beeps, making me jump.
We read it together.
Keep an eye on the weather and keep me informed.
“Markus is so miserable,” Hayami says, pocketing Willa’s phone.
