Page 29 of Puck Right Off

His outburst pisses me off, and I’m about to intervene when Jordyn scoffs, unbothered by his threats. “LikeI’d tell your asshole father anything. Besides, he’d never believe me if I did.”

Josh relaxes and turns back to me. “Anyway, if you ever change your mind, Janelle would be down for it. Hell, she’d probably let us both fuck her.” He gives me a sloppy grin. “Have a go at her ass. It’s fucking tight.”

The stool scrapes the kitchen floor as Jordyn jumps to her feet. “This conversation is disgusting. Janelle has no self-respect, and neither do either of you.” She’s shaking as she storms past me. “I have homework to do. Don’t interrupt.” Her eyes simmer with anger, but I see the hurt in them before she turns away.

Josh shakes his head. “She’s wound too tightly. You know what she needs? To loosen up and have some fun. Maybe find some nerd to bang.”

I grip the water bottle so hard that a stream shoots onto the counter and floor. “Uh-huh,” I say through clenched teeth. The thought of Jordyn fucking anyone else makes me want to destroy the whole fucking town.

Josh laughs. “Anyway, I’m gonna join the guys for a round of NHL. Wanna play?”

Shoving the rest of the sandwich in my mouth so I don’t say something I’ll regret, I shake my head. Once I’ve chewed and swallowed, I speak. “I need to shower and write a paper for English Lit.”

Josh shrugs. “Sucks to be you. That’s why I chose an easy major, man.” He stumbles as he gets up, and I shake my head, irritated as hell by him. “Hey, my nerdy sister is taking that class. You should ask her for help.”

Yeah, there’s no way she’s helping me.But I nod at him so he’s not suspicious before I turn toward the stairs.

As I head to my room, the ache inside my chest is nearly unbearable.This wasn’t supposed to be so hard.

I can’t resist looking at her closed door, wondering what she’s thinking. She probably hates me now.

It’s what’s best,my brain argues.

But my heart has doubts.

Grabbing a clean pair of sweatpants, I whirl around and head toward the bathroom, knowing one thing for certain. Jordyn will be on my mind the entire time I shower.

CHAPTER 17

Tristan

Ican’t concentrate on anything excepther.

Shoving away from my desk, I forget about writing my English Lit paper and head to my window. The irony that my thoughts remain with her is humbling and ironic, considering I’m the one who pushed—no, more like shoved her away. The hurt look on her face when I feigned interest in Janelle pierces me like a knife through my heart.

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I stare into the darkness. I have no desire to be with Janelle or any other woman. There’s only Jordyn. She’s the only one I want.

Am I doing the right thing by pushing her away?I have no idea. But the pain that engulfs me every time I think about that period of my life is enough to make me believe it is.

A few weeks after Tamara and I broke it off, my family was killed, and the heartache was unbearable. I was so miserable I gave up everything. Hell, I almost lost my spot on the team. And I would have if my dad wasn’t Christian Harrington, a former distinguished alumnus of the Wolverines who turned pro-hockey and became the star center for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The air in my room is stifling as regret wars with doubt.I can’t breathe.

I quietly exit my bedroom and slip downstairs, then through the back door. My bare feet cross the deck until I reach the railing, gripping it until my knuckles hurt as I suck in giant gulps of air.

Breathe, Tristan. Look at the stars in the sky. Which is the brightest?

Focusing on the night sky calms me. My breathing evens out as I stand there, basking in the cover of darkness. For once, I can be myself and not have to hide behind the public persona I’ve created to survive. Others see a high-achieving student, star center, and team captain of the Wolverines. The only son of a legend.

On the surface, I appear to be all those things. Inwardly, I’m a broken mess of fragmented pieces. A shell of who I once was.

My life is divided into two periods: pre-death and post-death. Before their deaths, I was a happy-go-lucky guy who thought he had the world at his feet. And post-death, I became a broken man who lost everything. Someone who knows how easily love can be ripped away from you. One moment to snuff out the flames and leave behind charred ashes.

A faint voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I immediately back against the side of the house, becoming one with the shadows.

Jordyn’s melodic voice floats through my ears, and all the pressure in my chest eases. Her tone is low, her phone pressed to her ear as the light from inside the house illuminates her like an apparition.

“I feel like a fucking idiot, Chelsea. What the hell was I thinking? I don’t make rash decisions like that.” She pauses, listening to whatever Chelsea is saying, before she continuespacing. Her voice is exasperated. “Yes, we had sex in the shower. That’s not the point of the story.”

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