Page 49 of Off the Edge

Mara nodded, then ignored him and asked, “Camden, do you believe you’re being unfairly targeted because of your history?”

That should have been an easy question to answer.

Yes, I am being unfairly targeted.

But saying it would make me seem paranoid. Defensive. Guilty, even.

“What do you think, Mara?” I asked. My smile had turned wooden and threatened to fall off my face altogether. I shoved my hands into my pockets.

“I think there’s more to the story.”

“There’s always more to a story when it’s me, right?” I shot back.

Mara’s eyes narrowed.

Graham from TSN stepped back into the ring. “Is the scrutiny difficult to deal with on the eve of the competition.”

“No.”

“Does it create unnecessary distraction for your partner?”

Zoe stiffened again.

“Ask her.”

So he did. “Zoe, has Camden’s situation affected your preparation?”

My situation? I huffed. I didn’t have a fucking situation until I’d stepped into this room.

“My preparation is excellent,” Zoe said, still smiling, but there was an edge to her voice now. She hated this. Really hated it. We weren’t here to talk about my fuckups or to put me on trial. She didn’t want any part of it. “Camden’s my partner. We’re both ready to compete.”

“Have you been concerned by his behavior?” Graham asked.

“His behavior?” she repeated, frowning.

“The late arrival today? The reported disciplinary meeting? The testing?”

Casey muttered, “Jesus Christ.”

Jen put a hand on his arm. Hopefully the microphones hadn’t picked up his cursing.

“No, I’m not concerned,” Zoe said, lashes fluttering, smile failing.

A man near the back raised his hand. “Daniel Cho, Reuters. Camden, eighteen months ago, you and Ren Hasegawa failed to reach the Meridian Cup final after your injury. Do you feel you’re here to prove that result did not define you?”

They just couldn’t leave Ren out of it, could they.

I’d slammed the door on Ren, and somehow he was still in the room with me. “Did losing define me? Is that what you’re asking? No, it did not define me.” I heard the cutting edge in my voice but couldn’t dull it down. My blood was up, my back in a corner.

“But it changed the trajectory of your career?” Daniel asked.

“It nearly ended my career, honestly.”

“Which is why tomorrow is seen as something of a comeback.”

“I came back months ago. There have been multiple competitions between then and now. Qualifying wasn’t easy.”

“But tomorrow is the first time you’ll compete directly against Hasegawa since the Meridian. At the Meridian, your partnership became a major international story, but many analysts credit Hasegawa’s technical discipline with elevating your performance. Do you view tomorrow as a chance to prove you can succeed outside his shadow?”