Rhys

I kept shifting the seatbelt against my chest, the strap digging into my shoulder through the thick hockey jersey I still hadn’t changed out of.

Damian’s eyes stayed locked on the dark road ahead, his hands tight on the wheel like he was driving through a storm instead of a quiet stretch of highway.

The silence in the car felt heavier than the pads I’d worn all night. He hadn’t said a single word since we left the arena parking lot, except for those few seconds when he glanced over at me with that smug half-smile that always used to get under my skin.

It was his earlier words that had dragged me into this mess in the first place.

"I know what you and that little boyfriend of yours are hiding."

That single sentence had been enough to make me climb into his Ferrari instead of heading straight to the locker room. Now I was regretting every second of it.

The engine hummed low beneath us, and every few moments Damian’s gaze flicked sideways, studying me like I was a puzzle he thought he could still solve.

"What the hell am I even doing here?" I finally snapped, my voice cutting through the quiet. "And what did you mean back in the parking lot?"

Damian took his eyes off the road just long enough to flash me that familiar smirk. "Why the rush, Rhys? We’ve got the whole night. There are a few days before the next game anyway."

I clenched my jaw. "I’m supposed to be resting right now. We have practice tomorrow morning. I shouldn’t even be in this car with you."

He ignored that completely. Instead, his tone shifted, becoming quieter and more pointed. "Do you love that boy? That Kayden Vale kid. Tell me—do you actually love him?"

The question hit harder than I expected. I didn’t hesitate. "Yes. I do. I love Kayden. A lot."

Damian let out a short, bitter scoff and rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the road. "Did you ever stop to think it could have been us instead? We could have been the power couple everyone talked about in the hockey world. The two best players, together, unstoppable—if things hadn’t fallen apart."

"I don’t care about any of that," I said, my voice rising. "I just need you to tell me what you meant. What secret are you talking about? Why did you drag me into your car?"

He stayed quiet for a long beat, then asked another question like he hadn’t heard me at all. "Do you remember why things ended between us?"

I slammed my palms down on my thighs in frustration. "Why the hell do you keep deflecting? I asked you a direct question and you just—"

"Because you don’t actually want to hear the truth," he cut in calmly.

"What truth?" I demanded.

He didn’t answer.

The silence stretched again until I couldn’t take it anymore. I groaned and rubbed my forehead hard. "Why am I even here with you right now?"

Damian glanced over once more, then reached across the console and placed his hand over mine on my lap. "You’re here because you still care."

I yanked my hand away like I’d been burned. "You idiot! I didn’t come because of you!" My voice filled the small space of the car. "The only reason I’m sitting here is because of what you said about some secret. Whatever you think you know, it’s wrong. So tell me what it is."

Damian kept driving, his expression unchanging. "Your grandfather is the reason our relationship fell apart back then, Rhys."

The name alone sent ice through my veins. I clenched my fists until my knuckles ached, closed my eyes for a second, and tried to breathe through the anger rising in my chest.

When I opened them again, my voice came out sharp and loud. "Stop the car!"

Before he could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out fast, ready to snap at whoever was texting, but my shoulders loosened a little when I saw Kayden’s name on the screen.

Where are you?

He must have noticed I disappeared right after the celebration. I had left so abruptly, needing to handle Damian and whatever game he was playing.

Part of me wanted to tell Kayden everything right now—that I was with my ex, that it was nothing, that I would explain it all in person so he understood it was truly over between Damian and me. But saying it over text felt wrong. I needed to see his face when I explained.

I peeled off my gloves, still wearing the full game kit, and typed back quickly.

My father called. I’ll be back in an hour or two.

The lie sat heavy in my stomach. My heart pounded harder as I hit send. I hated doing this to him, but the less he knew right now, the better. At least until I could sort this out and get back to him.

"Who was that?" Damian asked, leaning over to try and see my screen.

I shoved his head back toward the wheel. "None of your business."

"You looked pretty focused on it. Was that your little boyfriend?"

I turned to face him fully, my frown deepening. "Stop the car, Damian."

He didn’t.

I reached over and grabbed the steering wheel. "Stop this damn car right now!"

"We’re going to crash, you idiot! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Damian shouted, slamming on the brakes and swerving onto the shoulder of the road.

The tires screeched against the pavement. Luckily the road was mostly empty at this hour, just a few distant headlights passing by. Otherwise we really might have ended up in a wreck.

"Have you lost your mind?" he yelled once the car stopped rocking.

"No, you’re the one who’s lost it with all this nonsense!" I shouted back, grabbing him by the collar of his jersey. "I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but you need to stay the hell away from me and my life."

Damian wrapped his hands around mine and pulled himself closer instead of fighting me off. "Don’t you feel it?" He pressed one of my palms flat against his chest.

His heart was hammering fast under my fingers. "My heart is racing like crazy for you."

I could feel the rapid thud, but it didn’t change anything. "I don’t care if your heart is beating out of your chest. It could be a heart attack for all I care."

He let out a low chuckle. "I see you still have that dark humor I always liked." He straightened his collar and sat back properly. "It’s not a heart attack, but it wouldn’t be the worst way to go if it was because of you."

"Getting in this car was a mistake," I muttered, reaching for the door handle.

Damian’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist before I could open it. He yanked me toward him and wrapped both arms around me in a tight hug. "Don’t you feel any sympathy at all? We could have been together this whole time if it wasn’t for your family. I don’t know how things work with that weak little boyfriend of yours, but I know you don’t really love him. It’s probably just a publicity stunt for the team. I joined this season because of you. I fought all the way to the finals just to tell you I still love you and I’m ready to give up the Cup if that’s what it takes."

"You’ve actually gone insane," I growled, trying to shove him off, but his arms only tightened. "Get off me!"

"No," he said stubbornly. "I know you still feel something for me deep down, Riri."

The old nickname made my teeth grind together. "Don’t you dare call me that."

"We can fix this. We can be together again. I’ll even hand the Cup to the Northern Avalanche if you come back to me. I just want you—"

"Enough!" I shouted, shoving hard against his chest until I broke free. "I am so done with this."

Before I could say anything else, Damian leaned in fast and pressed his lips against mine. The kiss was sudden and rough, nothing like the careful way Kayden always touched me. That alone would have been bad enough, but then I heard it—sharp, distinct clicks cutting through the quiet night air. Camera shutters. Multiple ones. Someone had been waiting out there in the dark, and they had been ready.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I shoved him away with all my strength and landed a solid punch to the side of his face. "How dare you kiss me?" I wiped my mouth hard with the back of my hand, tasting blood where my lip had split against his teeth. "And you—" I twisted around in the seat, scanning the roadside desperately for any sign of movement.

Nothing. Whoever it was had already slipped away into the shadows.

"You called the media on us?" I demanded, voice shaking with anger.

Damian chuckled, touching the spot where I had hit him. A small trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. "Don’t you want to see a different headline for once?"

I punched him again, harder this time. The impact made his head snap back against the headrest.

"Oh, Riri," he laughed, wiping the fresh blood away. "Still as violent as ever. You haven’t seen anything yet. Those photos will be online soon enough, and everyone will see how quickly you switch sides when it suits you."

I grabbed his collar again, my fist raised for another hit. "You bastard!"

"Go ahead, hit me again!" He taunted, closing his eyes like he was enjoying it. "The way your hand hit my face is making my cock hard. Do it."

I groaned in disgust and let go of him, breathing hard. My fists stayed clenched tight in my lap as regret washed over me in waves. Coming here had been a stupid, impulsive mistake.

"What the hell do you even want from me?" I yelled.

Damian straightened up, that smug look returning even with the blood on his lip. "It’s simple. Leave that weak boyfriend of yours and come back to me. If you do, those photos won’t get posted. And as a bonus... the Cup will be yours."

He winked, as he had just offered me the deal of a lifetime.