Page 20 of Cold Carnage

"Her dating history, even if it dealt with my brother, is not what I'm asking about," I said, a warning in my tone.

"Sure, yeah, okay." He cleared his throat. "She worked in PR for their hockey team, but it wasn’t all clean. There were some… rumors."

"Go on," I urged, crossing my arms. I wasn’t in the mood for vague hints—I wanted details. Something I could use.

Derek leaned in, his tone more conspiratorial. "There was a hazing scandal involving the players. It got pretty bad—could’ve wrecked the team’s reputation, but Paige spun the whole thing, kept it out of the media. Barely anyone outside the university knew about it."

I frowned. "So, she’s good at her job."

Derek shook his head. "That’s not the only thing. There was a player who died in a drunk driving accident after a team party. The university managed to keep it quiet, and Paige was part of the team that controlled the fallout. There’s also talk of bribery—allegations that certain players got scholarships under the table, but again, Paige handled the spin. No stories hit the press."

I processed Derek’s words, a mix of admiration and suspicion churning inside me. Paige had managed to navigate through some serious storms without getting drenched. That took skill—and maybe something else.

"How reliable is this information?" I asked, leaning back in my chair.

Derek shrugged, a casual gesture that didn’t match the intensity of what he was saying. "It’s solid enough for me to believe there’s more to her than meets the eye."

I sipped my coffee, its bitterness matching my mood. If Paige had managed to bury such explosive scandals, she was either incredibly competent or incredibly ruthless—or both.

"Why didn’t any of this come up when the team vetted her?" I asked.

"I bet it did. Hell, it may be why Minka Mathers hired her in the first place." Derek leaned forward again, his eyes narrowing slightly. "That, or she’s good at covering her tracks. You don’t get to spin stories like those without knowing how to keep things under wraps."

I drummed my fingers on the table, considering my next move. This new information added another layer to Paige—one that made her even more intriguing and possibly dangerous.

My frown deepened, but it wasn’t enough. These were serious issues, sure, but it didn’t tell me everything.

“What else?” I pressed.

Derek hesitated again before continuing. “There was one more thing. There were rumors about Paige getting too close to one of the assistant coaches. Nothing was ever proven, but it caused some tension between the coaching staff and the team. Almost cost her job. No one knew the full story, but there were whispers about her using that relationship to protect herself—and to protect him.”

A coach?

This must have been around the time she left Brendan.

Did she leave Brendan for this asshole?

I wouldn't be surprised.

Just because Brendan and I weren't close, it didn’t matter. My father always said family came first. And I believed that.

My temper flared, but I reined it in, gripping the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. The idea of Paige using someone—using family—to climb her way up the ladder made my blood boil. My mind raced, connecting dots and forming conclusions that only fueled my anger.

"You're sure about this?" I asked Derek, my voice low and controlled, though it felt like a storm brewing beneath the surface.

"Yeah," Derek nodded. "But it's all rumors. Nothing concrete."

Rumors or not, it was enough to set me on edge. Paige’s calculated moves painted a picture that clashed with her professional demeanor. If she’d manipulated people to protect herself, to advance her career—if she’d hurt Brendan in the process—it was unforgivable.

I stood up abruptly, needing to move, to do something to burn off this anger. Derek watched me, a knowing look in his eyes. He didn’t say anything; he didn’t need to. He understood how I operated.

I couldn’t let this slide. Family came first—always. And if Paige had crossed that line, she needed to be held accountable.

But for now, I had to stay calm, gather more information before making any moves. My father’s voice echoed in my head: “Acting on impulse never leads to anything good.”

I clenched my fists, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to think clearly. This wasn’t just about me or my feelings—it was about doing what was right for Brendan and for the team.

And no matter what it took, I would get to the bottom of this.

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