Page 88 of Silent Girl

I don’t have much of a choice as I skid to a stop in front of the puck, swing like I’m intending to pass it back to Jameson, and watch as the puck bounces off the skate of one of Nashville’s wingers. He has a clear run down the ice and he fucking takes it. I go after him, at a third of my normal speed, but before I make it to the other end of the rink, Grayson is there and manages to steal the puck and break away.

He flies back down to our end, and I’m right there waiting for his pass. I call out to him. He takes one look at me and makes a move like he’s going to pass it my way. Instead, he turns his body and swings, and I watch in horror as the puck soars over the blocker side of the goalie. The sounds, the lights, the noise from the crowd—it all falls away.

There’s one minute left on the clock. We’ve just fucking won the Stanley Cup.Fuck.

I rush across to the bench, jumping over it, and run on fucking skates down the tunnel. Everyone is yelling at me, wondering what the fuck I’m doing. But I only have one thing on my mind.I need to get to her. I have to get to her.We were supposed to fucking lose. Before I make it up to the box, Aliyah is running down a hallway towards me.

“Liam, what’s going on?” she rushes out the moment she reaches me.

“We need to get out of here.”

“Tell me what’s going on,” she repeats.

“I will, as soon as we’re out of this fucking stadium,” I tell her. Bending down, I tear off my skates as quick as I fucking can, take her hand in mine, and lead her to the side of the building. The team’s lot is on the left, gated off with private access only. “Fuck, I don’t have my keys,” I curse out, hitting the metal door and pushing it open.

“It’s okay. I’ve got mine.” Aliyah squeezes my hand. Just as we reach her car, I hear the crunch of gravel behind us. I turn around and jump in front of Aliyah.

“You were supposed to lose,” a deep voice calls out, his face obscured by a mask, right before he fires two shots from the pistol in his hand.

Aliyah screams and the guy runs off. Fuck, she got shot. I turn around—my first thought that I have to get her out of here, to a hospital—and my legs go weak. I grab onto her. Her hands land on my chest, as she screams even louder.

“It’s okay,” I tell her.

“Fuck. Help! Someone help us.!” she yells out to the empty lot.

“Aliyah, are you hurt?” I ask her, a sudden burning sensation ripping through my body.

“Liam, you’ve just been shot and you’re asking me if I’m okay?”

Thatfinally has me looking down at myself. I can see blood all over my jersey, feel the warmth spreading through my chest. “You’re not hit?” It seems like a stupid question when all evidence points to no. But I need to hear it for myself.

“No, but you are. Shit. Hold on.” Aliyah pulls out her phone. I look her up and down, realizing she’s okay. That I did something right. Then the ground spins and I fall to my knees.

Aliyah reaches out, trying to catch me, but she never had a chance. I’m more than twice her size. My back hits the ground, I look up into the night sky, and everything goes black.

ChapterForty-One

“He’s going to be okay, Lia,” Gray says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

“What if he’s not? This is my fault. I never should have gotten him involved in our world,” I tell my brother.

“Like you could have stopped him. That stupid son of a bitch loves you. Fuck, he chose you over fucking hockey, Lia. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is,” Gray says with an odd edge to his voice. “I just fucking wish someone would have let me in on what was fucking happening. I could have prevented all of this.” That edge… it’s guilt. I hear it now.

The door to the hospital opens and Liam’s brother rushes in, followed by their mother. “Shit, Aliyah, you okay?” Matty asks me.

I shake my head, step out of Gray’s arms, and walk over to Matty. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t…” I don’t know what to say exactly.

He hugs me close to his chest. “Shh, don’t. He’s going to be fine, and if he sees you crying when he wakes up, he’s going to be pissed at all of us,” Matty says with a half smirk.

“I can’t…” I shake my head and pull out of his arms. I glance over to his mother, who is leaning over Liam’s bed, clutching his hand in hers. She’s whispering something to him but I can’t make out the words.

She pulls upright again and turns to me with a look of disgust and outrage on her face. “I think you should leave,” she says. “This is a family matter.”

I gape at her.Is she for real?There is no way I’m leaving this hospital room.

“Mom, stop. She’s not fucking leaving.” Matty is quick to come to my defense.

“ButIsure as fuck can make sureyou’reescorted out of the building,” Gray adds.

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