Page 44 of Cold Carnage

“Is that what we are?” I asked, a bitter edge to my voice. “Assholes?”

Rowan’s eyes gleamed with something like respect. “I didn’t think you were one. In fact, I thought you were a pussy until I saw that video of you. Fuck, you can hit. Why the fuck am I fighting for you when you can fight for yourself?”

A twitch pulled at my lips despite myself. The raw honesty in Rowan’s words hit harder than any slapshot.

“It’ll blow over,” Weston said casually.

I didn’t respond, my thoughts churning too fast to grab hold of any one thing.

“Kane!” a voice called from the door.

We all turned to see John Barrett standing there, looking every bit like a fucking cowboy—weathered but commanding, his presence filling the room.

“Let’s go,” he said, voice firm. “Meeting now.” He glanced at the others. “You boys getting ready before today’s practice? I just don’t want you dropping dead on my ice. I’m not in the mood for more paperwork.”

Weston grumbled under his breath, “Fucking meetings.”

Kellan shook his head, his wild hair flopping around even encased in his goalie mask. “Just when we were getting warmed up.”

Rowan slapped me on the back as we skated off the ice. “Come on, Kane. Time to face the music.”

We walked towards Barrett, who watched us with a mix of scrutiny and something akin to fatherly concern. The weight of what lay ahead pressed on me again, but for now, I pushed it aside and followed him out of the rink.

Being a Serpent meant dealing with this shit head-on—no matter how much it sucked.

What could another fucking meeting be about?

I glanced at Barrett, a sense of dread creeping in. The lines on his face were deeper than usual, his jaw set in that way that meant serious business. This wasn’t about practice schedules or team dynamics. No, this had the stink of something worse.

The footage. It had to be.

Fucking hell.

I trailed behind Weston, Kellan, and Rowan, my thoughts a tangled mess of anger and frustration.

"You have ten minutes to change, Kane," he said. "And don't fucking test me right now. This is your shit we're dealing with."

I wanted to argue, but bit back a retort. Instead, I followed the others to the locker room, trying to figure out what the fuck I was going to do about this. The press conference was supposed to put out the fire. Instead, it seemed to have fanned the flames.

Chapter 13

Paige

Iadjusted my skirt for what felt like the thirteenth time, my fingers twitching with nervous energy. The conference room, a sterile space of glass and chrome, seemed to amplify my anxiety. I could see my reflection in the polished table, my eyes darting toward the door every few seconds.

Ryker and John Barrett walked in together. Ryker’s presence filled the room with an air of command; his broad shoulders and piercing eyes made it impossible not to notice him. His jawline was set like he was ready for a fight, and I wondered if that was just his default mode. Barrett, on the other hand, moved with a more casual confidence. His graying hair and warm smile made him seem approachable, almost fatherly.

I refused to look at Ryker. Not after our confrontation last night. The memory of his hand on my throat, his face inches from mine, still sent shivers down my spine. I forced my gaze to remain fixed on the table in front of me.

Gideon sat at the head of the table, a man who radiated authority without needing to raise his voice. His dark suit was impeccably tailored, and he wore an expression that brookedno nonsense. He tapped his pen against a legal pad, waiting for everyone to settle in.

Ryker and Barrett took their seats across from me. I felt Ryker’s eyes on me but kept mine firmly planted on Gideon.

"Let's begin," Gideon said, his voice steady and calm.

The meeting was underway, but my mind was elsewhere, still caught in the web of tension spun between Ryker and me.

Gideon leaned forward, his fingers steepled under his chin. "The press conference went well," he began, his eyes sweeping across the room. "But Paige has been fielding questions non-stop for the last twenty-four hours. We're about to start preseason, and this is not how we want to begin."

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