Page 44 of Dreams on the Ice

“What about Forrest?” the other woman recording the video asks.

Then, at about the eight-minute mark, she lets out a cackle, looks directly at the camera, and leans forward as if she’s going to tell a big secret or impart some wisdom. But when she speaks, my heart begins beating faster and faster.

“We were never together. His parents paid me fifty grand to ruin him and that bitch he’s fucking. They want him to come back home and assume his place in the world where he belongs, along with being around the people who are more his station instead of the lower-class people he’s surrounded himself with.”

Oh.

My.

God.

After watching that, I look through the other text messages, expecting to see that they are all of the same thing video, but they aren’t. Every single one of them is different, with different days and years. And they all make Kiki look awful.

They showcase her horrible personality.

My lips shift from parted in shock to curving up into a grin. I cannot believe that this is real. I almost pinch myself. Normally, I would feel bad about something like this, but in this case, I don’t.

This bitch took money in exchange for destroying my life and Forrest’s dreams.

Her demise doesn’t begin to equate to what she was doing to us. She has no career. She has no clients. She’s living off her parents’ money and trying to land a rich husband. And she did all this shit to herself.

And I hope that no man in theirstationwill touch that bitch with a ten-foot pole after this. I hope she completely loses her place in the fucked-up society she’s part of and that they completely ostracize her.

My phone buzzes in my hand again. It’s a text message, and I assume it’s another one from one of the girls, but my heart flutters at the sight of who it’s from.

FORREST: I told you I would fix it. Give me a little more time, and it will all be done. I miss you.

FORREST

“Elizabeth Persson is a goddamn genius,” Lev announces as I walk downstairs from my bedroom.

This week was fucking intense. Not only because of my birthday and all that drama but also because we won all of our games against Colorado. Which was amazing. Rubbing it into those assholes’ faces was the best feeling in the world.

I know I shouldn’t be too cocky, but seriously, Kiki tried to ruin my whole life, and she almost succeeded. I’m ready for her and the rest of that damn crew to get their just desserts.

Although, I know my parents don’t give a shit that they were exposed for being assholes. Nobody in their circle will care about them. They’ve all paid money for things that disappeared before. They’re all just as bad, if not worse. But the rest of the world cares. Brooklynn’s clients care, my fans care, and I can’t ignore any of that.

Because if I ignore those things, I will lose Brooklynn, and I will, without a doubt, lose my career. No team owner wants a player who people think is an absolute piece of shit, and that’s exactly what would happen. The moment fans start complaining, I’m in fucking trouble.

This is my career and my livelihood now. It’s time that I take all this shit seriously. So Elizabeth is working her magic, andsoon, I’ll be back in my woman’s arms. I miss Brooklynn’s smart and beautiful mouth.

“Isn’t she, though?” I ask with a chuckle.

“I don’t know how she found all of those videos, but the way she strategically posted them all over different social media platforms or had different people post them, it’s fucking genius. None are coming from you, Brooklynn, or anyone in our circle.”

I snort. “Kiki has been a bitch since day one. There are a rare few people in that circle who are nice, and the ones who are left and never looked back,” I point out.

Lev chuckles. “Just like someone I know,” he murmurs, jerking his chin toward me.

I wish I could say I was nice, but really, I don’t think I am. I don’t know what I would have been like had my money come in. Probably unbearable. It’s better that I’m broke as fuck.

Thinking about being broke, I clear my throat and sink down on the sofa next to Lev. “Got a serious question,” I murmur.

He watches me, waiting for me to continue. “I need to get another job. Coaching or something. Can you help me get started with that?”

Lev’s eyes widen, and then his lips curve up into a grin. “Yeah, I can totally help you with that. There’re always kids who want to take lessons, and we always have to turn them down. There’s also a team that needs help with coaching.”

I like the sound of that. I haven’t been around kids much in my life, but just thinking about helping them love the game as much as I do makes me feel like I’m on the right track. I should have been doing it all along, maybe even donating my time, too. I’ve been a selfish prick, but I’m ready to become a better person.

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