All Chapters of Slapshot Awakening: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Ryker POVPulling off my skates, I throw them into my bag with a little too much force and shove my feet into my shoes. On the ice, he’s still skating in lazy circles like he’s got something to prove. His eyes never once meet mine.Let him skate. Let him try to outrun what’s clawing at him from the inside.What he doesn’t realize is that those demons he’s skating away from, they’re not chasing him. They’re riding him. Clinging to his back with teeth and claws, whispering the truth he won’t say out loud. Skating doesn’t make them disappear. It just makes them dig in deeper.By the time I get out, I don’t even hesitate, I walk straight to the bar. Inside, it’s warm, loud, familiar. Quinn’s already at the counter. He lifts a brow when he sees me.“Fun day?”I shake my head and pour a drink without answering. The first swallow burns, but not enough.“Not at all,” I mutter.He leans forward, arms folded across the bar. “Okay, I gotta ask, why now? After all this time? Why wait until he’s i

Ryker POVThe sudden slam of the door being thrown open shatters the moment, tearing an aggravated sound from my throat. You’ve got to be kidding me.“Get out,” Jaxon snarls, shooting an angry glare toward Aiden.“Seriously? You’re such a fucking cockblock!” I shout in frustration, throwing my hands up in disbelief. “Yes, touch me. Wait, no, go away. No, I’m in denial! Then I finally decide to fuck another guy, and guess who’s right there, telling me to stop!”Aiden shoves himself up from the bed, grabbing his shirt as he shakes his head, frustration radiating off him. “You know what, Ryker? This isn’t worth the stress. I’m done.”“Aiden—” I begin, but he cuts me off sharply.“No,” he snaps, pulling his shirt roughly over his head. “Whatever this twisted game is between you two, leave me the fuck out of it. Sort out your issues, then maybe we’ll talk.”He pushes past Jaxon without another glance, storming down the stairs and out the front door, the slam echoing through the house. The

Jaxon POVRyker’s mouth trails slowly down my chest, each scorching kiss burning through the last fragile threads of resistance I’m desperately clinging to. His tongue drags deliberately over my skin, tracing the heated path his hands have already claimed, branding me in ways that words never could.I hate how quickly my body yields to him, how my breath catches sharply when his teeth scrape across my hip, drawing another unwilling groan from deep within my chest.“You sound like you’re breaking,” Ryker murmurs roughly, lips curving into a dangerous smile against my skin. He lifts his eyes, watching my reaction closely, savoring every tremor he draws from me.“I fucking hate you,” I hiss breathlessly, fingers tightening painfully in his hair, my body arching upward, betraying the anger I’m trying to cling to.“No, you don’t,” he whispers darkly, shifting upward again until his lips hover just over mine, teasing but refusing to fully close the gap. “You hate that you want me. But you d

Ryker POVI watch Jaxon closely, my chest still rising and falling unevenly as I try to catch my breath. His eyes won’t meet mine anymore, instead fixed somewhere distant, unreadable in the shadows. The heat and intensity we shared only moments ago are already slipping away, replaced by a familiar coldness, one that settles heavily between us, erasing whatever connection we’d finally allowed ourselves to build.Fuck. I know exactly what’s happening. He’s pulling back, retreating inside himself, rebuilding every wall I’d just worked so hard to tear down. I can practically hear the internal battle raging inside his head, the excuses he’s crafting, the denial he’s already preparing. It’s painfully predictable.“You’re shutting down,” I say quietly, my voice carefully neutral as I lean slightly closer, trying not to spook him even more. He flinches anyway, shifting away as if my touch suddenly burns.“I’m not,” he mutters defensively, his voice tight and strained. But I recognize that ton

Ryker POVQuinn bumps my shoulder as we head out toward the parking lot.“You coming, or you planning to camp here overnight?” he teases, smirking as he passes by.“Yeah, I’m coming,” I mutter, hoisting my bag onto my shoulder and following him toward the idling bus, its headlights cutting through the evening darkness.Stepping onboard, I pause abruptly at the unexpected sight. A group of girls has somehow made their way onto the coach, mingling excitedly with the team. Their laughter rings sharply in my ears, immediately setting my nerves on edge. I exhale a low, frustrated groan, rubbing the bridge of my nose as my head starts pounding again. I’m definitely not in the mood for this tonight.“Cheer up,” Quinn whispers sarcastically, clapping my shoulder lightly as he slides into a seat near the back. “It’s gonna be a loud ride home.”“No shit,” I grumble quietly under my breath, dropping heavily into an empty seat halfway down the aisle and deliberately turning toward the window. I d