Page 130 of Born of Ice

“What about it?” I narrow my eyes at him, and he sneers.

“You can’t be that dense and not see that she’s not coming back to skate with me because of you!” He jabs a finger into my chest and if I wouldn’t see it, I’d never feel it. “Winning the Olympics was her whole life. That’s what she worked for and the only way she’ll get it is if we go there together like we planned.”

“Really now? So, where were you a few months ago? Where were you when that dream of hers went up in flamesbecauseof you?” I get into his face and he immediately retreats.

“I fucked up! I know that and I regret it. What do you want? For me to get on my knees and thank you for getting her walking again?”

I give him a blank stare because there’s nothing I want from this asshole.He regrets it… I start to feel my blood hum with rage and thirst to punch his face until he knows what real regret feels like. But I’m a changed man and all that so, I turn around and start walking again.

“She’ll resent you,” he calls after me. “Eventually, she’ll resent you because you took away her dream.”

“Funny, I was under the impression that you did.”

“But now I want to give it back to her and you are the one in the way. I want her back.”

My fist meets his gut before he can finish that stupid sentence.

Sorry, little star, maybe I’m not that all changed yet.

Erik doubles over, gasping for air. “You…you…”

I grab a chunk of his hair and pull him up from his crouching position.

“She’s not a fuckingthingto want or not want. She’s not a toy you throw away when it’s broken, you fucker! And if I hear you talk about her like that again, I’ll do much worse than just a punch.”

“Fuck, man, what did she do to you in that cabin? I know she can’t suck a cock that good to turn you into her own lap dog, so what was it?”

Another punch lands squarely on his jaw, it would send him flying back if I didn’t hold him, yet his mouth opens with a bitter laugh.

“You can punch me all you want but you can never give her what I can. You’ll never make her a true champion. You love her? Is that it?” He smirks through a grimace. “Will you be able to live with that? To wake up every morning and know she missed out on her chance because of you,” he spits out, and I let go off his hair with a shove.

Erik stumbles back and huffs out a dry laugh. “Let her go. You are not one to settle down with a girl like her. You had a nice little time with her, played around, did what you wanted, now let her go.”

I’m advancing toward him before I can think it through, only fueled by the rage he awoke in me and I’m almost on him when someone takes a hold of me from the back, pulling me away.

“Walk away, Axe,” Severin grunts. “That piece of shit is not worth it.”

It takes me a few seconds to process his words, my lip curls but I take a step back.

“Get out of my face and make sure I’ll never see you again. For your own good.” My tone is low and threatening and it must be enough to finally get him moving but not without a last word.

“Think about it. We leave for Colorado tomorrow.”

By the time I get back to Iris Lake it’s close to midnight. I’m tired as fuck, my muscles screaming in agony from the gruelingworkout after such a long break. Mind you, I trained all this time but it’s never the same if you are not on that ice.

Only it’s not the agony in my muscles that hurts the most.

It’s that fucker’s words because I know they are true.

Not about me settling down. He knows fuck all about that but it’s what he said about holding her back that keep replaying in my head.

I park my car in the driveway and just sit there. The lights inside the house are still on and I know Electra is waiting for me. She called about twenty minutes ago, telling me just that and I loved receiving that phone call. The thought of having her waiting for me at home made the torturous three-hour drive back and forth worth it but how much longer can we keep this up?

Am I holding her back from what she could be doing?

I know I need her. But does she need me? Or am I holding her back? Just the other day I made her promise to be there for my every game. How could I ask that of her, knowing she has her own career to follow?

My head hits the headrest as my mouth fills with sour taste of hatred. I’m selfish. So damn selfish.

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