Page 52 of Boots & Scars

I made my way through the crowded party, my body feeling like it was on autopilot. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I had to get away.

16

Cooper

Ididn’t go into the rink Monday. Part of it had to do with Ashley and her stupid meeting my lawyer insisted I took. She sat across from me, her eyes filled with a malice and even a hint of desperation.

“You know this isn’t over, Cooper,” she spat, leaning forward, her perfectly manicured nails tapping the table between us.

“Do whatever you want, Ashley. Tell the media all the lies you want,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “They aren't true.”

Her face twisted into an ugly scowl, and for a moment, I almost felt sorry for her. Almost. But then I remembered how she ditched me the second I ruined my career… by defending her honor.

“You’ll regret this,” she hissed before storming out of the room. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and leaned back in my chair. My lawyer shot me a sympathetic look but said nothing.

I spent the rest of the day trying to shake off the encounter, but Ashley’s words lingered like a bad taste in my mouth.

And despite everything, I knew part of me stayed away from the rink to avoid Everly.

Friday replayed in my mind like a broken record. She’d come over to take care of me after I stupidly drunk dialed her twice. The concern in her eyes did something to me—made me forget who I was, or at least who I was supposed to be.

Now, sitting in the house, I stared at my skates propped against the wall. They taunted me with memories of gliding across the ice, of freedom and control—two things that felt increasingly out of reach lately.

I nursed the Mulholland Spirits Whiskey, the amber liquid swirling in the glass as I tried to drown out the chaos of my thoughts. The warmth from the fireplace barely touched me, even though I sat close enough to feel its heat. Ashley’s words echoed in my mind, mingling with the image of Everly’s face when I had yelled at her.

A light knock on the door snapped me out of my reverie. I furrowed my brows, confusion taking over. Who could that be?

Setting down the glass, I walked over and opened the door. There stood Everly, her hair mussed and wild, cuts marring her face. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her dress was torn in places.

My heart stopped cold. “Killer,” I breathed, unable to believe what I was seeing.

“I know you hate me,” she said in a voice that barely sounded like hers, broken and raw. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now, but I walked all this way, and I didn’t… I didn’t know where else to go.”

I was gutted looking at her. My mind raced, heart pounding against my ribs like it wanted to break free. Anger surged through me—not at her, but at whoever had hurt her like this.

I stepped aside immediately, my protective instincts kicking in despite everything else that had happened between us. As shewalked past me into the house, every step she took seemed heavy with pain and exhaustion.

Shutting the door behind her, I struggled to find my voice again. “Sit down,” I said gently, pointing to the couch near the fireplace.

She moved as if in a daze and sank into the cushions. I hated that she just listened, that she didn't say a damn thing. The flickering light from the fire played across her features, highlighting every cut and bruise.

I sat down across from her, hands clenched into fists on my knees to keep myself from reaching out and touching those wounds.

“Killer…” My voice cracked despite my best efforts to stay composed. "Who did this to you?"

Silence.

She was so fucking silent.

“Everly.”

Her name jerked her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes, usually so bright and curious, now looked haunted, shadows deepening their usual sparkle.

“Tell me,” I said, almost begging. The words felt foreign in my mouth, as if someone else had spoken them.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. It was like the words were caught in her throat, struggling to escape. She seemed lost, unsure of where to begin or how to voice the storm raging inside her.

I leaned forward, every muscle tense with worry and frustration. “Now you’re scaring the shit out of me. You literally haven’t stopped talking since I met you.What the fuck happened?”

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