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That split second of hesitation, the flicker of pain before she forced herself to smile like it didn’t fucking matter. But it did. It mattered more than I had any right for it to.

I had no claim on her. Except I did.

The thought hit me hard, knocking the breath from my lungs. I wanted to be the one who had her back, who pulled her out of the fire instead of pushing her into it. But how the hell could I do that when I was the fire?

And what happened when she realized it? When she put the pieces together and saw me for exactly what I was—a man standing at the edge of something he had no business holding onto?

What if she found out? What if Chambers found out?

My grip tightened, rage burning through me like gasoline meeting a lit match. My reputation was already walking the razor’s edge, but bringing her into it? It could destroy everything.

The weight of it all pressed down on me, suffocating, but when I closed my eyes, all I could see was her.

And I knew—I wasn’t letting go.

The thought of walking away clawed at me, burrowing under my skin like a wound that refused to heal. The idea of never touching her again, never hearing her gasp my name, never feeling her melt beneath me—it was worse than any pain I’d ever known. Because I needed her now. More than I’d ever needed anyone. And that was fucking dangerous.

I pulled into the rink, the parking lot stretching out empty and lifeless under the dull glow of the streetlights. It matched the hollowness sitting in my chest, the ache I couldn’t shake no matter how hard I tried. I killed the engine and stepped out, my breath curling into the cold night air, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning inside me.

The silence followed me as I made my way to my office, slamming the door shut behind me. The sound echoed in the small space, a sharp reminder that I was alone. Alone with my thoughts. And that was the last fucking place I wanted to be.

Through the glass wall, I could see the ice, pristine and untouched—for now. But not for long. I knew she’d be here soon. Iris always pushed herself past the breaking point. First one on, last one off. A relentless pursuit of perfection, as if proving herself on the ice could make up for all the things life had stolen from her.

A part of me admired that. The other part? The one buried beneath obsession and possession? It wanted to rip her away from all of it—from the pressure, the expectations, the goddamn fear that clawed at her heels like a ghost she couldn’t outrun.

And then, she appeared.

The second Iris stepped onto the ice, the rest of the world blurred. Time froze, the hum of fluorescent lights fading into nothing as I drank her in. Strong. Sharp. Fucking perfect. But now, I saw more than just her talent, more than just the ruthless determination that set her apart.

I saw the girl who had been left behind. The girl fighting like hell not to need anyone. Not to need me.

Her skates sliced through the ice, her body moving with the kind of control that took years to perfect. Every movement was precise, calculated, but beneath it, I could see it—the crack in the armor, the hesitation she tried to bury. Like if she let someone too close, they’d see just how close she was to breaking.

I exhaled sharply, raking a hand through my hair as the frustration clawed higher. She didn’t get it. She didn’t understand that every time she pushed herself past her limit, every time she skated like the ice was the only thing keeping her together, it twisted something inside me. It made me want to rip her off that rink and keep her locked away where no one else could push her—not even herself.

Because I knew what came next.

I was the man who could destroy her.

And yet, I was already too far gone to stop it.

I leaned forward, elbows braced on my knees, watching her in the dim light of the rink. My pulse pounded in my ears as the realization hit me with the force of a body check against the boards.

I was already halfway in love with her.

And it scared the hell out of me.

Because love? Love was just another word for ruin.

Chapter 23

Iris

Ipulled my skate off, the ice still cooling my legs from the extra session. The locker room buzzed with energy, voices mixing with the sharp scent of sweat and gear. Jenna and Lila were nearby, crouched over their sticks, the sound of tape ripping slicing through their chatter.

“So… you and Chris?” Jenna asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. It was lighthearted, teasing.

I froze for a second, a laugh bubbling up in my throat. “What about us?” I shot back, trying to keep my tone casual while feeling heat creep into my cheeks.