All Chapters of Her Hockey Stepbrother, Her Worst Enemy, Her Beloved: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

Talia's PovDinner with the Carter family wasn’t exactly how I pictured spending my Saturday night. When Deej asked if I wanted to go, I hesitated, but she said I should. In her words, “At least you’ll know if he’s aware your mom and his dad are getting married. He can't know that and allow it.”She had a point. Maxton might not even know. That would make things easier. If he knew he could stop it. I picked a simple dress. A black jeans, a pale blue blouse and tied my hair into a bun I didn’t care to perfect. I wasn’t going to impress anyone, especially not Mr Carter.He had an elegant demeanor the last time I met him but he doesn't seem like one to care about what others do too much. I took a deep breath and sent a message to Deej and Chris. “Headed for the Carters house. See you guys later.” I locked my phone and dumped it in my nah, adjusting my nervousness into a well fitted disguise.When I arrived at the Carter estate, the formality of it made my stomach twist. Fancy lights,

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, I was completely furious. Nothing else ran through my head than the fact that I heard him bet on me. A bet. A freaking bet?First, Maxton Carter makes me believe he wants to talk, like we were actually getting somewhere, like there was more to him than smirks and stupid ego. Then I hear him on the phone bragging to his little band of hockey monkeys that he was going to bag me for a damn car and bragging rights? I must have been so stupid for him to think I was easy.To think he walked into class with Bambi—his ex, a walking, giggling nightmare and holds her hand like he didn’t just nearly kiss me yesterday?What was I even thinking? Why wouldn't he kiss me? We hate each other! “Or wait, am I just a joke to him?” I blurted out, “He must think that I'm a joke to stare at him for a moment like he actually had a heart.” I kept mumbling words enough to drain my saliva and walked down the streets away from the ice cream shop. My fingers trembled