LOGINChapter 31SOPHIE"I've been waiting for you, girlfriend," Jaxon said, dramatically pressing a palm over his heart. "As soon as I saw your text, I couldn't look away from my girlfriend's message.""Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this over with already," I muttered, pushing the office door open.Jaxon followed me inside and shut the door behind us."What did you say we were looking for again?" he asked, while I rushed straight to the desk, digging through the spots I hadn't been able to check this morning."Didn't you read my message?""I only took a happy glance at it and sent a quick reply," he teased, leaning against the edge of the desk. "After all, it's super rare to get a text from my girlfriend."I wished I could punch him in the head, but my fist would probably break before his skull did. "We don't have much time. I need to find my report... the one I wrote the last time the magazine team was here.""Oh," he said."Please help me find it," I begged.He smirked at me, but smoothly t
CHAPTER 30SOPHIEAfter the long, tense ride back to the Beckham estate, I stepped out into the chilly air, clutching Ace's heavy black jacket tightly against my chest. I looked back at Maddie through the passenger window."I'll be back in twenty minutes," she said. "So we can head to the hockey practice together."I gave her a quick nod and watched her car pull out of the driveway.The entire ride home, Maddie’s eyes had been glued to me in the rearview mirror, practically burning with a million questions about what had happened between Ace and I, why he had boldly and tightly held my hand.What was I even supposed to tell her? That Ace and I almost... kissed? For the second time? Even though Ace kissing anyone was a myth?Heat rushed straight to my face despite the freezing breeze. I let out a long, shaky breath, trying to force my hammering heart to settle down.I pushed the front door open and slipped inside. Just like Maddie said, I only had twenty minutes to change before headin
CHAPTER 29 SOPHIE I flinched hard, jerking away as I looked up.Ace.I blinked the tears out of my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating, but it really was him standing right beside my desk."What... what are you doing here?" My voice came out shaky and thick from crying."What do you think I'm doing here, Sunshine?" He muttered, eyes the softest shade of silver as his head tilted down at me.I didn't even know he had come to school today. Hockey players barely came for classes... But... why was he in detention with me?There was no teacher capable of sending the Team Black's star player to detention.I glanced over at the teacher, but she was still glued to her phone screen. She didn't even notice him walk in, or maybe she was just pretending not to see us.I looked back up at Ace, who placed a hand on my desk. "You're obviously not supposed to be here. No one sends Ace Beckham to detention."The edge of his lip lifted slightly in an amused smirk. But as his eyes dropped to
CHAPTER 28SOPHIEIt was the first time I’d ever been handed a real party invitation. Throughout my nerdy life, I was always the girl who got left out, unless Maddie managed to sneak me in somewhere.I flipped the card my co-worker at the cover shop gave meds, staring at Landon’s messy handwriting detailing the time and location.Would I even be okay going to this? I didn’t know anyone there, except him.I sighed, setting the invitation down on my nightstand. The soft slap of the card hit the wood, and my mind instantly slammed backward to Ace... and the solid, burning weight of his hand on my ass.A violent blush scorched up my neck to my face. I slammed my hands over my eyes.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Ace Beckham’s hand. On. My. Ass.I buried my face deeper into my pillow, trying to drown out the memory, but it replayed on a loop. A sudden, forbidden pulse throbbed straight between my legs, sending a slick, aching wave of heat to my core.My body remembered everything... the heat radiating
CHAPTER 27ACE BECKHAMIt had been hours since I caught Sophie hiding in the coach's office. I didn't believe a single word of her pathetic lie.I took a sharp corner across the ice, dodging three players before sending the puck straight to Kyle. He caught it clean."Nice pass, Captain!" he called out, pushing toward the goal as the defense closed in.I watched him, but my mind was completely somewhere else. It was stuck on how close I had been to losing my mind with Sophie pinned against that wardrobe. The girl drove me to absolute madness. Just her breathing near me was enough to wreck my control.When I had her trapped, watching her plump lips stumble through those lies, all I wanted was to spin her around, push her flat against the wood, and fuck her hard until she was screaming my name.Shit.I pulled my visor out, running a heavy hand through my wet hair. Sophie Fane was going to be the death of me. My grip tightened on my hockey stick as I remembered how hard I had grabbed her
CHAPTER 26SOPHIESophia? Was he referring to someone else?Of course not, you idiot! I thought my infiltration into the coach's office was a total success, but Ace knew I was here the entire time.I pressed my palms tighter against my mouth. Maybe he doesn't. If I stay completely still, he’ll just leave and...The wardrobe door yanked open with a sudden snap.I shrieked, pulling my hands from my mouth to cover my face. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I was so busted.I parted my fingers just enough to peek through. Ace stood over me, tilting his head, his dark silver eyes boring right into mine through my damn fingers."Want me to carry you out?" he asked.I quickly dropped my hands, trying not to stare at his stupidly handsome face. How on earth did he know I was in here? I hadn't made a single sound.I shook my head and scrambled out of the wardrobe. I took two steps into the room before the wardrobe door slammed shut behind me, making me jump out of my skin.Ace moved like lightning, blocking o
CHAPTER 4ACE BECKHAMOne tap.My fingers around the phone tightened, the screen light reflecting in the darkness of my gaze. Sophie was being recorded.Second tap of my finger on my bed cushion.Betty and Belladonna splashed her. With a drink.Sophie was splashed.Mom’s therapist had said one thin
CHAPTER 3SOPHIE“W-what?” I blinked, my heart constricting as shame washed over my entire body. Like a danm soaked chicken. “I… I wasn’t, I am not in hea—“I sealed my lips shut, realizing the words I was just about to say out loud.Ace’s lips curved into a small smile, his eyes holding an amuseme
CHAPTER 2SOPHIEAce Beckham over the months had never looked at me like he was right now.Not this long. Not with this intensity that made it actually feel like he had recalled that night.That he had not been too drunk while his tongue swiped through mine, claiming every part of me. Mind, body an
CHAPTER 1I once had a crush on Ace Beckham. Had. I repeated in my mind, even as I stared at the hockey god while he skated through the ice, his stick set towards the black puck his teammate had passed to him.Everyone in the crowd held their breaths, the energy and tension in the room dropping t







