Semua Bab The ice reaper and His blonde obsession : Bab 31 - Bab 40

HAROLDI was still reeling from Jax standing there, but the relief hit me like a wave when he didn't call me out. I was thankful the shadows were deep enough that he couldn't see the flush on my neck."I just wanted to know if you were leaving," Jax said. His voice was quiet, lacking the heat from earlier. He looked at me with an expression that twisted my gut, it was a look that said we were growing apart, that I’d become a stranger he couldn't even talk to anymore. It hurt that he thought I’d just vanish without a word, but I couldn't explain myself. Not now."Yes, I’m leaving. See you later," I snapped, my voice sounding more defensive than I intended. He nodded slowly and walked back into the bar, his silhouette disappearing into the dim light.I spun back toward Jacob. The frustration was bubbling in my throat like acid. "And you...""I'm sorry," he said quickly, cutting me off before I could explode. He saw the fire in my eyes and knew he’d pushed it too far by kissing me in the

HORACE It all felt wrong. Being with Elisha had never felt like a mistake until today, but now the air between us was thick with a tension I couldn't ignore. This mate bond was a haunting I hadn't invited, messing with my head just when I needed focus the most. I told myself I didn’t want any distractions, yet the gods had delivered the one thing I’d spent my entire life trying to outrun.I paused outside her door, my pulse was pounding so hard, it felt like I could hear it. My parents' warnings echoed in my mind, darker now, more prophetic. If I crossed this line, would it shatter my mother? The thought was a sharp pain, promising a guilt that would hunt me for an eternity. The nightmares I thought I’d buried were back, vivid and intense since the night I met her, clawing at the edges of my waking mind.I stared at the door, my breath hitching in the silent hallway. Was she sleeping? Part of me wanted to wake her, to demand answers from the woman who had upended my reality. But I he

VALENTINA"Okay, we’d start with a light warm-up first, and then we can move on to the real work."I pointed toward the open floor, my voice steady despite the way Lita was still purring in the back of my mind about the view. Horace didn't move immediately. He just stood there, his eyes tracking the way I adjusted."I know how to warm up, Val. I’ve been a pro since you were probably still figuring out how to lace skates.""And yet, you’re standing here, under my contract," I shot back, flashing a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Can we start now?"I put him through a tough warmup. I watched his muscles bunch and stretch, the grey fabric of those pants straining with every deep lunge. I made him focus on his hip and ankles, the lifeblood of a power skater. He groaned, a low sound that vibrated in the air between us."Enough of the yoga," he snapped, wiping sweat from his brow. "Let’s hit the rack.""Not yet. If you want to stop getting bullied off the puck in the third period, we foc

HAROLDI marched out of the gym, the plastic bottle in my hand surrendering to the pressure of my grip. My lungs burned, and it wasn't just from the drills. Valentina was a goddamn puzzle box, and I was losing my patience with the riddles. She was smart, lethally so and that trick had my mind racing even while my blood was screaming for a different kind of release.Maybe I was pissed for no reason. Or maybe I was just spiraling. I knew I’d crossed a line at the theater, leaving her bound like that just to trade saliva with Elisha in a moment of pure, reckless spite. What the hell was I doing? I was probably acting like a rookie who couldn't keep his head in the game.I decided this was the moment to track down Elisha, reclaim my phone, and snap her out of whatever twisted game she thought she was playing. I marched to her room and threw the door open without a second thought, I didn't bother knocking, considering she never afforded me that same courtesy anyway. The second I stepped i

HORACE "I... didn't forget." "You lie, Horace. I can see it in your eyes." Marco chuckled, clearly amused by my lack of care. "Why are you so nonchalant about everything?" "That’s why you’re my manager, isn't it?" "Well, I knew you'd forget. That’s why I already have everything sorted out." Marco straightened the garment bag. "All you have to do is show up looking your best. No excuses. This night is important." "I'm aware, Marco. I won't disappoint you." "Disappoint me? You mean yourself." "I'll be there." "And bring Valentina along." He adjusted the heavy material one last time. I laughed, the sound surprisingly light. "I'm definitely not forgetting that part." A strange sense of joy bubbled up. I felt myself softening, even though this was all supposed to be about a cold-blooded revenge. "Very well then." Marco turned toward the door. "I’ll drop this with one of your workers so they can take it to your room." He stepped out, leaving me alone with the silence and