Page 73 of Ice Cold Rival

“Language, Kenzie. People might get the wrong idea about you.”

“I don’t care what people think about me. I care that you broke into my room and messed with my schoolwork, after helping try to frame me for theft. Luckily, you’re as inept at criminal conspiracies as you are at being a boyfriend.”

Toby’s smiled faded, and he stood up, dwarfing me. “You’ve really worked yourself up this time. I didn’t do anything to your room.”

I scoffed. “There’s no way Amanda chose to hide her stuff in my pile of bras. You were looking for an excuse to manhandle my underwear.”

“Why would I want to get anywhere near your underwear when you’ve gone and ruined yourself fucking around with Tanner?”

“You mean the guy who treats me like a queen, has my back at every turn, and is the leading scorer on the team right now?” I gave him a sad smile, aiming where I knew it would hurt. “I mean, you haven’t gotten much ice time lately, and you definitely didn’t end up as captain. Do you think you’ll even be asked to finish out the season?”

Toby’s jaw ticked, and he advanced on me. As much as I wanted to stand my ground, my instincts said not to let him close. He’d never tried to physically intimidate me before—probably because his words were enough—so I wasn’t sure of his actual limits.

I didn’t move far enough.

“Sit down.” He grabbed my arm and tossed me at the couch, where I landed on my hands and knees. “Your purpose here is to be a good little wife who doesn’t question or complain. You’ve had your fling, but it’s time to grow up and come home. I’m going to need the support when I move on to play pro—someone to cook, keep the house clean, stand by my side at events and smile. You’ll need to lose some weight for the last one, but it’s nothing a little surgery can’t fix.”

I pushed off the cushions, not willing to let him have a single inch, and let the rage dissolve every last one of the walls holding me back. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a man who plays mediocre hockey. None of the pro teams are going to want you after this season, and all your puck bunnies will lose interest when you’re not worth a signing bonus. Good luck finding the imaginary woman who wants your misogynistic ass. I’m done with you. Leave me and my family alone.”

He let out a sneering laugh. “Your mom isn’t going to go along with your temper tantrum.”

“Oh really? We should probably call her then and find out for sure.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and wiggled it in his face, knowing I might be about to call my own bluff if she sided with him.

Toby smirked as I hit Mom’s contact and put it on speaker. I told myself it didn’t matter if she thought I was overreacting.

“Hi, honey. Are you calling about the fiasco with the photographer because I would love some backup to convince Brighton she needs to hire someone else.”

“I don’t know anything about a photographer, but I can talk to Brighton if you need me to. I have something else I need to discuss. Toby.”

“Oh good,” she sounded relieved. “You finally came to your senses.”

Toby laughed quietly, but I wasn’t done.

“Not quite. You wanted to know why I broke up with him? I found him drunk at a frat party in bed with two other women. He’s been cheating on me almost non-stop, and when I finally broke up with him, he started a smear campaign at school and with the family. He wanted me miserable enough to accept a relationship on his terms, which included him doing whatever he wanted and me not complaining about it.”

Mom let out a confused, “What? Are you sure?”

“I have proof.” Earlier, I’d cued up a group text with the pictures I’d taken the night of the party. I hit send, and every member of my family got an up-close view of Toby’s naked butt.

“What are these pictures, Kenzie?”

It took Toby a second to realize what I’d done. He tried to grab the phone from my hand, but I’d already scooted around the far side of the couch. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

“Those are from the night I broke up with him.”

“It’s not what it looks like,” Toby yelled as he circled the couch after me. “She’s manipulating the situation.”

“Tobias Kane,” Mom’s voice came out cold and angry. “Are you accusing my daughter of lying to me?”

“No—” he started to say.

Mom cut him off. “It certainly sounds like Kenzie and I need to have a long talk. Kenzie, are you okay?”

She hadn’t asked me that in a long, long time. I didn’t have time for an emotional breakdown at the moment though.

“Yes, I’m fine, but I don’t want Toby around for the wedding.”

“I’ll speak to Brighton, but I don’t see how that will be a problem under the current circumstances.”

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