Her Hockey Stepbrother, Her Worst Enemy, Her Beloved

Talia's PovDinner with the Carter family wasn’t exactly how I pictured spending my Saturday night. When Deej told me to go, I almost said no. But she said, “At least you’ll know if Maxton knows about the wedding. If he does, you can work together to stop it.”Good logic, though I hate the idea of working with him. But at this point, whatever it takes to fix this nightmare.I picked simple clothes; black jeans, pale blue blouse, messy bun. No effort, no care. I wasn’t there to impress anyone, especially not Mr. Carter.I texted Deej and Chris before leaving. “Heading to the Carter house. If I don’t make it out alive, tell my coach I died skating.”When I arrived at the Carter estate, my jaw almost dropped. The place looked like it belonged to royalty; fancy lights, servants everywhere, and everything you’d expect in a king’s palace.I was escorted to the dining table with my mom, where Mr. Carter was already seated. The moment he saw us, he smiled and stood up.He pulled my mom into a

Maxton’s PovThe memory of her on the rink wouldn’t leave me. Her legs, so swift, so damn graceful and sliced through the ice like she was born there. The way she bent, curved, spun… it was like watching art. And then there were her eyes. Those big, fierce, doe like eyes that always met mine like she could see straight through the jerk I pretended to be.And the way she talked back when I teased her about her bra strap? Damn. That same fire that got under my skin since high school. The fire that broke me when I saw her screaming in pain the night her leg snapped because of me.Yeah, I hated her. Or at least, I told myself I did. It was easier than dealing with the guilt.I leaned back on my bed, one arm flung over my eyes. But the conversation with Johnny played back like a movie in my head.“Are you still acting like you hate her? Come on, man. The lord of the rink is scared to talk to a girl?” Johnny had said, laughter in his voice.“I do hate her, I never stopped” I had lied, biti

Talia's PovI was boiling. Not just mad, furious. He bet on me.A freaking bet.First, I was stupid enough to think maybe Maxton wasn’t so bad, like maybe there was more to him than smirks and ego. Then I heard him bragging to his hockey buddies that he would “bag me” for a damn car and bragging rights.To think he walked into class with Bambi, his ex, a walking, giggling nightmare holding her hand like he wasn’t standing so close to me yesterday, like he wasn’t suffocating me with his scent, and his face wasn’t so dangerously close to mine that it felt like he’d lean in for a kiss any second.Wait, wait hold on. That was totally off point and incredibly off topic.What was I even thinking? Why would he kiss me? And why was I having flashbacks of that little scene in his room? We hate each other!“I know he hates me a lot but now he wants to toy with me?” I muttered, kicking at the pavement. “He must think I am some kind of entertainment. The idiot who stares too long and now he sudden

Talia’s POVTonight, I am partying.Zeke, the guy from the ice cream shop, who I just found out goes to my school and plays on the football team invited me to a party. At first, I was totally gonna say no, but then I thought, maybe a little chaos would help me forget a few things.Like Maxton Carter confessing his “feelings” last night.I knew it was a lie, just another part of his stupid bet. But of course, my heart didn’t get the memo. So fine, if he wanted to play games, I could play betterI put on the tight soft blush pink dress that I had been saving for no one. My hair tied up into a messy bun with curls falling over my brows. My lips were a dark wine red that said try me.Deej had come over so we could head for the party together, and the moment I stepped out of the bathroom“Girl!!!” she whispered sweetly. “Ouuuuf… you look like revenge.”“Perfect,” I said, playfully taking model poses. “That’s exactly what I’m going for.”We got to the party in record seconds, and the place w

TALIA'S POV“Get in the car,” Maxton said, his tone steady as he swung the door open for me.Honestly, my head was spinning. My limbs felt like jelly and the world was kind of sideways. Whatever I drank definitely wasn’t just alcohol. I have been tipsy before but this? This felt like my brain was melting in slow motion.“Yeah okay,” I muttered, stumbling into the passenger seat like a half-dead zombie. Maxton shut the door gently, like I might break if he slammed it, then walked around to the driver’s side and got in.“You good?” he asked, glancing at me with concern and calm he always had, like he was trying not to freak me out.I nodded, forcing a weak smile even though I felt like throwing up and crying at the same time. “Yeah just peachy,” I said, voice dry as hell.My phone buzzed in my lap. I blinked a few times, trying to focus through the haze as I picked it up. The screen looked like it was underwater, but I still tried to read the message. Probably someone asking where I was