Page 26 of Cold Carnage

“Did she tell you?—?”

“Of course not,” Gideon cut me off, his voice steady and cold. “She hasn’t complained about anything since she got here. You’re the reason the team is in this mess.”

My temper flared, heat rising in my chest. The worst part? He was right. I clenched my jaw, biting back the sharp retort on the tip of my tongue.

Gideon leaned forward, eyes locked onto mine. “Your behavior, Ryker, has been out of line. You’ve been taking your frustrations out on Paige, and it’s unacceptable. She’s here to do a job, same as you.”

I struggled to keep my expression neutral. The last thing I needed was to give him more ammunition.

“I assume you heard about her time at Michigan?” I shot back, desperate to regain some ground.

He sneered, shaking his head slightly. “Rifling through her past? That’s low, even for you.”

“How do we know she didn’t protect her boyfriend?—”

“Even if she did,” Gideon interjected sharply, “and I’m not saying she did. But if she protected him, none of the scandal touched that team. If anything, that means she’s better at her job than she’s getting credit for.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “There’s going to be a press conference today, and you’re going to be there and follow her lead.” He leaned back in his chair, the authority in his posture unmistakable. “We’resupposed to be getting ready for the season, not dealing with this. Fix it.”

My teeth ground together as I nodded curtly, every muscle in my body tense with suppressed anger. Gideon had made his point crystal clear; now it was up to me to swallow my pride and fall in line.

Without another word, I stood and walked out of his office; the door closing with a soft click behind me. The hallway seemed longer than usual as I made out of the room, each step echoing the frustration and helplessness swirling inside me.

Paige had become an unexpected thorn in my side—a constant reminder that maybe perfection wasn’t something I could control or achieve on my own terms.

There had to be something there, something I could use against her. Something to get rid of her.

And then what?a voice asked.They bring in someone else? What are you even fighting for at this point?

I banished the thought. I refused to acknowledge that I had no idea what the fuck I was doing anymore.

I stormedout of Gideon’s office, barely acknowledging the greetings of a few staff members as I passed. My mind was too full, my temper too raw. Gideon’s words kept playing over and over in my head—“Paige is the one calling the shots right now.” It wasn’t that I had a problem with someone doing their job, but Paige’s presence, her control over the situation, felt like a personal challenge I wasn’t ready for.

As I moved toward the rink, the sound of my footsteps echoed down the empty hallway. The frustration bubbling inside me needed an outlet. But now that I was being told to follow herorders, it felt like something else entirely. It wasn’t just about the PR fallout anymore—it was about trust. And I wasn’t sure if I trusted Paige.

Derek had filled my head with enough rumors about Paige’s past to keep me suspicious. That assistant coach at Michigan—the whispers about her manipulating stories and spinning narratives to protect her position. Sure, everyone had skeletons in their closet, but it made me wonder: if Paige could bury the truth so easily in the past, what was stopping her from doing the same now?

I stopped near the locker room entrance, staring down the hallway to where Paige’s office was located. Maybe she wasn’t hiding anything. Maybe she was exactly what the team needed right now. But the flicker of doubt gnawed at me.

Paige emerged from her office, clutching a stack of papers. She glanced up and our eyes met. Her expression softened for a moment before hardening into professionalism.

“Mr. Kane,” she greeted, her tone neutral but cautious.

“Adams,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

She approached, eyes scanning my face as if searching for something. “We need to go over a few things before the press conference.”

“Fine,” I grunted.

As we walked side by side toward the conference room, tension crackled between us. My mind raced with questions I couldn’t ask out loud—not yet. Not until I figured out where we stood and what she might be hiding.

Paige broke the silence first. “Look, I know this isn’t easy for you,” she began, glancing sideways at me.

I snorted softly but didn’t respond.

She continued, “But we both want what’s best for this team.”

I nodded curtly, my jaw clenched tight.

We reached the conference room door and paused for a moment before stepping inside together.

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