Page 24 of Icebreaker

Dante reached across the table and wrapped his hand around mine. "Anything for you. I know you deserve it."

The restaurant scene dissolved, replaced by one I didn't want to relive. We stood in my Brooklyn apartment, Dante's hand gripping my bicep, his face twisted in anger. "You're going to let them push us around? Why won't you stand up for yourself, for us?"

I pulled my arm free with his words stinging and cutting deep. "I'll do everything I can," I insisted. "But this isn't only about us. I have to think about my career and my reputation."

"And what about me?" Dante asked. "I'm out on the ice, too…in case you forgot."

His words launched grenades against my heart. He assumed I was abandoning him. "You don't get it," I muttered. "I'm trying to protect you and us."

Dante scoffed, and he headed for the door. "You're not protecting anything. All you're doing is hiding. Maybe that's all you'll ever do."

A final scene appeared in my memory. The rapid-fire clicks of cameras filled my ears as the flashbulbs blinded me. I stood in the parking lot outside the arena, my breath visible in the cold air, with a crowd of microphones shoved in my face.

"Is it true you and Dante Russo were in a relationship?" one reporter shouted, his question getting to the heart of the entire scandal.

"What does this mean for your career?" asked another. She displayed an unsettling mix of curiosity and excitement.

I opened my mouth, but the words stuck in my throat. I caught sight of Dante at the back of the crowd. Ultimately, he was the one who decided to abandon us. His face was tense, and his eyes were cold as he addressed the reporters. "No, it's not true. Axel is delusional, and he projects his fantasies onto me. I think he might need help."

Anger rose in my chest, and my hands shook as I turned away, the cameras continuing to flash while reporters shouted more questions. Everything crumbled in that moment—my reputation, career, and heart. Dante piled it all up and hit it with a sledgehammer, leaving me to pick up the pieces.

My thoughts returned to the present, and my chest heaved with regret and fear. The betrayal had felt as painful as if it had happened yesterday. I'd placed complete trust in Dante, only to have it forged into a weapon to use against me. It left wounds that never healed.

Quinn's warm, genuine smile appeared in my mind, his eyes full of kindness. Memories of our time together flashed through my thoughts: how he interacted with my father when he met my family, his hand brushing mine as we chopped vegetables, andthe way my heart leaped at the sight of him. I'd pushed all of that down for far too long.

The thought of losing him to Dante's poisonous shadow was like a dagger to the heart.

I couldn't let it happen. I had to find a way to move past the scars and open myself up. Quinn deserved to know me without the paralyzing fear. Reaching out for my phone on the bedside table, I began to type a message.

"Can we talk? I know I've been distant, and I'm sorry. I have to share things with you I should have talked about long ago. Give me a chance to explain?"

My thumb hovered over the send button. It was the middle of the night, but I needed to act while I'd summoned every ounce of my courage. I pressed down and watched as the message flew into the digital ether.

I'd done it. It had been the first step on what would likely be a long, difficult road, but I had to do it. Otherwise, I didn't deserve Quinn's love.

I just hoped he was still waiting for me and hadn't given up on us.

Chapter eight

Quinn

I'd stayed up far too late with Moose, shooting down bad guys on the TV screen. He whipped my ass as always, but at least the company was good. I knew I'd been neglecting my best friend when all was peaches and cream between Axel and me.

Fortunately, now that I felt cast aside, Moose was there…without questions. I eagerly listened to his hilarious stories through a dinner of takeout burgers and fries. When he suggested playing a video game, it sounded perfect—playful interaction without having to talk about my edgy emotions.

At 2:15 a.m., after Moose left and I was about to drift off, my phone buzzed and jolted me awake. I squinted at the screen, and the blurry letters coalesced into Axel's name. My heart leapedinto my throat while I read his message. He apologized for putting distance between us, and he wanted to talk.

I immediately pressed the call button. Axel answered on the first ring, and I heard rugged, husky emotion in his voice. "Quinn, I'm so sorry. I know I've been awful—pushing you aside."

His words caused a painful spasm in my gut, but I forced a smile into my voice. "It's okay. I'm glad you're reaching out."

Axel's voice cracked as he started to speak. "It's…fuck, no other way to say it. It's been rough. Seeing Dante again brought everything back. It's been like living through it all over again, a victim of every weapon he tried to use against me."

My heart sank—the aching sound of Axel's words cut to my core. "I can barely imagine how much that has hurt, but you're stronger than him. You've built an entirely new life here in Portland, and you deserve much better than…," I choked out the name, "Dante Russo."

"But what if he destroys it all over again?" Axel took a shaky breath. "And what if I can't figure out how to put things back together this time?"

I searched my mind to find the right words. "You aren't alone. I'm here to face it down at your side. You aren't the same person anymore. You've got backup this time—me, your family, the team."

---