Page 2 of Ruthless Blade

Once again, everything I strived for would shatter.

I’d grown up broken, and as much as I wanted to become unbroken, this fall proved I was weak.

That no matter how hard I tried, I would always live in their shadow.

And that was a hard fact to swallow.

Chapter One

LEXI

The ice crackled with rapid, heavy grinding as young skaters spun and glided along, not a care in the world.

A sigh escaped my lips as I listened, wishing I were out there with them. The words on the page stared back at me, and I realized that studying right now wasn’t going to happen. I closed the book and shoved it to the side.

I leaned back in my seat, watching them with smiles as bright as the sun. They were so excited ‌to do something they loved. I missed that. So much.

“You’re still up here studying?” I looked towards the stairs, my best friend Hazel was glaring at me with her hands on her hips. Tall, wavy blonde hair, and with curves that went on for miles, she was every guy’s fantasy.

I pursed my lips, looking away, back at the youth skating. She came to sit beside me, a huff escaping her lips. “Lex, I love you. But you’re torturing yourself.”

"No I’m not. I was studying while waiting for you to finish your shift.”

A laugh escaped her lips, “Yeah, and I’m the Tooth Fairy. You’re taking advantage and coming with me to work every day so you can be near the ice.”

Can she blame me? The ice was my life for so long; I didn’t know how to function without it. Even if I wasn’t out there skating.

“I miss it.” That’s all I could manage, a part of me feeling bad for taking advantage.

“Look, I’ll talk to Dad. I’m sure he won’t mind you coming to skate during the off hours.” Her shoulder nudged mine, a grin appearing on her lips. “Hell, he loves you! I’m sure we can talk him into it.”

I sucked in a breath, “I don’t know...”

“You need to get back out there, or you’ll never be able to. Becoming a registered nurse is great and all, but that’s not who you are. You were born to compete. Everyone grew up watching you; you were one of the best skaters out there! Don’t let your injury define you. Don’t let your past define you.”

My belly fluttered at the idea of skating again, but the fear that slithered around my heart was too much. “I...can’t.”

She stood up, grabbing my bag and putting it on her shoulder. “You can, and you will. Let me handle it. Now we need to go before...”

The double doors to the rink banged open, and the Timberwolves poured out of the tunnel and onto the ice.

Uniforms of green and black carried broad-shouldered, swaggering athletes that cut through the arena like a pack of hungry wolves. Pucks began to ping off the walls violently, spraying flecks of ice against the glass as they broke into their first drill.

“Lex...we need to go.” Her hand latched onto my wrist, dragging me out of the seat, but we both already knew what was coming next.

Kayden.

He stepped onto the ice, all of his teammates coming by to give him a fist bump. Being the captain of a team as a sophomore was unheard of at SilverCrest, but he’d managed to do it. I had no doubt that if my brother were still here, he’d be right there with him.

42.

That was his number. It was displayed proudly across his chest and back, with a big C over it on the front.

He was strong, fierce, and dominated the game. He was everyone’s favorite person, but I absolutely, without a doubt, hated him.

And he felt the same way.

A smile graced his lips, but magically his eyes made their way to the stands, the blue of his gaze zoning in on me.