Page 19 of Cold Carnage

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from the fray. A text from Derek lit up the screen:

I'll be at your place at 8PM.

I stood up, feeling the weight of my role settle on my shoulders. Asher and Dominic still glared at each other, ready to pounce.

"Listen up," I said, my voice steady and firm. "This isn't helping anyone. We're a team, and right now, we need to act like one."

They both looked at me, tension still simmering but held in check.

"You think Adams's going to fix this?" Asher asked, skepticism dripping from his words.

"If she doesn't, her ass is on the line," Dominic retorted.

"Why am I not surprised to find you talking about her ass?" Asher shot back, his tone mocking.

I rolled my eyes, fed up with their bickering. Without another word, I turned and left the locker room. I needed to clear my head, get some distance from the chaos.

The walk through the corridors of the arena felt longer than usual. The hum of distant voices and the echo of my footsteps were the only sounds accompanying me. I pushed open the door to the parking lot, breathing in the crisp evening air. It felt like a reprieve from the stifling tension inside.

Sliding into my car, I started the engine and let it idle for a moment. The text from Derek lingered in my mind. I wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about tonight, but knowing Derek, it was important.

I pulled out of the parking lot and navigated through the city's twilight streets. Streetlights flickered on as night began to settle in. My thoughts drifted back to Paige and how she’d handled herself today. Despite my reservations about her experience, she’d shown poise under pressure. Maybe there was more to her than I initially thought.

Still, this wasn’t just about one crisis or one day. This was about control—my control over this team and my life. Trusting someone new with that wasn’t something I could easily do.

Arriving home, I parked and took a deep breath before heading inside. Tonight would bring its own set of challenges with Derek's visit. But for now, all I could do was prepare myself for whatever came next.

I walked into my kitchen and set the kettle to boil. The familiar hum of the machine was a small comfort in an otherwise chaotic day. As I waited, I grabbed a mug from the cabinet and set it on the counter, feeling the weight of the upcoming conversation with Derek settle in my gut. I spooned coffee grounds into a filter, letting the routine ground me for a moment.

The water finally boiled, and I poured it over the grounds, watching as the dark liquid dripped into the mug. Black coffee—strong and unyielding, just how I liked it. I took a sip, feeling the bitterness wake me up.

A knock on the door broke through my thoughts. I set my mug down and walked over to answer it.

Derek stood there, his usual easy-going smile plastered on his face. He looked like he always did—tall and lean with that effortless charm. His hair was perfectly tousled, and his eyes had that spark that seemed to put everyone at ease.

"Hey, Ryker," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "You look like you could use a drink stronger than coffee."

I closed the door behind him and shrugged. "It's been one of those days."

He glanced around my living room, taking in the neatness of it all. Derek always joked about how my place looked more like a show home than somewhere someone actually lived.

"You've really got to mess this place up sometime," he said, dropping onto my couch like he owned it.

I walked back to the kitchen and grabbed another mug from the cabinet. "Coffee?" I asked over my shoulder.

"Nah, I'm good," he replied. "Already had enough caffeine for today."

I poured myself another cup anyway and returned to the living room, sitting down across from him.

"So?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.

Derek leaned back, his expression turning serious. "It's about your assistant to the GM," he began. "Paige, right? She's a stone-cold fox." He whistled.

I tensed at her name but didn't interrupt.

"You said you were looking into Paige’s past?" I asked, my voice low, eyes sharp. Derek hesitated for a moment but then nodded.

"Yeah, I found some things from her time at the University of Michigan," Derek replied, lowering his voice. "Again, I didn't know?—"

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