Page 55 of Cold Carnage

He sneered, his grip tightening even more. "You think you can just walk away from this? From me?"

"I don't have a choice," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "You gave me no choice."

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—regret? Pain?—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a cold, hard glare.

"You think you're better than me now?" he asked, his voice dripping with venom.

"No," I answered quietly.

Brendan's face twisted with rage, and I could see the struggle within him—the battle between letting go and holding on. His fingers dug into my skin, and I bit back a cry of pain.

"Brendan," I hissed through my teeth. "Let. Go."

His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I feared he might lash out. But instead, he loosened his grip just enough for me to yank my wrist free.

"Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "But don't think this is over."

I took a step back, putting some distance between us. My wrist throbbed where he'd held it too tightly.

"It has to be over," I repeated softly. "For both our sakes."

He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he turned and walked away into the night, leaving me standing there in the parking lot, shaken but resolute.

I watched until he disappeared from sight before finally letting out the breath I'd been holding. The weight of what had just happened settled over me like a heavy cloak.

But despite the fear and uncertainty that still lingered, one thing was clear: I had made the right choice.

But I couldn't help but wonder… had Ryker set this up? With this some kind of revenge?

I shook the thought off and unlocked my car. I needed to get home before Brendan did something stupid and came back.

Chapter 16

Ryker

Istared at my phone, willing it to buzz with a message from Derek. Anything to get rid of Paige. I scrolled through our last conversation, the irritation building in my chest like a storm. Nothing new.

After what happened between us, I couldn't think straight. My fists clenched at the memory. Her defiance, her bringing up what had happened that night—it infuriated me. She didn’t know her place, didn’t respect the hierarchy we had.

Why did she get under my skin so easily? I hated losing control around her, hated how she made me feel. Vulnerable, exposed—two things I vowed never to be again. I could still feel the heat of her skin under my fingers when I grabbed her throat, her pulse quickening beneath my grip. The way she looked at me, not with fear but with something else... it unnerved me.

I tossed my phone onto the desk and ran a hand through my hair. The team was already dealing with enough crap without adding this tension between us. Weston’s disagreement over the potential Crowder acquisition had left the locker room in a mess, and now Paige was a constant thorn in my side.

The sun had barely risen, casting a muted gray light over my apartment as I pulled on my jacket. My mind was a tangled mess of thoughts about Paige, the team, and the looming trade issues. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, determined to focus on the day ahead.

The drive to the rink was routine but offered a momentary escape. The city streets were still waking up, with only a few cars sharing the road. I navigated through downtown, watching as coffee shops opened their doors and early commuters hustled along the sidewalks. The hum of the engine and the rhythmic click of the turn signal provided a soothing background noise to my scattered thoughts.

As I approached the rink, the familiar structure loomed into view. I pulled into my usual spot and cut the engine. The air was crisp as I stepped out of the car, taking a moment to collect myself before heading inside.

Walking through the player entrance, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. This place had always been a sanctuary, a space where everything else faded into the background. The smell of ice and faint echoes of skates cutting across it filled me with purpose.

“Ryker,” called a voice from down the hall.

I turned to see Sandra, one of the secretaries, approaching with an unusual look on her face.

“Your father’s here for you,” she said, her words hitting me like a punch to the gut.

I stopped cold, every muscle in my body tensing. “Where is he?” My voice came out harsher than I intended.

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