Page 8 of Cold Carnage

I pushed off the bench and hit the ice again, this time with renewed intensity. Each stride felt like a battle against the thoughts swirling in my mind. Paige wasn’t here to befriend me or understand me; she was here to fix problems she didn’t understand.

My father’s voice echoed again:Perfection or nothing. Don't bother trying.

That’s what he drilled into me since day one. It shaped me into who I am—the captain who didn’t break under pressure, who didn’t let anyone see his weaknesses.

But now, with Paige around, it felt like those walls were being tested.

The puck skidded across the ice as I sent another shot flying into the net. Sweat dripped down my face, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was staying ahead of everyone else—staying ahead of myself.

I pushed harder, determined to drown out everything else with the sound of my blades cutting through the ice.

Winning was all that mattered. Everything else could wait.

Paige needed to go. If she wasn’t here, things could go back to normal. I could focus on the game, on winning, without her getting in my head.

I skated to a stop, the chill of the ice seeping through my gear. The idea had taken root, and I couldn’t shake it.

I needed a plan.

First step: dig into her past. Everyone had skeletons in their closet, right? Something that could get her fired or at least make her rethink taking on this role. I didn’t care how pristine she appeared; no one was spotless.

I grabbed my phone from the bench and scrolled through my contacts until I found Derek’s number. Derek owed me a favor from way back when we both played in the juniors. He had connections, the kind that could dig up dirt on anyone.

I tapped his name and waited for him to pick up.

“Ryker,” he answered, his voice gruff with sleep. “What’s up?”

“Need a favor,” I said, pacing the length of the bench. “I need info on someone.”

He chuckled softly. “Got yourself in a bind again?”

“Not exactly,” I replied, forcing myself to stay calm. “New hire at the team—Paige Adams. Need you to find anything that might help me get her out.”

Derek was silent for a moment before he spoke again. “Adams? Sounds familiar. Any specifics?”

“Anything shady,” I said, gripping the phone tighter. “Something that’ll make management think twice about keeping her around.”

“All right,” he said, sounding more awake now. “Give me a couple of days.”

“Appreciate it.” I ended the call and slipped my phone back into my pocket.

With Derek on it, I felt a glimmer of hope. Paige might’ve come in with her fancy degrees and calm demeanor, but if there was dirt to be found, Derek would find it.

I grabbed another puck and lined up a shot, letting it sail into the net with all the frustration boiling inside me.

If Paige thought she could waltz in here and change things overnight, she had another thing coming.

I skated harder, determined to drown out everything else with the sound of my blades cutting through the ice.

The sooner she was gone, the better for everyone involved.

Chapter 3

Paige

The morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the boardroom, casting long shadows across the polished mahogany table. I stepped in, my spine straight and shoulders back, clutching my portfolio as if it were a lifeline. The room fell silent, eyes narrowing with scrutiny. The sponsors were an intimidating bunch, their tailored suits and calculated gazes a testament to their importance and wealth. I felt the weight of their expectations, their unspoken doubts about Richard Mathers’ sudden departure hanging in the air.

Sliding into the chair at the head of the table, I forced a calm smile, hoping it masked the swirl of anxiety beneath. Gideon Strong had trusted me with this—my first real test since joining the Serpents. The gravity of it wasn't lost on me.

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