Page 83 of Icebound Hearts

And right now? It’s off.

I shift uncomfortably from my place on the other side of the

rink, watching as Aiden skates down the ice, taking another shot that barely misses the net. He curses under his breath, frustration evident in the way he tightens his grip on his stick.

Coach Matthews notices it, too.

“Knight! Get your head in the game!” he barks, his voice cutting through the cold air of the rink. Aiden clenches his jaw but nods, skating back into line with the rest of his teammates.

I exhale, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling settling in my chest. Half an hour later, the inevitable happens.

Practice stops cold as Coach blows his whistle, the sharp sound echoing through the arena. Everyone turns as he stalks toward Aiden, his expression stormy.

“Knight, what the hell is going on with you?”

Aiden exhales sharply, running a hand through his damp hair. “I’m fine.”

Coach’s glare darkens. “Bullshit. You’ve been missing practices, showing up late, and when you do show up, your head isn’t in it. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I shift uncomfortably from where I’m standing, fully aware of the reason Aiden has been slacking.

Me.

He’s been helping me practice every night, making sure I get my strength back after surgery. He’s been there for me, making sure I don’t push too hard, that I don’t fall apart under the pressure of recovery. And now, it’s costing him.

Aiden’s jaw ticks, but he doesn’t say anything.

Coach scoffs, shaking his head. “You’re distracted, Knight. And I can see exactly what’s doing it.”

My stomach drops as Coach’s gaze flickers toward me. Aiden tenses beside him.

“I’m not distracted,” Aiden grits out.

Coach laughs coldly. “Really? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re too caught up with her to remember what the hell you’re playing for.”

My face burns. Aiden snaps.

“That is not what’s happening.” His voice is sharp, dangerous, filled with barely contained anger. “Kat has nothing to do with this.”

Coach crosses his arms. “You sure about that? Because it seems to me like your head is too far up her ass to focus on the team.”

Aiden steps forward.

I react before he can do something stupid, skating towards him and grabbing his arm before he can get too close to Coach.

“Aiden,” I say quietly. “It’s fine.”

He whips his head toward me, his eyes burning. “No, it’s not.”

I squeeze his wrist, trying to ground him, trying to remind him that this isn’t a battle he needs to fight.

But Aiden isn’t the type to back down.

“Stay out of my personal life,” he tells Coach, his voice low and deadly. “What I do off the ice is none of your business.”

Coach’s gaze narrows. “It is my business when it affects your performance.”

Aiden’s nostrils flare, but before he can say anything else,

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