Chapter Seven #2
Logan didn’t slam his stick. Didn’t mutter under his breath. He pulled off his gloves, stuffed them into his bag, and changed without looking at anyone.
Jax watched him from across the aisle. “That’s not normal.”
“No,” I agreed.
Chase leaned back against his stall. “He usually bitches about something before he even gets his skates off.”
Theo closed his locker quietly. “He’s choosing not to.”
That was the part that didn’t sit right.
Logan zipped his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out without a word. No eye contact or confrontation.
I didn’t relax.
Guys like Logan don’t stay quiet out of peace. They stayed quiet for the right moment.
Outside the rink, the late afternoon light sat flat and pale, clouds rolling in off the water. The parking lot was scattered with trucks and SUVs, most of them belonging to the team. A few engines idled while gear bags were tossed into back seats.
I spotted Mila near the exit with Avery and Theo’s girlfriend, Tori—a surprising turn of events, considering she’d defected from being Elise’s minion. She and Theo had always had an on-and-off thing. He’d just never gotten serious until recently, which was clearly what she’d been waiting for.
Avery had angled her body toward Mila in that protective way she had. We were all on alert. I wasn’t thrilled when Mila had messaged that she was meeting me after practice, but she followed up that she wouldn’t be alone. It was the only reason I stayed on the ice instead of dashing after her.
Mila listened to Avery with her head tilted, expression serious. There wasn’t anything panicked about her body language, and the tightness in my shoulders eased slightly.
Tori broke free from Avery and Mila, her long strawberry hair caught up in a high ponytail and a wide smile on her face as she moved straight to Theo, holding a small bag out.
“I thought you might be hungry.” Her eyes sparkled.
“When am I not?” Theo grinned before taking the bag then pulling her in for a hug. “Thanks.”
Jax frowned before looking across the short distance to where Avery and Mila waited for us. “Where’s my sandwich?”
Chase elbowed him. “My sister doesn’t do your bidding, asshole.”
Theo ignored them as he pulled the wrapped sub from the bag. He took a giant bite before offering it to Tori when he noticed there wasn’t a second in there for her.
I tracked the lot automatically—engines idling, windows half-down, who was watching and who wasn’t. Habit didn’t switch off just because the scene looked normal.
We passed them, heading toward the girls.
I couldn’t look away from Mila. Her long dark hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, making me itch to wrap it around my hand and pull close so I could feel the decadence of her kiss.
Our eyes met across the distance. Her mouth softened, warmth filling her stormy gray-green eyes.
Chase grimaced as his twin sister wrapped her arms around Jax’s neck and pressed a kiss to his lips before pulling back. “I’m never going to get used to that.”
“You guys up for a burger at the Grill Shack?” Avery asked.
“Naw.” Chase backed away toward his vehicle. “I’ll catch you all later.”
“Since when do you turn down food?” Avery’s blond brows furrowed.
“Since Theresa texted no one’s home at her house.” Chase smirked before unlocking his door and tossing his bag inside. “Catch you all later.”
Avery’s lips pressed together, noting Theo and Tori hanging back. “They’re probably out. What about you?” She inclined her head to us.
“We’re going to head out,” I replied.
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
Mila’s hand found mine as she laughed. “I could say the same for you guys.”
Avery blushed then rolled her eyes. “Text me later.”
Mila’s voice stayed calm. “I will.”
Avery hesitated, observing Mila for a second, then stepped back, her hand in Jax’s.
When they walked away, Mila’s shoulders loosened, as if she’d been holding herself upright through sheer will.
“She’s scared,” Mila murmured.
“Does she know about Dominick?”
Mila shook her head. “No. I’ll tell her. She knows something’s up because, you know… the car that showed up with the muscle.”
“It’s all over the school. Kind of hard to miss.” Still, I found it hard to believe Mila hadn’t spilled everything to her best friend. But maybe she was as sick of the bullshit we had to deal with as I was. That was the thing though; it had to be dealt with.
We headed toward my car since Avery had picked up Mila and Tori before heading to the rink.
The call from Marcus came as I got behind the wheel. I answered immediately and put it on speaker, letting him know Mila was listening.
A faint clack of keys came through the line, steady and controlled. Marcus didn’t waste time. “I’ve got the alias,” he began. “Darren’s.”
My fingers gripped the wheel. “Let’s hear it.”
“David R. Lyle,” Marcus said.
Mila’s breath caught softly beside me.
I kept my voice even. “What else?”
There was a brief pause on the other end. “It’s clean,” Marcus replied. “Too clean. Minimal footprint but deliberate. Whoever set it up knew how to keep it off radar.”
Mila shifted beside me. “So Darren wasn’t just hiding. He was… planning something.”
Exit strategies weren’t built overnight. Not unless you’d been planning to leave someone—or something—behind.
Marcus paused. “Seems that way.”
I stared through the windshield without seeing the lot. “Any hits on the name elsewhere?”
“Not yet,” Marcus said. “But I’m still digging. There’s more here.”
Mila’s fingers curled around mine.
I exhaled slowly. “Keep going.”
“I will.”
The line went quiet for a beat before he added, “This isn’t random.”
“I figured.”
I ended the call and set my phone down. The SUV felt too still—too enclosed. The world outside moved on as though we hadn’t just uncovered a name that could change everything.
Mila’s hand remained in mine. “I wonder if my mom knew.”
“It’s possible.” I had a feeling Adriana knew more than she was letting on. If Darren had been planning something, was it with her in mind?
Mila leaned closer, pressing her forehead briefly to my shoulder. The cost of truth sat heavy between us. We were moving toward it anyway.
I drove her home and kept my hand in hers the entire way, because the one thing I refused to lose was already sitting beside me.