Page 81 of No Promises, No Lies

Using my cards is out of the question; they can be traced in a second. And any cash withdrawals require a signature from my father.

It’s a long shot either way, but Ineedmoney if I want to have any kind of chance.It’s imperative I get away before Matteo and I are married.Before he legally owns me.

Seeing him all buddy-buddy with the police commissioner the other night didn’t settle my nerves any either.I know once I run, I’m on my own.Neither my family nor the police will help me.

I’ll also never skate again, I know the only reason Matteo’s even allowing me to practice right now is because we aren’t married yet; needing to appease my father. But once we are, all bets are off. Bye-bye Olympics. It’s a hard reality to wrap my mind around, though strangely, I think I’m more distraught over losing the Belles.

It’s stupid, but skating with the Belles, and for the Breakers, has reminded me how much fun skating can be. I love being part of the squad, part of a team, and sort of having friends for the first time.

I’ve been looking forward to the game tonight all week. It will be my last one. Either I’m already gone, or Matteo will make me quit the second we say “I do.”

Sitting in the locker room, listening to the other girls excitedly chatting, is bittersweet. I’m quiet; more so than usual. Focused on lacing up my skates. There’s no chance for escape tonight. Though, I’ve considered it—slipping away mid-game. But Matteo has five of his guys on me tonight. I’ve got a better chance of getting struck by lightning—inside the arena.

“Rory.” Shelby, the Belles’ coach, calls me over from her office at the other end of the locker room. “A word?”

“Yeah?”

“Liv twisted her ankle in warmups.”

I wince. Sucks for Liv, but Shelby’s looking at me expectantly. “Okay..?”Not quite sure why she’s telling me…

“I need you on the ice for the Anthem and coin toss with Elle.”

“Oh, I—Umm….” Each game, the two cheer captains accompany the two Breakers captains to center ice. Liv is a captain, alongside Elle.

“You’ll be fine,” she reassures me. “Just follow Elle. She knows what to do.” And then she trots off, already decided.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” Elle urges, running up to me, clearly already briefed by Shelby on the change of plans. “We need to be on the ice likeright now.”

Quickly, I tie off my skates and take one last look in the mirror before we race down the hall into the tunnel, rubber guards protecting our blades.

“Rory, Rory wait!”

I skid to a stop, spotting Shelby racing after us. Elle bounces from one foot to another impatiently beside me.

“Shelby, what?” I blurt out, half turned to keep running down the tunnel with Elle.

“Your jersey!!”

I look down to see her waving another Breakers jersey at me.

“I… okay.” I thrust my pom-poms into Elle’s hands. I quickly strip off the cropped jersey I’m wearing, and take the one from Shelby, sliding it on over my sports bra.

“Now go-go-go!” She half shoves me up the tunnel ramp like she wasn’t the one to delay me in the first place. We make it to the ice gate just in time. Elle jumps in next to Rez Tyler, the Breakers’ co-captain, leaving me next to—oh fuck.

Aidan glances down from where he stands to my left. His eyes are cold and unfriendly. The chill in his expression cuts straight through me, and I almost shiver. I haven’t seen him since… the penalty box.

“Hi…” I say, hesitantly,testing the waters.

His eyes darken and a muscle tightens in his jaw, but he doesn’t return my greeting. Instead, he steps out onto the ice without me.

I scramble to follow. “I’m filling in for Liv.” I have to work to catch up to him. Confused, since we’re supposed to skate together.

It wasn’t exactly the greeting I expected after what happened between us in the penalty box last week, but alrighty then. I don’t waste another breath on the surly Breakers defenseman as I take up my spot next to him at center ice; Elle and Rez to our right as we wait for the other team’s captains to take the ice.

“You’re wearing my number.” He sounds…Pissed?Yes, that’s definitely irritation I’m sensing radiating in my direction.

His comment takes me by surprise since I thought he was ignoring me. I feign being preoccupied with the pom-poms in my hands, covertly scanning my eyes over the #19 patch on the shoulder of the jersey. I must have missed it when Shelby shoved it at me a few minutes ago. “Not my first choice.” I look away before closing my eyes at the realization that I have Aidan’s name and number scrawled across my back.Awesome.Might as well put “puck bunny” on the ass, too.

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