Page 65 of Ruthless Blade

“Nothing,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Bullshit.”

I turned and looked at him, dropping my hands. “What?”

“You heard me. This whole situation has you fucked off. Stop killing yourself and fucking tell her how you feel.”

“I can’t...”

His gaze narrowed, “Another bullshit excuse. Yes, you can. I don’t care what obligations you have, tell her the truth. That girl is hurt because you were too much of a coward to tell her how you feel. Own up to it. The season is over, you aren’t going to lose out on the draft for being in love with someone. Guys do it all the time and still get drafted. It’s okay to be fucking normal for once.”

My brows raised, “Geez, tell me how you really feel.”

He placed his hands on his hips, “You’re my friend. We’ve been friends for years. I’ve seen you pushing yourself to the point of getting sick, to get somewhere with hockey. You’ve never had a girlfriend, and never let yourself have fun. Yeah, you get drunk and party here and there, , but that’s fixing to change. We are getting older, and soon, college is going to be on the back burner. It’s time to fucking grow up.”

“You don’t understand...”

“I do. You made a promise to your dead best friend, and you’re afraid of breaking it.”

I glared, “Watch your fucking mouth, Dylan.”

“No. If it gets you to wake the fuck up, then I don’t care. Losing Jake should’ve taught you that life is too short. You can’t keep living in the past and miss out on everything you could have. Hockey will only be around for so long. One day you won’t have it, and you’ll be all alone and miserable. I understand this sucks. She’s fucking hurt and you’re pissed with the world. But pushing her away again is only going to show her that she doesn’t need you. And if you want to lose her to the next guy that comes in and swoops her up, then it’s your loss.”

He left after that, leaving me alone, standing on the sidewalk thinking about my life choices.

Well, fuck.

Chapter Thirty-Three

LEXI

My eyes blinked open, crust lining the outer parts, making it hard for me to keep them open. The lights in the room were dim, but that usual hospital smell I had become accustomed to hit me like a brick to the face.

Hospital.

Why was I in the hospital?

The next thing I noticed was the pain. My ribs, face. Fuck, everything hurts.

The memory came back in fragments. The arena. Skating. Dylan leaving. Ivy’s face twisting with rage that had nothing to do with me. There were hands grabbing at me, holding me down so I couldn’t move.

Then, there was Garcia.

I closed my eyes, trying to get rid of the pictures running through my head, but it wouldn’t go away.

His hands were on me, breath against my neck, whispering things...

“Daniel thinks he can have everything and get away with it. He thinks he owns the hockey team and everyone on it; he parades around on campus like a fucking prick, and now there’s you.”

A tear escaped my eye, his weight not moving from my body. “I’ll show him. Once he knows I got to you first, he’ll break like a fucking piece of glass. He won’t want you. He’ll throw you away like a piece of trash.”

I blinked back a tear, remembering how I was able to break free of him. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to rid myself of the nightmare.

My stomach churned, and I forced myself to breathe slowly through my nose.

You’re okay. You got away. Help came. You’re safe.

Was I though? Was I really safe? Would they come after me again? Maybe I really was better off moving, getting away from this place.