Page 74 of Puck Prince

I look down at it. It’s definitely swollen. I wince as he peels down his sock to reveal mottled bruise marks already blooming on his skin.

“Oh, stop looking like someone died. It’s not that bad.” Miles shrugs out of their grasp and treks over to the bench on one leg. He’s sweating bullets and obviously in pain, but also determined not to get benched.

“I’ll take a look at it and see what I can do.”

The medics leave, and I turn my attention to Miles. “How did this happen?”

“Just got caught up in the middle of a pile-up around the goal. I fell back, but my skate was caught between two sticks.”

“And you twisted it.” I nod. “You boys need to be careful. It’s crazy out there.”

“Yeah. Crazy, violent, fun. It’s what hockey is all about. It’s why I love my job.”

“I love my job, too,” I say as I rotate his ankle gingerly. “But part of my job is making sure you guys don’t get hurt.”

“You really are sweet. I can see why Owen likes you.”

It sounds like a compliment. And when I look up, Miles is smiling at me. He’s one of the nicer guys on the team, but something about the way he is smiling now feels… off.

I chalk it up to a blow to his head during the pile up and back away, dusting off my hands. “I think you’re going to be okay. I wouldn’t go back on the ice just yet, though.”

“It feels better already,” he insists. “You’re good at what you do. Owen is very lucky to have landed you.”

That’s another compliment, so I don’t know why my spine straightens.

I turn back to my bag, reorganizing supplies I already sorted through earlier. “I mean, I like to think I had some say in it. But I’ll take that as a complime—” The word falls short.

Because when I turn around, Miles is standing right behind me. So close that I bump into his chest.

Those familiar alarms sound in my head. The same ones I heard at the last game when the drunken idiot grabbed me. The ones I heard before that, back when…

I take a step away from him. “Look at you, standing up. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you are ready to get back on the ice.”

I take another step back as my heart rate climbs.

Miles is just smiling.

He takes a step forward, and I respond with yet another step back.

But I trip over something behind me. He reaches out, snaring me by the wrist before I can fall.. “Be careful. You wouldn’t want to get hurt.”

My chest is rising and falling jaggedly. I look at the door, wondering if anyone is around. If anyone can see that this doesn’t look right, doesn’tfeelright.

But we are alone.

Completely and utterly alone.

“Th—thanks.” I try to pull away, but Miles’s grip tightens. The alarms rise in pitch. It’s a shrill sound that blurs every coherent thought in my head except the one screaming at me toget away from him.I wrench myself back. “Good catch, but I think you should get back to the game.”

“But it’s more fun back here, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll relax for a few more minutes. It can be our little secret.” He studies me for a beat before finally retreating. “Do you have any little secrets, Callie? I’m sure you do. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that everyone has secrets. Everything has a past.”

My heart is in my throat. “I think you should go,” I tell him stiffly.

“You’re probably right. No one can really hide back here, if you know what I mean.” But he’s still standing in front of me. Still smiling. “Not even your boyfriend. Owen tries to protect people, but everything comes out eventually.”

With that, he lets go of my wrist and walks out of the room, limping only a little. I wait until I truly know he is gone.

Then I rush to the bathroom just in time to get sick.

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