Page 34

CHAPTER 34

JACE

A week later

“Have you seen Axel?” I asked Dane as we slid onto the ice for Thursday practice.

“You’re asking me? He’s your boy—” Dane paused and looked around. “No, I haven’t.”

It was odd and I was worried.

Axel hadn’t come out to the entire team yet. That was happening at Ethan’s party tomorrow night. Our first date. I was so excited and yet, really fucking nervous. Which was ridiculous, we were already sleeping together. Still, a date was different than fucking. It was so much more. We were more.

Unless he’s changed his mind.

That horrible doubt would pop into my head at odd moments this week. I put it down to everything being so new and intense, but Axel hadn’t returned my texts all day, and now he was late for practice? I knew that something was off.

“Hey,” Dane whispered as he nudged me with his glove. “It’ll be okay. Maybe he’s late from class or something. Stop angsting.”

“Yeah, well, it’s so new with us, you know? But I’m really happy and I…I hope I’m not the only one here.”

“You’re not. I see the way he looks at you.”

“Oh yeah?”

Dane nodded. “I know that look. He’s so far gone.”

“I hope so.”

Coach appeared and blew his whistle to get us started.

Ten minutes into practice, there was no sign of Axel. And that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach just wouldn’t stop rumbling.

Finally, thirty minutes in, Axel arrived. Coach wasn’t happy to say the least.

“Lund, tack an extra thirty on to your time tonight.”

Axel nodded but I could tell by his clenched jaw that something bad was going on and it wasn’t about hockey.

Quietly, I skated over to him, and he reached for my arm.

“What’s up?” I asked casually, even though my heart was pounding like mad.

“It’s Preston,” Axel replied, leaning in and whispering. “He’s here.”

My racing pulse froze in an instant.

“What do you mean, he’s here?” I reared back. “He’s in jail, in California.”

“He made bail,” Axel replied, then bit his lower lip. “His dad flew him back to New York yesterday, then he rented a car and drove up here to see me. He called me last night.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah, it’s messed up. And that’s not all. The guy he assaulted? The student? He supposedly promised to help Preston get a movie audition and when he didn’t deliver, they got into a fight. Preston’s not denying he hit the guy, but he says he got struck first, and he was defending himself.”

“Do you believe him?”

I couldn’t breathe and suddenly my vision blurred as I wobbled on my skates like a newbie. Axel gripped my arm to steady me.

“No,” he insisted. “I don’t. There’s not a mark on him, not a scratch or a bruise, so he’s full of shit. Anyway, he said he needed a break from LA and figured this was a quiet place to land. He’s staying at the Sutton Inn. He called me today and I went to see him. I had to, Jace. I didn’t want him coming here on campus to find you. Not that he seems interested in that. He only talks about himself.”

“I can handle seeing him,” I whispered. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. Your face is paler than this ice.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this morning, or better yet, last night?”

“I didn’t want to upset you.”

“Too fucking late,” I snapped. “Are you meeting up with him again?”

Axel nodded. “Only to convince him to go back to LA. That’s all.”

“Are you sure about that?” I threw out.

“Are you saying you don’t trust me?” he lobbied back.

Dane skated up and gave us a warning look.

“What the hell’s going on guys? Coach is ready to get back to it.”

“Preston’s in town. He arrived in Sutton this morning to see me,” Axel replied.

“Are you shitting me?” Dane looked at me. “Do you need to leave practice?”

“No!” I exclaimed and suddenly other teammates turned to stare. “No, if anything I need to be here. I’m fine.”

“It’s okay if you’re not,” Dane replied calmly. “Coach will understand.”

“I’m not going to let that asshole fuck with my head again,” I bit out and yanked my arm away from Axel. “I’m here to play, let’s play.”

“Jace!” Axel called my name, but I was already off.

Just when I thought I was rid of the past, it had to come back and kick me in the ass. I needed time to deal with this news and to figure out what to do. I wasn’t scared to see Preston in person, that wasn’t it. I was stronger now and he didn’t have any hold on me. No, the reason I was upset was because I was pissed at Axel. The fact that he’d talked to Preston, met up with him, without telling me first, set me off. Then I remembered they’d been best friends since high school. I’d only been with Axel for a month, and before that, the only contact we had was passing each other insults, along with pucks.

I’m a fighter. I fight for what I want. I’m fighting for you, too.

Was Axel fighting for me?

Axel

I couldn’t concentrate and it showed.

Silas kicked my ass when we practiced danger zone drills, and then Finn did the same. Coach was even less impressed with me than when I first got here.

How could I focus when I was worried about Jace, my thoughts on him the whole time?

Coach’s reminders about separating hockey and personal rebounded in my head.

I knew the second I’d taken Preston’s call that I was fucked. But Jace was right. I should’ve told him right away. I should’ve known that Jace was strong enough to take the news. What was even worse was that Jace seemed to doubt the reason why I went to see Preston. Hadn’t we already talked about this? How could I prove to Jace that he was the only thing that mattered?

When practice was done, I stayed behind to do my extra drills.

At first, I was too caught up in my head to notice that Jace stayed behind with me. Jace and Dane. When I turned around and found them leaning on their sticks, talking to each other, some of my earlier anxiety waned.

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Dane announced.

Our captain slipped away and then it was just me and Jace.

“You heard Cap. Keep working,” Jace announced as he skated by, swiping the puck as quick as lightning.

I chased after him, my competitive ego never far behind. He was faster, taking the shot, the sharp echo of his stick meeting ice and rubber. He’d been pushing hard all practice, and one slapshot was harder than the next.

“Battle drill?” I suggested.

It was entirely appropriate given how our relationship had started and where we were now. Only, I wanted to fight alongside Jace, not against him. I knew he was the same. I knew it. And I wasn’t going to let this stupid thing with Preston ruin us.

Being so in tune with someone I was playing hockey with was both a blessing and a curse. I was aware of Jace in a way I wasn’t with anyone else on the team, anticipating his every move, and yet, I was afraid to get too close, and afraid for him to get hurt. Did he feel the same?

It was yet another hurdle for us to climb.

He skated towards the net, plucked out the puck, and turned to me, his face devoid of expression. Laughing and smiling was his usual. A smart-ass comment, a teasing joke. But this coldness, it was so unlike him that my stomach twisted painfully.

Skating backwards, I took my spot and waited for Jace to make the first play.

I was so caught up in my feelings and my head that I didn’t even realize he was already beside me.

“Ax.”

“Yeah?” I replied, tapping my stick on the ice.

“Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I can handle it.” Jace licked his lips. “I’m sorry I got upset.”

“You have every right. I should’ve said something, but?—”

“Hey, we’re both new to this, it’s okay. But we have to be honest, no hiding or delaying the truth. Have faith that I can handle bad news, and I’ll do the same.”

“I don’t want to, you know,” I paused, taking off one of my gloves and wiping the sweat from my face. “Trigger your disorder.”

“I know, baby, but there’s always going to be something,” Jace replied. “It’s what I deal with every day. Same with you and depression. All we can do is learn ways to cope and do our best, always moving forward.”

“Jace,” I skated closer, staring into his hazel eyes.

There. The fire was there. My Jace.

“What happened today is a blip,” I insisted, tempted to lean in and taste his lips, but remembering Coach’s warning. “He’s going to leave, and that’ll be that. I don’t want to spend any more time thinking or talking about him. I want to focus on us.”

Jace reached for my jersey, clutching it tight in his hand, and then I heard it.

Someone was clapping.

I turned around to find Preston standing on the other side of the boards staring at us. With his slick hair and California tan, he didn’t look like a man who’d just been arrested. He looked like he was back from freaking vacation.

“Isn’t this a fun little reunion?” he announced with a sneer. “My ex and my ex-BFF getting cozy in this dank, smelly rink.”

“Go back to LA, Preston. Deal with your charges and get help.”

“Help? For what?” Preston shrugged. “My father will make sure the charges are dropped. He’s a lawyer, remember? And I’m not staying in this shithole any longer than I need to. I just wanted to confirm the rumor for myself. Our friendship, such as it was Axel, served my purpose.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m sure you’ve taken hits on the ice, especially to that big head of yours, but even you’re not that stupid,” Preston replied. “But I’ll make it simple for you anyway. Your parents owned that town and nearly everyone in it. Including my father.”

That, I didn’t know. And I didn’t want to know any more.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You grew up with so much influence, but you’re so fucking dumb.”

“Don’t talk to him like that,” Jace snapped. “Just stop with the mind games and get the fuck out of here.”

“Jace, passionate as always. And I thought you liked games?” Preston cocked his head. “I guess the STD I gave you finally cleared up? It’d be a shame for you to lose the only thing you’re good at.”

“You piece of shit,” I growled and started for the boards.

Jace held on to my jersey.

“I can’t believe I ever trusted you,” I bit out. “And, whatever you have to say, I don’t care.”

“But your parents will. And don’t deny it. Jonas told me you were fucking a teammate. I wasn’t sure I believed him at first. But now that I see you two together—” Preston paused. “I’m sure your parents will be very interested to find out you’re fucking a guy. I wonder what they’d pay to keep that quiet?”

“Go for it,” I snapped back. “Tell everyone. I’m never going back there, so I don’t care. Just get the hell gone and leave us alone.”

Preston’s smirk faltered.

“You won’t get anything from them,” I added firmly, aiming my final shot. “The money’s gone. The Lunds are broke. Feel free to announce that too.”

“I don’t believe you,” Preston replied, his voice low.

“Same goes.”

Preston shrugged.

“Well, then, maybe it’s best that I head back to LA. There’s nothing here I can use.”

“We finally agree on something.”

“I’ll make a stop at Redgewick on my way back,” Preston called out over his shoulder. “Just to be sure.”

“Tell my family I said hi.”