Page 250 of Beautiful Collide

I look away, my hands clenching at my sides. “Dane, please.”Don’t cry.

“Promise me.” He won’t change his mind on this. This is the deal. The price to pay.

“Fine,” I whisper, the word barely audible. “If that’s what it takes to keep Hudson safe, I’ll agree.”

Dane nods. “Thank you, Molly. You’re doing the right thing,” he says quietly.

“Am I?” I ask, my voice cracking.

He nods, his eyes steady. “Hudson will be okay. And so will you. Trust me.”

I force a smile, though it feels hollow. I’m not sure he’s right.

Only time will tell.

89

Hudson

I’ve been dreading today.

Sure, I’m excited to be back on the ice, but I’m still not up to full speed.

My wrist still hurts, and if I take any hits, I’ll be fucked.

Hopefully, since it’s only a practice, I’ll be okay.

The whistle blows, sharp and demanding. I adjust my helmet, flexing my injured wrist as subtly as I can.

I hope nobody notices, especially Coach.

It’s still stiff, but it’s manageable. Hopefully, with the adrenaline coursing through me, the pain will be dulled. I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy.

Fifteen minutes later, practice is in full swing, and for the first time since my injury, I’m on the ice with the team.

I’ve been careful to hide the extent of my injury, but now if anything happens, I won’t be able to hide it. Which puts me on edge.

I already feel that my shot’s a little weaker and my stickhandling slower, but I’ve worked hard to make it look like nothing’s wrong.

At least, I think I have.

Here’s to hoping.

“Wilde, move your ass!” Coach shouts from the bench.

Maybe I spoke too soon.

I bite back a curse and push harder, forcing myself to close the gap as Aiden sends the puck flying toward me. I catch it on my blade and send it back, ignoring the twinge in my wrist as the vibrations from the pass ripple through my hand.

“Nice, Hudson!” Aiden calls, skating past me.

I nod, gritting my teeth as I adjust my grip on the stick. Every movement feels worse than the next, and if I don’t catch a break soon, Coach will for sure find out.

It’s not even a minute later that the puck is flying my way again, but this time, Dane is there, real close, blocking Wolfe, who’s coming after the puck and, in turn, me.

Dane’s been . . . different today.

Not off in the sense that he’s not doing his job—if anything, he’s playing harder than usual. But there’s something about the way he’s moving, the way he’s interacting with the team.

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