Page 89 of Misconducts & Temptation

"For making you care?" His voice softened, a rare vulnerability creeping in.

I wanted to deny it, to shut down and keep my guard up. But I couldn’t. Instead, I nodded.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "That’s how I felt about your mother. Fuck." He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking more human than I’d ever seen him. "You’ve really fucked everything up, you know."

"I know." My gaze met his. "I also know I'm man enough to deal with the consequences."

"You are?" His brows raised, surprise flickering in his eyes.

I nodded again, feeling a strange sense of clarity. For once in my life, this wasn’t about pleasing him or living up to some impossible standard. This was about Elodie and me—about fighting for something real.

He studied me for a moment longer, then sighed heavily. "You better be right about this."

"She's my wife," I said, my voice steady. "I have to take care of her. And if I can't play hockey… I'll come work for you. I'm not putting her back in the shitty life she came from just because of my fucking pride."

My father gave me a long, hard look. The kind that made you feel like he could see right through every layer of your defenses. "You know," he finally said, his tone softer than I'd ever heard it, "your mother was usually right about everything."

“Yeah.” I nodded, a lump forming in my throat.

"Even you," he continued.

I blinked, taken aback by the rare admission. My fingers itched for a cigarette, but I forced myself to stay focused.

"Look," he said, stepping closer. "You go to the draft. You get drafted. You make a team." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Then, you know what, Keaton? Who am I to stand in your way?"

I furrowed my brows. Something bubbled in my chest, something I hadn't really felt before. Something like… hope. "What?"

"I'm going to trust your mother on this," he said. "Hell, even your wife said it. But if you can do what only less than five percent of people can, you should do it. Even if it means you pursue that instead of the business." He took a deep breath before continuing. "And… and if you make it, I won't cut you out of the will. But only if you take this seriously—this and your marriage, Keaton." His eyes bore into mine, and for once, I saw something other than cold calculation in them—something resembling sincerity. "I only ever wanted you to succeed."

"There's more than one way to succeed," I said quietly.

He grunted, but didn't comment.

My chest burned with a mix of emotions—pride, determination? I wasn't sure which one was stronger, but I knew I was ready to find out.

He nodded slowly, as if weighing my words. "Maybe you're right," he said at last. "Just... don't screw this up. You don't find women like Elodie every day. Hell, most don't find them at all."

"I know," I said. "I won't."

As we stood there on the ice, the cold air biting at our skin, I felt a strange sense of resolution settling over me. For the first time in years, I had a path that was mine to choose—a chance to prove that there was more to me than just living up to someone else's expectations.

And with Elodie by my side, maybe—just maybe—I could finally become the man I'd always wanted to be.

Chapter 27

Elodie

The bus ride to the on-campus library felt longer than usual. I slouched in my seat, my head resting against the cold window. I’d tried to cover the cuts from Lola with makeup, but the stares I got on the bus told me it hadn’t worked.

When I finally reached campus, I pulled out my phone to check the time and saw a text from my stepmother.

We need to speak. William is not happy.

I sighed, feeling the weight of her words pressing down on me.I don't know what you want me to do about it;I texted back, hoping she wouldn’t demand something impossible.

He's threatening to sue

Based on?

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