Page 51 of Cold Carnage

Paige’s eyes widened slightly, her lips parting just enough for me to catch a glimpse of her tongue. The invitation was there, unspoken but unmistakable. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing the internal war raging within me.

But then reality crashed back in like a cold wave. This was Paige—someone who had the power to unravel everything I’dbuilt up around myself. Someone who could see past the walls I’d carefully constructed.

Suddenly, I released her neck and stepped back, putting much-needed distance between us. Her eyes blinked in surprise, and she took a shaky breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

I turned away from her, running a hand through my hair in frustration. What the hell was I doing? Getting involved with Paige would only complicate things further—jeopardize everything I’d worked so hard to protect.

“Ryker?” Her voice was soft but held a note of confusion.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. “This isn’t happening,” I muttered, more to myself than to her.

Silence stretched between us once more, thick and heavy with unspoken words.

“You think you can just waltz back into my life and pretend nothing happened?” My voice shook with barely contained rage.

“No,” she replied quietly. “But I can try to make things right.”

“Make things right?” The bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. “There’s no fixing this. There's no fixing what you did."

She stood there, silent and unyielding, waiting for me to make the next move.

"With Brendan?" she asked. "Or with you?"

Fury surged through me, hotter and more volatile than ever. I stepped closer to Paige, my voice a dangerous whisper.

“You think you meant anything to me?” I spat, my words laced with venom. “It was one night. I didn’t even remember you when Brendan introduced us. I don't remember anything about it. I've had plenty of other women, more beautiful, more memorable than you. That night was nothing. I needed release, and you were so damn eager, it was pathetic. You're fucking pathetic. So easy, you crawled into bed with me. What, you wanted to lose your virginity to an NHL player? Fucking whore."

Paige’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t flinch. Her silence only fueled my anger.

“You’re forgettable,” I continued, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “You’re nothing to me. You hurt my brother, which I still don't understand because sex couldn't be that great if I couldn't event remember it.”

Lies. All fucking lies.

I rememberedeverythingabout it, everything abouther, and I hated it.

I hated her.

Her face remained a mask of calm, and it infuriated me even more. Why wouldn’t she fight back? Why wouldn’t she say something?

I pressed on, needing to see her break, needing to see some reaction that matched the chaos inside me. “You walk in here, thinking you can change everything with your bright ideas and naïve optimism. But you’re just another face in the crowd. Another temporary fix. But I will not let you fuck up this team the way you fucked up Brendan."

Still, she didn’t respond. She stood there, taking every blow without a word.

My breath came in ragged gasps as I finished my tirade. The room seemed to close in around us; the silence deafening.

Paige’s eyes met mine, unwavering and steady. Her composure only heightened my frustration.

I needed to get out of there before I said something even worse. Before I did something I’d regret.

Like break her with my words.

Like fuck her on her desk.

Like fall in love with her.

With one final glare, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room. The door slammed shut behind me with a resounding bang that echoed through the empty hallway.

I didn’t look back.

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