Free Destiny's Whisper by Elizabeth Moynihan

sister with a tattoo came to mind and he slipped the bag that held his skating gear from his father’s shoulder to his own. “I think that’s a good idea. If anybody can help Chloe find herself again, Dani can,” Sergei said quietly, falling into step with his father as they made their way toward the parking lot.
    “So, any word from Whittaker as far as a partner for you?” Aleksei asked his son casually, stepping aside as paramedics arrived and pushed their way through the corridor with another patient.
    “I don’t know if he has or not; we never hooked up. Not that it makes a difference; I found a partner myself,” Aleksei stated without hesitation.
    Aleksei looked at his son and knew his answer before he asked the question. “Please tell me it’s not Chloe,”
    “No can do, Dad,”
    “Sergei, you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into with Chloe. Not only are you going to be dealing with someone who’s got more baggage than she knows what to do with, but there’s also the added problem of Manning. You can’t believe he’s going to just let her go without a fight; she has information that can damage his reputation and future skating career if she chooses to disclose it,” Aleksei argued, hoping his words would at least make Sergei rethink his decision.
    “That’s the operative word, Dad–if. And what if she decides to just pretend this never happened and doesn’t press charges? Does that make what she experienced any less real? Dad, I’ve–we’ve–known Chloe for thirteen years; you don’t turn your back on a friend when they’re backed into a corner. I’m going to help her in any way I can and if that means kicking the crap out of Manning, oh well!”
    “Your mother would have a fit if she knew you were talking like this; we didn’t raise you to run toward fights,”
    “No you didn’t, but you also taught me to stand up for what I believe in and to face a problem head on. That’s what I intend to do. Chloe can’t stand up to that scumbag, but I sure as hell can! Her days of having to fight alone are done!”
    Aleksei looked at his son, recognized the fire of determination in his eyes, the set of his jaw and saw himself as he must have looked at the same age, ready to take on the world and the devil be damned. “Your mother’s going to skin both of us if you do something stupid.”
    “Then I guess I’d better not do anything stupid, huh? I’d hate to be responsible for you sleeping on the couch!” Sergei stated, a devilish light glinting in the ebony depths of his eyes.
    Aleksei shook his head in bemusement, understanding why Sergei made his coach crazy. Whittaker might as well have been dealing with Aleksei again for as much as Sergei was like his father.
    “You remember that, pal, because if your mother kicks me out of bed, I’m taking yours and you can sleep on the couch!”
    Good or bad, Aleksei couldn’t have been prouder of his son!
     

CHAPTER 5 
    T he low hum of a vacuum cleaner pulled Sergei to semi-consciousness. His eyelids felt leaden as he squinted at the clock on his bedside table, threw an arm over his eyes and rolled over with a groan. Six-fifteen! His mother was vacuuming at six-fifteen in the morning. When he and his father had returned home from the hospital late last night and explained the situation to Jordan, she had immediately demanded that upon her release from the hospital, Chloe would be brought home–to their home–to complete her recovery. With tests still to be run, it was uncertain exactly when Chloe would be released from the hospital, but obviously his mother wasn’t taking chances, and hence her cleaning attack on the guest room. It was just Sergei’s luck, his room happened to be next door.
    Dragging himself out of bed, he made his way into the hallway, tripped over the trailing vacuum cleaner cord, pulled the plug from the wall and stubbed his toe against the baseboard. A low growl escaped his throat as his mother walked out of