Page 170 of Ice Dance Hockey

“Let’s have it, why have you come?”

“You look good,” he says instead of answering my question. “What have they done to you?”

“Mostly bored me to death. I’m not allowed to do anything except write in a journal.” It was given to me on the first day, and I was instructed to write about my years with Jack. If it was supposed to make me realize how much we’re meant to be together, that plan backfired. If anything, I’m now surer than ever as to why we didn’t work out.

“What did they do to you?” I cock a brow.

He sighs. “They didn’t beat me or treat me inhumanely. But it’s a special kind of hell to be trapped somewhere, your whole world happening without you on the other side, your only mercy Maxwell Elkington—a man who barely has any—wondering how long you’ll have to stay this time. S-Sometimes I worried I’d simply be left to decay here.”

“Mhm,” I murmur my agreement. “It’s claustrophobic.”

“Exactly. It eats at your brain in the worst way, Rhett.”

I shudder and a bolt of pride hits me in the chest. My brother was terrified to come here, but he did it anyway. He’s the definition of bravery.

“It’s selfish, but I had to … had to make sure you were okay. Unfortunately, I don’t have any help to offer. I’m completely under Father’s thumb.”

“You came here, didn’t you?” He can’t be that under Father’s thumb if he figured out a way in.

“He knows I’m here, Rhett. We discussed at length what I’m allowed to and not allowed to say.”

That stirs an unsettling bag of visions.

“You’re suddenly the obedient son, now?”

He smirks, but it’s welcome compared to the stark fear clouding his super-model features. “Don’t be ridiculous. I have more selfish reasons for being here.” His lip trembles. “You know he wasn’t always quite this insane. I think you could be the one to shake him out of whatever demons have overtaken him. You’ve always been his favorite.”

“I’m not.”

“You are. For the love of God, stand up to him.”

“I have been, and it’s landed me here.”

“He’s breaking apart. He doesn’t want to do this to you. He didn’t think he’d ever have to.”

“And he was okay with you saying all this to me?”

“No, I’m sticking my neck out for you—and for me. Don’t let me down.” A Cheshire grin spreads over his face.

He’s twisting the knife, raising the stakes. Father has to be stopped.

“Plus, I’m going to need a place to stay next summer. Probably a spending allowance as well.”

I cross my arms. “Is that your solution? Get a job.”

“I plan to. Once I have aphatcontract with the NHL, I won’t require as large of a spending allowance from you.”

“Once you have a contract, you won’t need anything from me.”

“I’m used to a certain lifestyle, Rhett.”

I rub my hands over my face, thinking. I don’t have a plan, and I can’t see a way out of this if Father goes through with a conservatorship. All I can do for now is make him happy. If I follow his rules, he’ll let me out of here by the end of the week and that’s the only thing I’m certain about. From there I don’t have a fucking clue, but being out gives me options. It’s a lot of uncertainty that some of us aren’t built for. Like Maverick. My brother’s built for being pretty.

I’m pretty and built for war.

“We’ll talk about it when I’m out of here.”

He smiles. “Because you’re getting out of here…?”

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