Misconducts & Temptation (The Crestwood Elite Hockey Academy #10)

28. Keaton

Chapter 28

Keaton

" Y ou know, your wife is a piece of work," my father drawled, his voice cutting through the cold air like a blade.

"Yeah?" I leaned on my stick, trying to keep my expression neutral.

He nodded, his gaze distant. "Reminds me of your mother."

"Yeah," I muttered, gripping my stick tighter. "I know."

My father gave me a long look before turning away, his shoulders tense under the weight of years of expectations and unspoken words. I watched him walk off the ice, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The rink was silent except for the faint hum of the cooling system and the soft scrape of my skates against the ice as I moved toward the center. In this space, away from prying eyes and endless demands, I could almost find a moment of peace.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching as it misted in front of me before dissipating into nothingness.

I took a few more shots at the goal, each one hitting with a satisfying thud against the back of the net. The rhythm, the precision, it usually calmed me. Tonight, though, it felt empty. The ache in my chest hadn't dulled.

I missed Elodie.

It was strange, almost unsettling. I'd never felt this way before, not even with Lola. When I was with Lola, I didn't care if she was there or not. She was just another part of the game my father had set up for me. But Elodie? She was different.

The locker room echoed with my footsteps as I walked back in, my stick clattering against the floor as I set it aside. I leaned back against the cool metal of the lockers and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

What the hell was I supposed to do about this? The idea of missing someone, of wanting to see them just because they made me feel something real... it was foreign to me. My whole life had been about control, about keeping people at arm's length. Now, I found myself wanting to pull Elodie closer.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration boiling under my skin. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. I wasn't supposed to care. But every time I thought about her—her laughter echoing in the empty hallways, her determined gaze as she tackled whatever crap life threw her way—I felt that tightness in my chest again.

I needed to see her.

I unlaced my skates, each tug of the laces feeling more laborious than the last. The cold metal of the locker dug into my back as I leaned against it, lost in thought. The ice had always been a place where I could forget everything, but tonight it offered no solace.

I swapped my skates for my worn-out sneakers, the familiar weight grounding me as I pulled on a hoodie and jeans. My phone buzzed on the bench next to me, dragging me back to reality. I picked it up, noticing three missed calls from a number I didn't recognize.

Frowning, I unlocked the screen to find a flood of text messages.

Keaton, Elodie's been taken.

My heart skipped a beat.

William has her.

Panic surged through me as I scrolled through the messages.

They drove off. You need to get her.

I couldn't breathe.

I have a bad feeling about this.

My fingers tightened around the phone, knuckles white with tension. William—wasn't that Elodie's…

The man she was supposed to marry before…?

The anger I felt was like a wildfire, consuming every rational thought. It burned through my veins, leaving nothing but a raw, seething rage in its wake. William had Elodie. That bastard had the audacity to take her. My muscles tensed, and my grip on the phone tightened until I thought it might shatter.

How fucking dare he? How fucking dare he touch her, take her away from me?

The thought of Elodie in his grasp made my blood boil, and I wanted to tear the world apart to find her.

Not just wanted, I would .

I shoved my phone into my pocket and stormed out of the locker room, my footsteps echoing like gunshots in the empty hallway. Each step fueled by the fury that churned inside me. I didn't care about the consequences, about what this would mean for any of it. All that mattered was getting Elodie back, safe and sound.

I burst out of the locker room, my breath ragged and my mind racing. The cool night air slapped me in the face, but it did little to calm the storm inside.

My father was waiting near the exit. "What happened?" he asked, stepping closer.

"He has her," I spat out, the words tasting like venom.

"What?" His brows knitted together. "Who?"

I didn't have time for this. I shoved past him, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt. "I'm going to kill him," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Rip him apart with my bare hands."

We stepped out of Pandora's Box, the exclusive rink where we'd been practicing. The place usually felt like a fortress. Now it felt like a prison, every second here a second wasted.

"Well?" I snapped, glaring at my father. "Isn't this the part where you tell me not to ruin my future?"

He looked at me, his eyes hardening with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "She's your wife," he said evenly. "There's no future if she isn't in it."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. For once, we were on the same page. No lectures about duty or legacy—just raw, unfiltered truth.

I nodded, feeling a strange sense of unity with him for perhaps the first time in years. We had to get Elodie back. There was no other option.

Without another word, I headed toward my car, my father following closely behind. The plan was simple: find William and make him pay.

My mind raced with thoughts of where he could have taken her, each possibility more horrifying than the last. I needed to focus, to think clearly, but it was impossible with rage clouding my vision.

I yanked open the door and slid behind the wheel, jamming the key into the ignition. The engine roared to life as if it shared my fury. I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white and peeled out of the lot.

I was almost positive my father had gone home, hopefully to tell Lola to fuck off. Just knowing he was in my corner…

I didn’t have time for sentimentality. I needed to get Elodie back.

Now.

The streets blurred past as I drove, each mile taking me closer to wherever William might be hiding with her. I didn't have a plan—hell; I didn't even know where to start looking—but that didn't matter. I'd tear apart this entire town if I had to. Elodie needed me, and nothing would stop me from finding her.

And now she was in danger because of me. Because I had left because she believed in me.

Fucking hell, I was a monster.

I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Not while there was breath in my body.

I pressed harder on the gas pedal, determination mingling with anger as I raced against time to save Elodie from whatever hell William had planned for her.

I screeched to a stop in front of Elodie's old house; the tires kicking up gravel. The headlights cast an eerie glow on the decrepit porch, where her stepfamily's house stood like a grim reminder of her suffering.

The front door burst open, and the Buck Tooth sister rushed out, eyes wide with panic.

"What the fuck happened?" I demanded, storming toward her. "Why was she here?"

Stephanie's breath hitched. "It's the contract," she stammered. "My mother—William said the contract wasn't fulfilled."

"He wants money?" I barked, pushing past her into the dimly lit foyer. "I'll pay him."

"I don't think he wants?—"

Stephanie stopped dead in her tracks as we entered the living room. There stood her stepmother leaning against the doorframe with a smug expression.

"Now really," Marion drawled, her voice dripping with condescension. "Stephanie, so dramatic. Elodie is perfectly fine?—"

"Fine?" Stephanie's voice cracked. "He was going to rape her on our sidewalk! The only reason he didn't is because she fought back and I helped. But you… you were going to let it happen."

My fury reached its boiling point. I turned to Marion, every muscle in my body tensed with rage. "You better give me an address before I fucking burn your world down, you cold, withered cunt."

Marion sneered but there was fear in her eyes now. She could see the threat was real, that I wouldn't hesitate to make good on it.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with," she hissed, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her bravado.

"Try me," I growled, stepping closer until I could see the lines of age and malice etched into her face.

Her eyes darted to Stephanie and then back to me. For a moment, she seemed to weigh her options before finally breaking down under the weight of my stare.

"He's taken her to the old warehouse by the docks," she spat out. "He owns it."

Without another word, I turned on my heel and headed for the door, every step fueled by a singular purpose: getting Elodie back.

The engine roared as I sped through the empty streets, the town lights blurring into streaks of white and yellow. My heart pounded against my ribcage like a war drum, and for the first time in my life, I felt real, gut-wrenching fear. The kind that claws at your insides and leaves you breathless.

I couldn’t lose her. The thought of Elodie in William's grasp twisted my stomach into knots. I pressed harder on the gas pedal; the speedometer creeping higher as I navigated through the maze of streets leading to the docks.

"Mom," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the roar of the engine. "I need you. Please help me."

I hadn’t prayed in years, but desperation had a way of breaking down walls you didn’t even know you had. Memories of her flooded my mind—her gentle smile, the way she’d tuck me in at night and tell me everything would be okay. I clung to those memories now like a lifeline.

I couldn't imagine a life without Elodie. The thought of it was unbearable, like a part of me being ripped away. She’d become my anchor in a stormy sea, and I wasn’t about to let her be taken from me.

The town gave way to industrial buildings and warehouses as I neared the docks. The air grew colder, carrying with it the salty tang of seawater. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white with tension.

The old warehouse came into view, a hulking shadow against the night sky. I pulled up to the entrance and killed the engine, my breath coming in ragged gasps. This was it. No turning back now.

"Mom," I whispered again, closing my eyes for a brief moment. "Give me strength."

With one last deep breath, I pushed open the car door and stepped out into the cold night air. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but only one mattered: getting Elodie back safely.

As I approached the warehouse door, concern gnawed at me, but determination burned brighter. I'd do whatever it took to save her—even if it meant confronting every demon that had ever haunted me.

I didn't think. I didn't hesitate. The second I stepped inside, the sounds hit me—struggling, grunting, a cry of pain that sliced through the air and straight into my gut.

My blood boiled, rage taking over every rational thought. I knew I had no weapon, but I didn’t need one. I wanted to feel bones break under my fists.

I moved through the darkened hallways of the warehouse with a singular focus, every fiber of my being honing in on the main room. As I got closer, the noises grew louder, more desperate.

And then I saw her.

Elodie was half-naked, fighting back with everything she had. Her face was bloodied, bruises already forming on her skin. But she wasn't giving up. She was swinging, kicking, doing whatever she could to keep William at bay.

Seeing her like that snapped something inside me. There was no thought, no plan—just pure, unfiltered fury.

I rushed William with a speed and force that surprised even me. My shoulder collided with his side, knocking him off balance and away from Elodie. He stumbled, eyes wide with shock as he hit the ground hard.

Before he could react, I was on him. My fists flew with a violence I didn’t know I possessed. Each punch landed with a satisfying crunch, the sound of breaking bone echoing in the room.

William tried to fight back, but he was no match for my rage. His nose shattered under my fist; his lip split open like a ripe fruit. Blood sprayed with each blow, but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

He cried out in pain, trying to shield his face with his arms, but I didn’t let up. My knuckles were raw and bleeding by the time he stopped moving, but even then I couldn't stop myself.

"Keaton," Elodie's voice cut through the haze of violence. It was weak but clear enough to reach me.

I turned to her, my breath ragged and chest heaving. She looked at me with wide eyes, relief on her pale face.

"It's over," she whispered, and for a moment, time stood still.

William lay motionless beneath me; Elodie needed me more than ever now.

I shrugged off my jacket and wrapped it around her. The fabric swallowed her small frame, offering a semblance of warmth and protection. Her eyes darted to mine, wide and haunted.

"Did he touch you?" My voice trembled despite my effort to keep it steady.

She shook her head, biting her lip to hold back the tears. "He didn't… he didn't rape me," she whispered, voice cracking. "I… I fought."

Her words hit me like a sledgehammer. The anger I felt toward William now mixed with an overwhelming sense of pride for her strength. I cupped her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin against my cold fingers. "I know you did, babes," I murmured, my thumb brushing away a tear that escaped. "I know you did."

Her shoulders sagged as the adrenaline began to wear off. She leaned into my touch, seeking solace in the one place I knew I could provide it.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, eyes closing as if to shut out the world. "I didn’t want to?—"

"Shh," I interrupted, pressing my forehead against hers. "None of this is your fault."

She nodded weakly, but I could see the doubt lingering in her eyes. The warehouse around us seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us in that moment. Her breathing steadied as she drew strength from our connection.

I promised myself then and there that I’d never let anything like this happen to her again. No matter what it cost me, I'd protect her from every shadow that dared to creep into her life. I'd be the barrier between her and a world that had done nothing but try to break her.

As I held Elodie close, the rage that had fueled me moments ago began to dissipate, replaced by an unwavering resolve. She was safe now—in my arms where she belonged—and I intended to keep it that way forever.

Nothing would ever hurt her again if I could help it. That was a vow as unbreakable as steel.