Page 58 of Cold Carnage

Paige's face betrayed a flicker of discomfort at the contact, but she remained composed. I could see her struggling to maintain her professionalism despite the awkwardness of the situation.

My father turned back to me, his expression hardening once more. "Remember what I said, Ryker," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "Get it together before you lose everything."

With that final cutting remark, he turned on his heel and walked out of the office, leaving an oppressive silence in his wake. The door clicked shut behind him, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

I stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, trying to collect myself. The tension in the room was palpable, and Paige's presence only made it more intense.

Finally, I looked at her, trying to read her expression. "What was that?" I asked quietly.

She shifted in her chair, her eyes flicking from the door to me. "What do you want me to do?" she shot back, a sharp edge to her tone. It took me by surprise, the bite in her words, but at the same time, I felt a flicker of respect for her. She wasn’t going to back down.

"What do I want you to do?" I echoed, my frustration bubbling over. "I want you to stay out of it! You don’t know him like I do."

She stood up, her eyes narrowing. "And you think I had a choice? He came in here looking for you, Ryker. What was I supposed to do, ignore him?"

"Yes!" I snapped. "Anything would’ve been better than letting him get—" I stopped. Get near her? Why the fuck did I care? It wasn't like she didn't already know him because of her relationship with Brendan.

But still.

I didn't want my father anywhere near her.

Paige crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at me. "You don’t get it, do you? He wasn’t just here for you; he was here for the team. He knows how important this team is to you."

"My behavior?" I scoffed. "He’s always been more concerned about appearances than anything else."

"Maybe because those appearances matter," she shot back. "To the team, to the sponsors—to everyone who’s invested in this organization."

The anger surged through me again, but before I could respond, something caught my eye. A bruise on her wrist, barely visible but unmistakable. My anger shifted instantly into concern.

I grabbed her wrist without thinking, pulling it closer to inspect the mark. Paige tried to pull away, but I held firm.

"What is that?" My voice was low and dangerous.

"It’s nothing," she said quickly, trying again to free herself from my grip.

"Don’t lie to me," I growled. "How did you get that?"

Her eyes widened slightly before she looked away. “It’s none of your business.”

My grip tightened involuntarily before I forced myself to let go. The anger simmered just beneath the surface as I watched her rub her wrist.

"It is my business," I insisted, struggling to keep my voice steady. “You’re—” I clenched my teeth. I refused to finish that sentence.

Paige looked back at me, a mix of defiance and something else in her eyes—something vulnerable. The sight made my heart clench unexpectedly.

“Just let it go,” she whispered.

But I couldn’t let it go. Not when everything inside me screamed for answers.

"No." I shook my head once. "I'm not leaving until you answer me: Who did this to you?"

Chapter 17

Paige

Raymond Kane's presence in the office first thing in the morning was the last thing I expected. His broad frame filled the doorway, his stern eyes scanning the room for his son. I tried to slip past him, hoping to avoid any more confrontations after my encounter with Brendan, but his gaze snagged on me.

"Miss Adams," Raymond's voice was a low rumble, "Have you seen Ryker?"

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