Lahat ng Kabanata ng Hockey Hazard: When Desire Crosses the Ice: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Two days had passed since Noah had accidentally witnessed Chase in the showers. Two days since he'd heard his own name from Chase’s lips after he released. And in those two days, he had discovered there was no good way to process information like that. At first, he had tried convincing himself that it was nothing, but if it had been any other member of the team, it might have been lighter to carry, but it was Chase Voss. The rich Hockey captain with serious daddy issues that hated him.There was no other explanation, and the result of him stumbling onto something like that was that he couldn't look at Chase the same way anymore, which was a problem because Chase Voss seemed to be everywhere. On the ice, in some classes, during film review and at team meetings. He had spent almost forty-eight hours doing everything possible to avoid him, and Chase had noticed every single time. It was Thursday. The lights were dimmed inside the meeting room as game footage rolled across the projector s

Three minutes left. Noah got open again, and everyone could see it: a direct shot to the goal with no defenseman. He signalled to Chase, but Chase kept the puck, tried to shoot from that impossible angle again, but lost it. The opposition counteredattack immediately and scored another goal.The arena roared, and Coach Jenkins lost it."Voss!" he yelled out, and Chase turned to him."Sit down."Chase skated over, confusion all over his face. "What?""You heard me.""Coach—"Jenkins exploded. "Sit. Down."Chase looked toward the bench, expecting someone to say something, but nobody did. Not Morrison, not Callahan, and not even the assistant captains. Furious and humiliated, he gets off the ice and walks. For the first time all season, the captain is benched.And with less than two minutes remaining, the hosts scored again. Four-three. The final buzzer sounded shortly afterward, and the hosts poured onto the ice as the Michigan team slowly skated off.Inside the tunnel, they began removi

Noah did not leave the Voss villa immediately. After being reminded once again that his future seemed to rest in the hands of dangerous men, he should have gotten straight back to Ann Arbor. Instead, he wandered.The house was too large to feel like a home. Every hallway looked expensive, and even the silence felt curated. He eventually found himself in a smaller office tucked away near the eastern wing of the house. It looked similar to Adrian's office, but less imposing. A private workspace with one wall lined with bookshelves and occupied by a large desk. Most of the curtains were drawn, leaving only a narrow gap where pale moonlight spilled into the room.Noah stepped toward the window, and for a few moments, he simply stood there. Then he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his gallery, smiling at the funny pictures Eli had taken before. Then he heard a door open behind him, and he turned. A familiar figure stumbled into the room, looking slightly disheveled. Chase.His tie

Two weeks had passed since the kiss. Two weeks of silence, and two weeks of Chase Voss acting like Noah didn't exist. Noah had expected it to end, he had expected Chase to get bored eventually, and slip back into old habits, but Chase had doubled down.Every discussion session felt the same now. Professional, polite, and distant. Noah hated it. Not that he would admit that to anyone. Especially not himself.The discussion session ended with the same efficiency it always did. Chase wrapped up the final topic, assigned the week's memo, and dismissed the class."That's all for today."Chairs scraped across the floor, backpacks zipped, and students began filing toward the exits. Noah remained seated. His notebook was already packed and his pencil sat untouched on the desk. Still, he lingered.Across the room, Chase was organizing papers behind the front desk and the sight irritated Noah more than it should have when a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts."You're gonna be alone Saturda

The gala looked like money had built it from the ground up. A string quartet played softly near the stage. Wealthy alumni and corporate sponsors filled the space in tailored suits and expensive gowns, their laughter blending with the clink of glasses and low conversations about investments, athletics, and donations. Noah hated every second of it. It was Wednesday night, he was supposed to be with Eli, instead he was here, a guest of Adrian Voss. How cliche.“You look miserable,” Chase’s voice came from beside him, smooth with amusement.Noah adjusted the cuffs of the black suit jacket that very obviously belonged to someone richer than him and shot Chase a flat look, “Because I am.”“You could at least pretend you belong here.”“I don’t.”Chase smirked faintly. This was the assignment his father had given to them. Attend the charity gala and secure a supply deal.“You’re wearing a ten-thousand-dollar suit,” he said quietly. “Try not to look like you stole it.”The ballroom doors opene