MasukChapter One Hundred TwentyThe police took Viktor away in handcuffs.Jay watched from the doorway. His wrist was wrapped in a white bandage. The cut wasn't deep. It didn't need stitches. But it had bled enough to scare him. His arm was still shaking.Cole stood next to him. His throat was bruised. Purple fingerprints were already forming on his neck. The paramedic had checked him out. He was fine. He said he was fine. But Jay could see the tremor in his hands.Viktor was shoved into the back of a police car. His shoulder had been bandaged too. He'd needed five stitches. Jay had given him those stitches. It felt strange to think about. Strange that the same hands that held Cole's face were the ones that swung the knife.Maria appeared next to them."You both need to come to the station," she said. "Give your statements.""Now?" Jay asked."Now."They followed her to her car. The night air was cold. Jay wrapped his arms around himself. He was still in his t-shirt. He hadn't thought to g
Chapter One Hundred NineteenThe knock came at 11pm.Jay was in the living room, sketchbook open on his lap, pencil in hand. Cole was in the shower. The water was running. Steam was curling out from under the bathroom door. Jay didn't think twice. He set the sketchbook down and walked to the door.He didn't check the peephole.That was the mistake.He opened the door and Viktor Petrov was standing there. Bigger than Jay remembered. Broader. His face was hard. His eyes were cold. He was wearing a black jacket and jeans. No gloves. No mask. He wanted to be seen."Menisa," Viktor said.Jay's heart slammed against his ribs. He tried to shut the door. Viktor's foot stopped it. His hand pushed it open. Jay stumbled back. His heel hit the leg of the coffee table. He almost fell."Don't," Jay said."Don't what?""Don't come any closer."Viktor stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The sound of the lock clicking into place made Jay's stomach drop. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. H
Chapter One Hundred EighteenThe envelope was waiting for them when they got home.Jay picked it up first, his fingers trembling as he turned it over. No stamp. No return address. Just his name scrawled across the front in handwriting that made his stomach drop. He knew that handwriting. He'd seen it on too many letters."Cole."The name came out smaller than he meant it to. Cole was already beside him, his jaw tight, his gray eyes fixed on the paper. He didn't say anything. He just took the envelope from Jay's hands, tore it open, and pulled out the single sheet inside.Jay watched his face as he read. The muscle in his jaw twitched. His knuckles went white around the paper."What does it say?" Jay asked.Cole didn't answer. He just handed the letter over.Jay read it once. Then twice. His hands were shaking by the time he finished. The words were simple. Direct. Threatening. Viktor Petrov wasn't done with them. He would never be done with them."He's not going to stop," Jay said."N
Chapter One Hundred Seventeen : Jay pov The morning after Viktor's suspension, I woke up to the sound of rain hitting the window. The sky was gray. The streets were wet. The apartment was cold. Cole was still asleep next to me, his arm around my waist, his breath warm on my neck. I didn't move. Didn't want to wake him. I just lay there thinking about everything.Viktor. The suspension. Twelve games. It wasn't enough. It was never enough. Men like Viktor didn't stop because of a suspension. They stopped when they were broken. Or when they were dead.Cole stirred. His arm tightened around my waist."You're awake," he mumbled."I'm awake.""You're thinking.""I'm always thinking.""Too loud."I smiled. "Go back to sleep.""Can't. Too awake now."He pulled me closer. Buried his face in my hair."I love you," he said."I love you too."The phone rang at 9am. Richard."Jay," he said. "How are you?""Good. Tired. Cole is still sleeping.""He deserves the rest. The suspension is a good thing
Chapter One Hundred Sixteen : Cole pov The morning after the Detroit game, I woke up to the sound of rain hitting the window. The sky was gray. The streets were wet. Our apartment was cold. Jay was still asleep next to me, his arm around my waist, his breath warm on my neck. I didn't move. Didn't want to wake him. I just lay there thinking about everything.Viktor. The game. The hit. The look in his eyes when he skated past me. The way he looked at Jay. Like he was planning something. Like he was waiting."You're awake," Jay mumbled."I'm awake.""You're thinking.""I'm always thinking.""Too loud."I smiled. "Go back to sleep.""Can't. Too awake now."He pulled me closer. Buried his face in my hair."I love you," he said."I love you too."The phone rang at 9am. Maria."Cole," she said. "How are you?""Good. Tired. Jay is still sleeping.""I've been thinking about Viktor.""What about him?""He's not going to stop. He's going to try again.""I know.""The restraining order is still
Chapter One Hundred Fifteen :Jay pov The morning after Viktor was released on bail, I woke up to an empty bed.Cole was already up. I could hear him in the kitchen. Coffee brewing. Dishes clinking. The soft sound of him moving around. I lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything.Viktor. The letters. The restraining order. The bail. The six months until trial. The way Cole's jaw tightened when he talked about him. The way his hands shook when he read the letters.I got out of bed. Walked to the kitchen.Cole was standing by the window. Coffee cup in his hand. Looking out at the street."Morning," he said."Morning.""You're up early.""Couldn't sleep.""Thinking about Viktor?""Thinking about everything."I walked to him. Put my arms around his waist."We're going to be okay," I said."You don't know that.""I know. Because we've been through worse.""Have we?""David Chen. The trial. The threats. We survived."Cole turned to face me. "That was different
Chapter Eight : Cole pov Three days.Three days since Maya walked out. Three days since I watched her face crumble. Three days since I became the worst thing that ever happened to my sister.I didn't leave the guest house.Not for food. Not for air. Not for anything.I just sat on the couch. The
Chapter Seven : Maya pov Something was wrong.I didn't know how I knew. I just did. The way Cole avoided my eyes at Sunday dinner. The way Jay canceled plans twice in one week. The way both of them went quiet when I walked into a room. Like they'd been talking about something. Like I was the inter
Chapter Six: Cole pov(18+) Three days passed. Three days of stolen glances at the gym. Three days of almost touching and pulling away. Three days of lying to Maya over the phone while my chest burned with guilt and want. I couldn't take it anymore. "You're distracted." Coach Hartley pulled m
Chapter Five :Cole pov I didn't sleep. Not one hour. Not twenty minutes. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying the feel of Jay's hand on my chest. The way his fingers pressed against my ribs. The way he whispered my name. Tell me to stop. I didn't. Then why are you still touch







