I laugh.
"It’s not your soul."
He steps closer.
"Close enough."
Before I can react, he lifts me over his shoulder.
"Luka!" I squeal, laughing as he carries me toward the bedroom.
"We’ll fix the situation," he says. "But not right now."
He drops me gently onto the bed and follows, warm and solid and very real.
Outside, the snow keeps falling.
Inside, he chooses me over the headlines.
And for the first time since this mess started—
I believe we’re going to be okay.
Chapter Twenty-Six
LUKA
I slept in until nine am and woke up alone. Natalia left early this morning for yoga, and I can’t remember the last time I slept in like this.
My phone vibrates, but I don’t pick it up. Then it vibrates again. I turn in bed and grab it off my nightstand.
Randolph.
I answered, voice still rough with sleep. "What?"
"What the hell is this about a source telling Weekly Sports VELVT lied to you about Olympic approval?"
My brain doesn’t catch up fast enough.
"What are you talking about?"
"This isn’t a time to play with me, Luka. Sponsors are blowing me up asking if I knew about this. Is this true about VELVT? Andif so, why the hell didn’t you tell me that they pulled this during the shoot. We could have gotten ahead of it."
Ice spreads through my chest.
"I didn’t tell anyone about a VELVT email."
"Then why is it on every sports site this morning?"
I sit up in a hurry, pulling the phone from my ear and swipe open notifications.
Breaking News:Popovich in hot water with VELVT Misrepresented Olympic Clearance
Another:
Source Close to Seattle Winger Says Athlete Relied on Magazine’s Assurances
My pulse goes cold.
