Page 3 of The Publicity Stunt

Instead of nicely placing everything on the curb, he tosses the boxes, not caring whether he breaks anything. The only thing he refuses to throw is the glass furniture because that could actually hurt someone. Instead, he writes a big FREE sign and places it on it. Hopefully, someone comes and takes all her shit, not just the stupid, ugly furniture she had delivered without talking to him first.

"She'll be pissed to know it's all gone. Well, that's what you get for fucking my best friend, so suck it, Sasha."

Kace stares at his now almost-empty house, and he sits down to seethe. How could she do this to him? How could she just throw away two years? But more than that, how could he be so blind? He planned a future with her while she snuck around with someone he believed he could trust. Someone he once would have believed would take a bullet for him. Instead, the man held a knife and plunged it into his back while Kace bought a goddamned engagement ring. Thank God he hadn't had a chance to propose. He’d never get over the humiliation.

Oliver calls, and his hands shake as he answers. "Tell me you have good news. I just spent the last however many hours packing up and taking out every fucking piece of anything Sasha ever touched from my place."

"Don't forget to call the landlord to get the locks changed. You gave her a key, remember?"

Shit, he hadn't thought of that. "Wait... if I need locks changed, that means you didn't get me traded, doesn't it?"

"Sorry, man. I found three teams who jumped at the chance to take you, but Louis won't even consider releasing you. Even for a higher ranked player. He really believes you can take him to the Cup, and he doesn't want to risk the dynamic by throwing in someone new right now."

"Did you tell him I'm going to be playing with a traitor? He thinks that's the way to the Cup? That it won't break the fucking dynamic by keeping us together? He would rather put two players who hate and can't trust each other on the ice? You told him I want to murder him, right?"

"Kace-"

"I want to rip his limbs off like a kid does to a spider, Oliver. Nothing would make me happier right now than to watch him squirm around without any fucking arms or legs. Blood spurting everywhere while I point and laugh."

“Graphic,” he says and sighs. "I told him everything, and don't shoot the messenger, but he said, 'Suck it up. It's only a year.' After a year, he can't lock you down with the Bootleggers, and we can get you somewhere else. Assuming you haven't gotten yourself locked up for murder by then."

Great. Not only is he stuck on the Bootleggers for another year, he's stuck in Canada. In a perfect world, the stars would align and bring him home to Texas. But he clearly doesn't have that kind of luck. He'd even take any other place in Canada if he could get away from Moose Jaw. Winnipeg, Edmonton, Toronto, or Montreal. All would be fine as long as he didn't have to play on the same team, let alone the same goddamned line, as Rudy Marshall.

Chapter Two

Bri

Brianna Waters sits on the couch of her tour bus staring at the flood of reports of Easton Duffy's cheating popping up on her phone. Her rep has been busy handling nothing but phone calls from various news outlets asking for comments, and she can't stop staring at the continuing alerts.

Easton hasn't even called her. No apology or even an attempt at an explanation. As far as she was aware, they were in a committed relationship for the past year and a half. Or, as it turns out, she was. The timing couldn’t be any worse because she goes on tour in two weeks, and her failed relationship is all anyone talks about. The fact Bri Waters got cheated on will overshadow her music and this tour.

Her best friend, Tessa Chambers, hurries onto the bus and sits down next to her. "They almost didn't let me in! Your new security guy almost got beaten within an inch of his life when he tried to say I couldn't come on the bus. Good thing Bobby showed up and let me through."

"How could he do this?" Bri asks, tears streaming down her face.

"I never liked him," she says, her arms wrapping around Bri.

The two have been friends ever since the fourth grade, and Tessa's the only real friend Bri's ever known. The only one she can say she has. Being in the industry starting at such a young age, it's impossible to trust people and let them in. Sure, it's easy to make friends, but most only want something from her. Clout, a duet, connections, or investments. Tessa's the only one who has only ever asked for concert tickets to support her. Something Bri is more than happy to give her.

"That doesn't really help," she says, sniffling and folds herself into Tessa's larger body.

Tessa could be a model who stands half a foot taller than Bri. Even more when she wears sky-high heels, and Bri feels even smaller than normal. Bri may be the "pop sensation" of the moment, but Tessa has and always will have a confidence Bri never will.

With long blonde hair and even longer legs, Tessa just captivates the attention of everyone she meets. If she had any real desire to be in the spotlight, she'd dominate whatever industry she chose. Bri often channels Tessa and imitates her when she's on the red carpet. It's the only way she gets through the endless photos and questions when she'd rather curl up and hide.

"I'm sorry, babe. I wish he was here right now. I'd throat punch him before kicking him square in the dick."

The image makes Bri chuckle, and she remembers yet one more reason why she loves Tessa. "I'd pay to see that."

"Oh, you wouldn't need to pay. I'll do that for free. Just for you!"

"I don't understand why he couldn't just call and break up with me like a normal person. Why did he have to humiliate me like this?"

Tessa's brown eyes look down into her blue ones, the only physical feature anyone has ever said Bri has over her best friend. "Hunny, that boy has never been normal."

She's right. Easton's what people would call eccentric, but that was what she liked about him. Kind of. Just about everything about him contrasted with her, and she felt they balanced each other out. That he helped bring out the side of her that stays hidden most of the time while she grounded him a little bit.

Easton performed in a boy band for a couple of years before deciding he wanted to go solo. He's a newer country star, and she thought they worked well together. For the most part. Who's she kidding? He always wanted bigger things. Things she had, but he wanted. And she knows he resented her a little for it.

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