Page 33 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO
“You heard me,” he says, his voice calm but laced with that infuriating edge he always uses to get under my skin. He takes adeliberate step closer, and suddenly, the space between us feels much smaller. Too small.
“If you were really as good as you claim, you wouldn’t need to single me out,” he adds, his voice lowering, a dangerous edge in his tone.
“Are you serious right now?” I bite out, resisting the urge to toss my camera strap off my shoulder and launch into a full-blown tirade. “This is not about talent, Liam. It is about teamwork. Ever heard of it? You know that thing that the rest of your teammates are doing just fine?”
He shrugs, his casual demeanor only fanning the flames of my frustration. “Sounds like it is your problem, not my problem.”
I laugh dryly, the sound hollow and disbelieving. "Cute, Callahan. Real cute."
He shrugs, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
“Okay, what’s your issue?”
His eyes narrow, something flickering in them. "My issue? Oh, let’s see… Maybe it’s the fact that you think you can just waltz back here and expect everything to be normal."
I freeze. “Okay, let us get one thing straight, right now. I am certainly not expecting anything to be normal. You are the one who keeps making it personal. I’m not the one acting like a moody little kid because you don’t like how things ended between us.”
He takes a step toward me, his presence looming. “You do not get to lecture me about how I should act, Hazel. You are the one who left. You are the one who walked away like it was nothing.”
“You’re the one who drove me away,” I say sharply. I feel the words stinging and my chest tightening. “Yeah, I left. And I did not do it lightly, but I will tell you right now that it was the best decision of my life. You are the harbinger of where we are now, so you have no right to treat me like this. If you are still angry,it is your business, but I’m not your punching bag, and I’m not here for your baggage.”
The tension between us is thick, suffocating. He leans in closer, his breath warm against my face, his eyes challenging me.
"Oh, and here’s the thing," I say, stepping into his space, head tipped back to meet his eyes dead-on. "I’m already good at my job. Great, actually. Whether you want to play along or not - does not change that. What changes is how much of a headache you decide to be. And frankly, I have had my fill of you and your little power plays. I am here to do a job, not relive history.”
I tilt my head, letting my gaze drag over him like he is something I’m already bored with. "But if you want to waste your own time, be my guest. It will not affect me. I’ll get my shots with or without you."
His silence stretches for a beat too long, his gaze burning into mine like he is searching for something he’ll never find.
“Fine,” he says, at last, his voice clipped. “You’ll get your shots.”
“Thank you,” I reply, equally curt.
The whistle blows again, and he turns on his heel, skating back to join the others without another word.
I take a deep breath, steadying my hands as I lift the camera again. The players are already back in formation, and the drills are starting anew. Through the lens, I watch Liam pass the puck, his movements fluid and precise, his face unreadable.
I caught the shot this time.
But instead of relief, all I feel is the lingering heat of our argument, burning just under the surface.
Chapter ten
Liam
Isit in Coach’s office, my fingers drumming against the edge of the desk, trying to look anywhere but at him. His eyes are trained on me, and if looks could freeze fire, I would be encased in ice right now. His gaze sharpens, every muscle in his body stiff with a mix of concern and anger.
“Coach…,” he held up his hands, cutting me off.
His brows are furrowed, lips pinched in that damn serious line that always makes me want to shift uncomfortably. The silence between us is thick.
“You’re skating and acting like a damn fool out there, Callahan,” Coach says, his voice low but firm. “What is the matter with you? You are letting your personal shit bleed into your game.”
Coach continued, his voice sharp. “Listen, whatever happened with her…?" He cuts himself off, and for a second, there is a flicker of something in his eyes. “You got to keep your feelings off the ice.”
I swallow, nodding. “I hear you.”
Coach leans back, crossing his arms, his face unreadable. “Liam, you do not see what I see, and sometimes what you see isn’t what actually is. Things you try to leave behind have a way of catching up with you. You just need to go with the flow, and deal with it, Callahan.”
