Page 71 of Cold Carnage

“If you and I get involved, it'll be more scandal for the team,” she said. “And I don't even know if you want…” She shook her head, frustration and something else—maybe sadness—clouding her eyes. “Considering how protective you are about your family. I won't do that to you. I know how important this team is to you, and I don't want to come between that.”

My teeth clenched, the muscles in my jaw tightening. The words were logical, sensible even, but they grated against everything I felt.

“Not that I could.” She laughed a little, a hollow sound that echoed painfully in the room. “I… We need to leave. And I need…” She sighed deeply. “I need to cover this up.”

“Don’t,” I warned, my voice low and edged with desperation.

“I don’t belong to you, Ryker,” she said, her eyes boring into mine with a spark of defiance. “I never did. Just like I know you never belonged to me.” Her glare was fierce but held a flicker of vulnerability that twisted something inside me. “Let it go.”

She turned on her heel and left the office; the door closing behind her with a finality that seemed to echo through the empty space.

I stood there, the silence pressing in around me like a suffocating shroud. My fists clenched at my sides as I struggledto process what had just happened. Her words rang in my ears, each one hitting harder than any punch I'd ever taken on the ice.

Let it go.

But how could I?

What the fuck was wrong with me? My hands trembled as I stared at the closed door. Every nerve in my body screamed to chase after her, to fix whatever mess I'd just made, but I couldn't move. All I knew was this was her fault. She'd gotten under my skin, made me feel things I'd spent a lifetime trying to bury.

I slammed my fist against the desk, the pain sharp and immediate. It grounded me, pulled me back from the edge of the abyss. The memory of her lips on mine still burned, a tantalizing reminder of how easily she unraveled me.

I had to leave before I did something else I'd regret. My breath came in ragged bursts as I yanked open the door and stormed down the hallway. Each step echoed with a hollow finality, each stride pushing me further from her and deeper into my own turmoil.

Faces blurred as I passed them, teammates and staff becoming indistinct shapes in my peripheral vision. My mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—anger, desire, frustration—all tangled in a knot I couldn't untie.

Reaching the parking lot, I fumbled for my keys, nearly dropping them in my haste. The cool metal bit into my palm as I gripped them tightly, desperate for something solid to hold onto.

I needed to clear my head, find some semblance of control again. Pushing open the car door, I slid into the driver's seat. The clear sky above seemed indifferent to my turmoil.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady myself. This wasn't who I was—letting someone affect me so deeply. I'd built my life on control and perfection, on being untouchable.

But Paige... she threatened all of that.

I clenched my jaw and started the car, pulling out my phone to check the address. I thought we'd go over together, but fuck that. Whatever this was between us—it had to end before it destroyed everything I'd worked for.

Fuck, I hated that she was right too.

What had I done? And why did it feel like I'd crossed a line I couldn't uncross?

The questions lingered unanswered as I pulled away from the ice and towards one solution to one problem. But fuck, if I didn't make an even bigger mess than I already had.

Chapter 21

Paige

Istormed out of the building, my mind reeling from the confrontation with Ryker. What the hell was his problem? One minute he acted like I didn't exist, the next he was all possessive and intense, as if he had any right to be. My hands shook as I fumbled with my keys, finally managing to unlock my car door.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, I slammed the door shut and gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. I started the car, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. The memory of his mouth on my body sent shivers down my spine. It was maddening. Despite everything, I wanted him. Always had.

But that was a dangerous path. If I wanted to do my job and clean up the mess at the Serpents, there could be no distractions. No matter how much my body betrayed me with its longing, I had to stay focused.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The heat of his touch still lingered on my skin, making it hard to think straight. I couldn’t let him get under my skin like this. Not when there was so much at stake.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, the city's lights blurred in my vision. The sound of Ryker’s voice echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of our clash. He infuriated me beyond reason, yet something about him drew me in, like a moth to a flame.

I couldn't afford this distraction. Not now.

I pulled into the parking lot of Rylan's Department Store, the neon sign flickering in the evening light. My heart still raced from the confrontation with Ryker, but I pushed it aside. This event was about the kids and their families, not my tangled emotions.

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