Page 55 of The Players We Hate
“I’ll keep you updated on what I find,” he said.
I nodded, grateful even if the words felt too thin for everything sitting between us. “Take care of her.”
“Always,” he answered without hesitation.
By the time I climbed behind the wheel, the weight of it all pressed down on me harder than the lack of sleep.
I was exhausted, but it didn’t matter. The whole drive back, I kept replaying the same truth in my head, beating it into myself until it stuck. As much as I wanted Wren inmy life, it was too much of a risk for me and for my sister. For the only thing I had left that couldn’t be taken from me—hockey.
By the time I hit Rixton’s city limits, I’d resigned myself to it. Wanting Wren didn’t change the risk, and I couldn’t let that danger ruin everything. Hockey had to come first.
A few hours later, the final whistle blew, and the hum of the arena followed me into the locker room. We won—on the scoreboard, at least. But the pressure in my chest said otherwise.
I shoved my helmet into my locker and took a slow breath, trying to convince myself it was just exhaustion. That the unease rolling through me had nothing to do with the conversation I’d just overheard outside the coach’s office.
The office door was cracked when I passed by on my way to grab my postgame stat sheet.
I wasn’t planning to eavesdrop, but the second I heard Kade’s name and the word “betting,” I froze.
“I’ve already spoken with compliance,” Coach Dawson went on. “They want access to your accounts. Bank records. Even your phone. Anything that could link back to a bet.”
Kade’s breath came out sharp. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Someone makes up a story, and suddenly, I’m guilty until I prove otherwise?”
“That’s how it works,” Coach said flatly. “You know how thin the ice is when it comes to things like this. One whiff of scandal, and they’ll burn it all down to save themselves.”
“I’ve never bet against us. I don’t even gamble,” Kade snapped, his voice rough. “You think I’d risk everything we’ve built? Risk my shot at the Frozen Four?”
“I said I believe you,” Coach repeated, but his words carried the weight of doubt beneath them. “Belief isn’t going to protect you if this report goes public. You need evidence. Something that proves you’ve been set up. Otherwise, you’re done.”
The room went quiet except for Kade’s heavy breathing. I could picture him pacing, jaw tight, hands fisted like he was ready to put a hole in the wall.
“Who sent it?” he asked finally, his voice low and sharp.
Coach hesitated. “Came through the athletic office. No name attached.”
Kade swore under his breath. “Of course it did.”
Beckham’s suspicions came rushing back—Wells always hanging around where he didn’t belong, Reed pointing out how Wren’s dad suddenly showed up at our game like he cared about hockey. The governor never cared. Not unless there was something in it for him.
My stomach twisted. I hadn’t told Wren about running into Wells before our last game, about the way he questioned me about hanging around his sister. If word about us got back to her dad, I didn’t even want to think about how that would play out.
The idea of someone trying to frame Kade made my blood boil. But the thought I couldn’t shake was worse—if they could go after him, they could come after any of us.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of it. I stepped away from the door and glanced at the screen.
Wren: Are you free? I was hoping we could meet up to talk.
Another message came in before I could respond.
Wren: I know it’s late, and you’re probably exhausted, but… if not tonight, then soon.
I stared at her texts, thumb hovering over the screen. The game had ended not long ago, and I hadn’t had a second to figure out how the hell I was supposed to cut her out before it got worse. Before it cost me more than I could afford.
Not because I didn’t want her. God, I wanted her. That hadn’t changed. But wanting her and being able to keep her in my life were two very different things.
So I forced myself to harden up, stacking walls around the part of me that ached to see her. Pretending it didn’t kill me to even think about pushing her away.
My chest tightened as I typed back, every word a weight I didn’t know if I could carry.
