Page 78 of The Heart Breaker

My grip tightens around my stick. Here’s the thing. I know I should keep my mouth shut. Every part of me is screaming to look straight ahead, say nothing, and let this asshole tire himself out. But I’ve still got blood in my mouth from his cheap shot, my jaw is throbbing, and he just keeps talking about her.

So it comes out before I can stop it.

“Didn’t seem that way an hour ago when she was moaning my name.”

It’s complete bullshit, seeing as the closest I got to fucking her was squeezing her ass before she made me crawl out her window, but still… he doesn’t know that.

He comes to a dead stop on the ice and just stares at me. “The fuck did you just say?”

I turn my head and look at him through my helmet. “You heard me.”

He just stares at me, and I watch the smug look vanish from his face. Confusion hits first. Then disbelief, until understanding settles and his expression darkens, and he looks like he wants to kill me.

“Bullshit,” he mutters. “There’s no way she’d go anywhere near you.”

I let out a short laugh and look away.

It was a stupid thing to say. Reckless as hell, and I already know there’s a good chance it’s going to blow back on me later. But seeing that smug look finally wiped off his face almost makes it worth it.

Chase lines up beside me again and shoves at my chest. “She’ll get bored of you,” he spits. “You think you’re different?” He lets out a bitter laugh. “She’s just using you to get back at me.”

The refs hover around us, but I skate back and say nothing, even with my fists itching to punch him.

But Chase doesn’t want to let it go, and he crowds into me and bares his teeth. “Guess that slut will spread her legs for anyone who gives her attention for five fucking minutes.”

I don’t remember dropping my stick.

I don’t remember ripping off my gloves.

All I know is my fist slams into the cage hard enough that the impact shoots straight up my arm. His head jerks sideways,his helmet flying off and skidding across the ice. He stumbles, catches himself, and tries to swing back, but I’ve already got a fist twisted in the front of his jersey, pushing him backward.

I slam him into the glass and hit him again until blood trickles out of his mouth.

“Say it again,” I snarl, shoving my forearm across his chest and pinning him to the glass. “Call her a slut one more time.”

“Hit a nerve, did I?” He spits blood out. “Pathetic. You really think she wants you? You’re nothing but a revenge fuck. When she’s done using you, she’ll?—”

I rear back and swing again, but I don’t get to hit him, because Ryan locks his arms around my chest, dragging me backward.

“Enough!” he barks in my ear. “That’s it, Ellis. You’re done.”

I don’t take my eyes off him as they haul us apart, rage humming through my veins.

“C’mon, man,” Ryan mutters once we’re on opposite sides, giving me a shove toward the boards. “What was that? You trying to kill him?”

I spit blood onto the ice. “He had it coming.”

The ref blows his whistle and points at me. “Sit down, forty-two. You’re out.”

I shove my stick at Ryan, haul myself over the boards, and drop onto the bench, grabbing a water bottle. I lean back and look up at the replay flashing across the jumbotron.

There I am on the screen, shoving him into the glass. The camera pulls wider and catches Aurora, on her feet with her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with worry.

Figures.

Even after everything, she’s still looking at him like that. Still worrying over golden boy. The same prick who cheated on her, lied to her, and would do it all over again without a second thought.

I’m the idiot out here bleeding over her, and somehow, he’s still the one she can’t stop looking at.