All Chapters of DANGEROUS ICE: MY HOCKEY NEMESIS IS MY SINFUL OBSESSION: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Miller pointed his finger at the terrible headline on my phone screen. The digital photograph glared back at us, showing Michael leaning incredibly close to Victoria in the dim hotel lobby."The media is having a field day with this story," Miller warned me. "What are you going to do when the whole campus starts asking if he cheated on you? They are already trying to replace you, Axel."I took a deep breath and forced myself to unlock the screen. Swiping the internet browser away, I tossed the device onto my messy bed."I am not going to do anything," I answered firmly. "Michael warned me about her last night during our video call. His father hired her specifically to follow him around and cause trouble. That picture is staged."Miller raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest. "Staged or not, it looks really bad. The sports blogs are painting you as the naive college kid who got dumped the second the State Rebel left town. People are going to talk.""Let them talk," I s

Walking back to the dorm felt different than the walk to the coffee shop. The heavy sadness in my chest was gone, replaced by a hot spark of stubborn pride. Silas wanted me to hide in my room, and the rest of the campus expected me to cry over a staged photograph. I refused to give them the satisfaction.Carter unlocked the suite door, and Miller tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter with a loud clatter."I claim the shower first," Miller announced. He grabbed a fresh towel from the hall closet and pointed a finger at me. "Make sure you actually wear something nice, Axel. Leave the baggy hockey hoodies in your closet for tonight. We are going to a party, so you need to look the part.""I have nice clothes," I argued, crossing my arms."You have comfortable clothes," Carter corrected me. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "Comfortable does not send a message. You need an outfit that makes people turn their heads when you walk into the room."I walked into m

MICHAEL'S POVThe heavy wooden door of my hotel room stood at the end of the long hallway, and I just wanted to reach it so I could finally sleep. The away game had drained my energy because we played against a tough defensive line, and I spent all three periods fighting for every inch of the ice. I scored two goals, but the physical cost was high. The opposing team targeted me during the third period, so I took a lot of cheap shots. My ribs throbbed from taking hard hits against the plexiglass boards, and my knees ached from the constant skating.On top of the physical pain, the post-game press conference lasted for two hours since the reporters only wanted to ask questions about my personal life."Michael, we need to review the morning schedule before you go to bed," Victoria said.She walked right beside me, holding her bright tablet, and she wore a sharp blazer while her high heels clicked loudly on the carpeted floor."We are not reviewing anything tonight," I told her, and I kep

The morning sun shone through the narrow blinds when I woke up, casting long shadows across my small dorm room. I shifted on the mattress and reached for the phone sitting on my wooden nightstand. The device felt cold in my hand. I pressed the side button, hoping the bright screen would show a long apology message or a missed call notification.The lock screen was blank.A hard, stubborn ache settled in my chest. We hung up on terrible terms last night, and he heard Victoria knocking on his hotel door before the call ended. He knew I was upset, yet he decided to go to sleep instead of fixing the misunderstanding. He had my number, and he could have called me back. He simply chose not to do it.If Michael wanted to play the silent treatment game, I was going to play it too. I refused to sit in my bedroom and wait for him to remember my existence. I swiped down on the main menu and tapped the 'Do Not Disturb' icon. I tossed the muted device into my canvas backpack and zipped the pocket

Silas blocked the narrow concrete path. He held his composite hockey stick in his right hand, and he rested the curved blade against the pavement. The dim streetlamp cast long, dark shadows over his tattooed arms."You are out late tonight, Thorne," Silas said. His deep voice carried clearly through the quiet courtyard. "I told you I knew where you lived. You should really pay much better attention to your surroundings."My heart pounded against my ribs, yet I refused to take a single step backward. Showing fear would only give him the exact reaction he wanted. I tightened my grip on the heavy straps of my canvas backpack and stood tall."Move out of my way, Silas," I demanded. "I am tired, and I want to go inside my building."Silas chuckled, and he shifted his weight. "You do not look tired. You look terrified. Maybe you finally realized your famous boyfriend left you behind to deal with the mess he created on the news.""Michael did not leave me behind," I argued. "We are doing fine