Page 80 of Fractured Faceoff

But then there was another part—a thrill that raced through me. Jared had defended me, his words slicing through my tangled feelings about my ex. Maybe it wasn’t just about revenge or some grand gesture; maybe he cared in a way I hadn’t fully understood until now.

He'd always been protective. It was part of his nature.

But this…

As I replayed that moment in my mind, heat rose to my cheeks. Jared’s fiery expression as he faced off against Brody sent shivers down my spine. He had every right to back away from our deal, yet here he was, challenging not just Brody but everything I thought I knew about myself.

“What the hell was that?” Brody’s voice cut through the noise of the arena like a blade. His eyes flared with anger, a stark contrast to the facade he’d worn just moments before.

I crossed my arms, trying to shield myself from his gaze. “I told you, I’m seeing someone.”

“Jared?” His incredulous laugh echoed in the stands. “Jared fucking Crowder? The Southern Serpent from Kentucky?”

“Yeah, Jared,” I shot back, my heart racing. “He’s not what you think.”

Brody stepped closer, his face twisted with disdain. “What? You think he’s some knight in shining armor now? That guy’s just looking for a publicity stunt.”

“He’s not like that!” My voice rose as I leaned into him. “You don’t know him at all.”

“Right, because you do?” He scoffed, throwing his hands up. “You’re just blinded by this ridiculous idea of dating him. What’s next? You’ll tell me he’s some great guy because he plays hockey? Hockey players are fucking dogs."

“Oh, I'm sorry, that sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.” I clenched my fists. “Jared actually respects me. He would never fuck some bimbo in our bed."

Brody shook his head, disbelief etched on his features. “Respect? You call this respect? You’re playing games with someone who doesn’t give a damn about you!”

“He does care,” I insisted, feeling the heat rise in my chest. “More than you ever did.”

His expression darkened as he leaned closer. “You thinkthis is love? This is all just for show! You’ll be the punchline when he moves on to someone better—someone who isn’t just trying to play pretend. You know your sister threw herself at me when I first met her. I should have fucked her then."

“That’s not true!” I felt my breath quicken as frustration boiled over.

“Is it?” he shot back. “Honestly, with the way your sister gets around, she’d be a better lay than you ever were.”

Before I could stop myself, my fist connected with his jaw. The impact reverberated through my hand, but the satisfaction of seeing his shock was worth it. His eyes widened as he stumbled back, catching himself on the edge of a nearby table.

The commotion drew attention from all sides. A couple of fans gawked, their mouths agape. I stood there, adrenaline coursing through my veins as Brody glared at me.

“What the hell?” he hissed, rubbing his jaw.

“Keep my sister’s name out of your mouth,” I growled, every word laced with venom.

Just then, security swooped in. An old man with thinning hair and a no-nonsense expression approached us.

“Miss Sawyer,” he said firmly. “Is this man bothering you?”

Brody sneered but tried to regain his composure. “I have to get back in the box, anyway.” He straightened his jacket, a feeble attempt to maintain some dignity after what had just happened. “You owe on that lease, Isla.”

“Fuck off,” I snapped at him, not caring who heard me. My pulse pounded in my ears as I glared daggers at Brody.

Steve, the security guard, crossed his arms and surveyed the situation with an unimpressedlook. “You two need to take this somewhere else or I’m going to have to escort you both out.”

Brody let out an exaggerated sigh as if I were the one causing trouble here. “I didn’t even start it,” he whined like a child caught doing something wrong.

“Yeah? You think anyone’s buying that?” I spat back, still buzzing from the adrenaline of our confrontation.

He raised an eyebrow but held his ground. “It doesn’t matter what you think?—”

“I said fuck off!” My voice rang out louder than intended. The eyes of nearby fans fell on us like a spotlight shining on the worst moments of my life.

---