bad. Whoever had started that fire had picked a time when the tenants were home, including Charlie.
The other day, when I told her I hated bullies, I hadn’t been lying. People who used an imbalance of power to threaten, abuse or intimidate another person were complete scum in my eyes. It was something I had stood up against my entire life. I considered myself easygoing except when I witnessed someone being abused. I always went to the mat to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. Defending people was part of my DNA. In hockey, I defended my goalie. In life, I defended anyone I thought needed my help. And right now, Charlie was the object of my protection, for no other reason than because she didn’t deserve what was happening to her.
She appeared at the edge of the kitchen, half drowning in my hoodie and sweats. Her long, wet hair clung in strands down her back. Her face was washed bare, and those freckles stood out against the white pallor of her skin. Her clothes were in a ball, tucked under her arm. She appeared so vulnerable that I had an urge to hug her.
I tried to assess how she was holding up.
Her voice hesitated. “Could I borrow your washing machine?”
I led her back into the laundry room. I watched her stuff her clothes into the machine and then I reached above her to dump in some detergent. She shut the lid and looked up at me.
I squinted at the buttons, not sure what to press. “Do you know how to use this?”
Her eyebrows shot up, but she didn’t say a word. She simply reached across and pressed one button. The machine started to hum.
I looked at her. “You okay?”
She nodded.
I had to ask. “Do you think Yazimoto set the fire?”
Her lip wobbled dangerously and her voice squeaked. “I don’t know.”
Shit. Tears were my kryptonite. “Let’s deal with that in the morning.”
She nodded, biting her lip, working not to cry.
“You can sleep in the guest room.”
Big brown eyes glistening with tears met mine. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Get some sleep.” I wanted to comfort her but my voice sounded gruff.
With another tremulous glance my way, she vanished into the guest bedroom.
I retreated to my bedroom, but despite my long day, I couldn’t sleep. Krista’s words about how tough it would be for Charlie to transition into my life came back to me. Tonight, Charlie had lost everything. I had to hand it to her. Most women would be in hysterics. She had handled it with determined stoicism. With no other options, she had called me and asked for help. Knowing how feisty and independent she was, I couldn’t imagine how much that phone call had cost her to make.
I thought it’d bug me to have her move in. In fact, I had been dreading having to share my space, but in my need to shelter her from those more powerful than her, it gave me a level of satisfaction that she was tucked safely in my guest room, away from anyone who might try to harm her.
I needed to get a hold of Andrusha. Tonight, things had escalated, and it was time to call in a friend who could offer a real solution.
Not being able to practice, work with my trainer or see my team was the worst kind of punishment. It drove the point home that I was not interested in life without hockey. In desperate need of exercise, despite the early hour and lack of sleep, I went for a lengthy run. I enjoyed how the cool air felt sharp in my lungs, the mist coated my face and my legs burned to the point of pain. As I ran under a long bridge, my senses kicked in. Someone was under this bridge with me. I stopped and spun around, ready to defend myself.
Andrusha stepped out from the shadows, speaking to me in Russian. “You’ve never lost your edge.”
I responded, loving how my first language felt on my tongue. “You’re about as sneaky as a rhino.”
He laughed and then immediately sobered. “I’m sorry to have to approach you this way. I figured you were in enough shit with the cops that you didn’t need to be seen with me.”
I put my hands on my hips, still breathing hard. “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “The police cast a wide net, hoping to catch a fish, but they caught nothing. Nothing except an innocent hockey player. I heard on