All Chapters of Breaking The Ice Between Us : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The sun was dipping behind the rooftops by the time I unlocked the door to my apartment. It wasn’t much — a cramped studio with beige walls, second-hand furniture, and that persistent smell of burnt toast I could never get rid of no matter how many air fresheners I went through.I kicked my shoes off by the door, tossed my hoodie over the wobbly kitchen chair, and let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The silence inside hit different. Not hospital-silence. This was the kind that settled in your bones. It echoed. It reminded you that you were alone.I set my phone on the counter, ignored the buzzing notifications, and walked straight to the fridge. Nothing but an expired yogurt, two slices of pizza in a ziplock, and a bottle of energy drink. Gourmet dinner.I grabbed the pizza, flopped onto the sagging couch, and stared at the TV screen. Didn’t even turn it on. Just stared as I ate.Eventually, I peeled off my shirt and wandered to the bathroom. Caught a glimpse of mysel

By the time I got home, the high from practice had worn off and I was left with nothing but sweat sticking to my skin and my hoodie clinging to my back like guilt. My keys rattled in the lock, the door creaked open, and I stepped into silence—thick, heavy, and too familiar. I peeled off my hoodie and tossed it over the arm of the couch, dragging my ass to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. My back cracked when I leaned over. Great. Now I was sore and pissed. I slumped onto the couch and finally pulled out my phone. Notifications blinked across the screen—some texts, a couple spam emails, and one lonely OnlyFans alert. Anonymous69 just posted. Again. Jesus. He was milking that shoot like it was his personal cash cow. I clicked into the app out of spite. The post had nearly triple the engagement from the last one. Comments, tips, reposts, thirsty messages piling in like a goddamn floodgate had burst open. And there I was. I checked his profile—of course I di

I woke up annoyed.Not tired. Not groggy. Just plain irritated.I hadn’t even opened both eyes and I already wanted to punch something. The memory of James’ message sat in my chest like a rock—Coach’s thinking of benching you. Just a heads-up. Yeah, dude. thanks for the fucking heads-up. I lay there for a few seconds, eyes staring at the ceiling, muscles coiled tight under the blanket like a spring. The morning light was spilling through the half-closed blinds, striping my wall in pale gold. It looked peaceful. Calm.Too bad I wasn’t either of those things.I dragged a hand down my face and exhaled sharply. Screw it. I wasn’t gonna just lie here and stew. I needed to to burn it out of my system before it started eating holes in my head.Gym.That was the only plan.I tossed the blanket off and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My body was still warm from sleep, muscles loose, skin slightly tacky with sweat. I stood up and rolled my neck, stretching both arms high until I hea

There’s something about the sound of skates carving into fresh ice that always centers me. Cold, sharp air in my lungs, the hiss of movement, the dull roar of blades digging in. It’s therapy. I tugged on my helmet and rolled my shoulders, staring out at the rink as my team warmed up. The morning chill still clung to everything, misting from our mouths with every exhale, but inside my chest, it was a furnace. Burning slow. Uncomfortable.I kept my expression blank. Didn’t want to show it. Didn’t want to admit that I’d been looking forward to this practice for the worst reason—because I knew he’d be there.Yeah. Andrew.Pretty boy. Fuckboy. Muse. Mistake. Whatever the hell you wanna label it.I spotted him immediately when I stepped on the ice. Like my brain had a built-in radar that beeped hot whenever he was within fifty feet. He was on the far side, helmet off, smiling at something one of the rookies said. That lazy smile. And then I noticed something else.He wasn’t looking at me.

CAPTAIN ~I didn’t even feel the cold when I stormed out. Didn’t register the voices around me. It was all a blur. White noise.My pulse was roaring too loud in my ears.Slamming Andrew against the wall? Yeah, probably not my proudest moment. But the way he looked at me—like I was some stranger—set something off. My hand was still tingling from where I’d grabbed him. My chest felt too tight, like I couldn’t breathe properly. Each step I took was heavier than the last, like my feets were weighed down by the mess of emotions twisting in my gut.I rounded the corner and pushed open the side door, stepping into the biting afternoon air. It should’ve cleared my head but it didn’t.“Captain!”A hand grabbed my shoulder.I stopped mid-step, jaw clenched, stomach already dropping because I knew that voice.James.He was always too observant for his own damn good.“You alright?” he asked, voice low, cautious. Like I was some wild animal on the verge of snapping.And maybe I was.“No,” I almo