Page 148 of Break The Ice

Andy puts a hand down on Wesley’s back and hoists him up. I stare into his blood-soaked, swollen face.

“Come on, son. We gotta have a chat about how we treat women. Whether they are omegas or betas, they are all deserving of love and respect.”

“Except your wife, Sciarco. She’s fucking feral.”

The guys laugh as they disappear.

Bailey pats my head and dodges the half-hearted swipe from Raider.

“Cousin,” Bailey whines. “We’re supposed to be friends.” He pauses and glances at Kit. “I have a Freddie Sanders that I’m taking with me as well, a parting gift from your friendly neighbourhood surfer, Kelly Fucking Raines. You don’t need to worry about him ever again, he’ll be taken care of.”

Bailey holds out his fist. Kit cautiously fist bumps him.

I’m not really paying attention. I check Wren and then Raider, looking between them.

“Thank you!” I say over and over to the team.

Yarek ruffles my hair. “Our pleasure.”

Raider ignores him, instead focusing on me and stumbling forward. His leg collapses, but the team is there holding him up. Ramirez issues orders, and, as one, the team turns and starts back towards the rooms. I’m dragged into the middle of the mass.

I glance back and see a man in a suit standing on the other side of the ice staring at us. Whoever he is, he’s incredibly dangerous.

“Who is that?” I murmur.

Bailey puts a hand on my shoulder. “He’s here for me. Pretend you can’t see him. It makes him really mad, and he’s much cuter when he’s angry.”

I close my mouth and decide I don’t want to know.

We get down to the locker rooms, and the guys start pulling off skates. Callan and Kit protectively flank me, but that’s when I notice Callan’s bleeding knuckles and Kit’s face.

“What happened?”

Kit smiles and shakes his head. “We’re fine.”

He makes a move towards me but stops, cocking his head and focusing on the wall of death that is Wren as he approaches.

Wren sweeps me up and presses me gently against the wall.

“For everyone’s information,” Bailey shouts out. “I slept with the hot actress. Not Raider. Now, family, I will see you at the next country hoe-down.”

“It’s not a fucking hoe-down, you idiot!” Raider growls. “Horse farm!”

“Or if you need more help.” Bailey blows a kiss Raiders’ way, lifts a hand in the air, and walks out to the roar of cheers from the hockey team.

A minute later, the cops rush in. “What the fuck are you guys doing? The fire alarm is going off. Get your butts outside!”

I get the giggles, and I can’t really stop, not until Raider collapses. It's sudden, and when he starts to shake, I know it’s bad. Wren lets go of me and flies across the space, dropping to his knees, holding Raider’s head in his lap.

I turn to Ramirez. “Call an ambulance! What’s wrong with him? Raider! Raider wake up!” I cry out.

I step closer, but the mass of bodies cuts off my vision, and Callan has an iron grip on my wrist.

“We need an ambulance!” I repeat.

“There are paramedics outside. We just need to get him there!” Ramirez says tersely.

“Raider!” I shout, but Kit holds me back as Bruce, Yarek, and Ramirez get him up and carry him at a run.

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