would that i • taylor swift

Chapter 5

She'd been skating over to join her. It was all going quite well, Taylor thought. Despite the torture of seeing Lodge almost attached to her, Taylor'd felt hope. Whatever he said, she hadn't liked it, and when she'd started back to the shore, she'd returned as well, to surrender her charges to the safer bank.

And then all hell broke loose. Worse than Marina knocking girls into snowbanks, she'd vanished around the bend of the river—solitary.

"Fuck," she muttered, skating through the remainder of the people and after her. "Marina!"

She'd vanished. Her chest tightening, Taylor scanned the snowbanks on either side of the river as she sped along. She curved another arch, and stopped short.

New York was a very peculiar place. Spanning from the river from shore to shore, a small village was on the ice. Hundreds of people slid and walked and skated among wooden decorations that looked like little buildings while music and the shouts of vendors filled the air.

She'd been somewhat reassured to realize that Marina skated dreadfully. She wasn't flawless. On the other hand, a young woman alone in a crowd could find herself worse than embarrassed. With another low curse she skated onto the ice street between the rows of booths and carts.

She could barely proceed a foot without being pushed by someone selling gingerbread or meat pies. Dunk gamblers slipped and slid on the ice. An expanding concern clutched at her. Confused or enraged or whatever Marina had felt to make her leave the party, this was a risky place for her to be solo. Condemn Lodge for leaving her side.

"Stop! Thief!"

At the sound of the female voice, Taylor whipped around. Marina clutched the arm of a big, dreary man, her green purse gripped in one of his hands.

"Marina!"

The man pushed, and she went down onto her buttocks next to one of the shanties. With a gaze the thief began a gliding run up the street.

Taylor slid to a halt beside Marina. "Did he hurt you?" she asked, squatting to brush hair from her face. "Are you all right?"

"I'm excellent," she panted sarcastically, her hands shaking in hers as she pulled her to her feet. "But my phone was in my bag. I feel so st—"

"Wait here," she commanded, thrusting her toward an imminent cop, and was off like a bullet.

Some brute had dared to push her Marina to the ground. For once she didn't have to be subtle or civilized. As Taylor caught sight of the fellow flashing through the crowd, she gave a fierce smile. No one was allowed to harm her Marina.

Marina watched Taylor disappear in pursuit of the purse kidnapper. Her whole body shook, and not from the cold. She'd thought she was completely alone, and then Taylor had appeared out of nowhere. And she'd gone again—after what could be a very dangerous man, all because she was stupid and mentioned her phone. "Please let me go," she said quiveringly to the cop.

"I believe it's best you stay here."

"Taylor might be in danger."

"No worries, ma'am. Another officer went after her."

Taylor caught up to the thief right before the shanty street ended. With a growl she launched herself at the man. Vendor carts and glasses of beer and brandy went flying as they both went down in a flogging pile of fists and feet and skates.

They rolled into the corner of one of the booths, bringing the gauzy thing down on top of both of them. Taylor grunted as a boot slammed across her thigh. Thank God the simpleton wasn't wearing skates. Due to her skates, she was able to hurry to her feet first.