Frozen Desire (Westgate University #1)

Prologue

ELLIE

Of all the horrible ways I could start my week, walking in on my mother fucking my boyfriend definitely takes the cake.

My hands shake, and I can feel everything I’ve eaten today swirling in my stomach, desperate to come back up, but I’m not crying. I don’t know if it’s shock or disgust, but my eyes are dry as ever.

I make my way down the dim tunnel beneath the school’s ice arena to the men’s locker room. Technically, I’m not allowed on this side, but as a member of Westgate University’s girl’s hockey team—and the men’s head coach’s step-daughter—nobody looks in my direction.

Hudson’s office is just outside the locker room, and I’m hoping he’s actually here as I rasp my knuckles on the closed door.

“Yeah?” his familiar baritone voice barks from the other side.

I gently push it open, peeking my head over the threshold. “Hi. Do you have a minute?”

His head snaps up, ice-blue eyes assessing me with caution. “Ellie? What are you doing here? Don’t you have class right now?”

I nod. “I, um…skipped.”

My voice cracks. Fuck. I might cry now.

I’m about to destroy this man’s entire life.

He rubs a massive, calloused hand over his jaw, scratching at his coarse beard. “Have a seat, darlin’.” He nods to the chair in front of his desk. “What’s going on?”

I scurry into the room, tossing my backpack at my feet as I sink into the chair.

“I need to talk to you.” A tear finally slips from my eye as I notice the photo on his desk: last year’s team at the National Championship.

Hudson’s star goalie—my boyfriend—stands front and center, trophy in hand. “It’s about Mom…and Bodhi.”