Rook POVTraining fucking sucks. Every muscle in my body is screaming, my breath is heavy, sweat clings to my skin, and I’m grinding my teeth through every drill, pushing harder just to get through it. The tension in the rink is thick, like everyone is waiting for something, like they still think Axel is going to show his face, like he’s stupid enough to walk back into this locker room after what he pulled.Even if he wasn’t dead and buried, he wouldn’t come back.He knew. The second he lost his cool and made that hit, his career was done. He burned every fucking bridge he had, and there was nothing left for him except the public fallout, getting dragged through the mud, getting forced to make some bullshit apology on camera while everyone watched him crash and burn. That was the path he was on, and if things had gone differently, I might have had to sit through it, watch him grovel, listen to him beg for a second chance he was never going to get.But he doesn’t get that now. There’s
Rook POVMercer is still standing in front of me, covered in blood that isn’t his, shaking with something I can’t fix, something I can’t take back.“I didn’t know,” I say, and my own voice sounds too rough, too strained. “Kade, I swear to fucking god, I didn’t know he was going to—”He laughs. Loud, sharp, bitter, like I just told the funniest fucking joke in the world.“Didn’t know?” His eyes blaze as he takes a step forward, and I don’t move. “Didn’t fucking know? You’re Rook. The golden son. The one who gets away with every fucking thing he does because Daddy has his back. And you expect me to believe you didn’t know?”“I had no clue he was gonna do this,” I repeat, but Mercer isn’t hearing me.“You didn’t know,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair before letting out another laugh, low and humorless, shaking his head. “Then explain something to me, Rook. If you didn’t know, then why the fuck did he tell me I had to prove myself to be with you?”My stomach twists, a slow, si
Kade POVI wait until I hear the door click shut before I move. Giving it a minute, just in case Rook decides to double back, I force myself up, ignoring the dull throb of pain spreading through my body. My ribs ache, my muscles scream, but I push through it. I have to.I grab the first clothes I can find, pulling them on quickly before making my way to the window. Sliding it open, I glance down, jaw clenching. Dropping straight down will hurt like a bitch with my injuries. But the drainpipe, it’s sturdy enough to hold me.I don’t give myself time to hesitate.Swinging a leg over, I grip the pipe tightly, muscles straining as I lower myself down, moving slow and controlled to avoid making too much noise. The second my feet hit the ground, a sharp pain shoots up my legs, but I swallow the groan that threatens to slip out. No time for that.I stay low, scanning my surroundings, waiting for movement, but there's nothing. Good. I keep my body close to the shadows, moving fast toward the o
Kade POVThe team finishes their drinks, calling it early because they’re responsible, because they know better than to push it before a game. Tyler watches me for a second before clapping a hand on my shoulder. “You staying?”I don’t know anymore, I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing, what I should be doing. I feel like I’m floating, weightless and untethered, completely fucking lost.“Yeah,” I mutter. “I'm not tired yet.”They don’t push, don’t ask questions, just leave with a few parting comments about not getting into more fights. Then I’m alone, and it’s worse.It hits the second they’re gone, that feeling that’s been coiling tighter and tighter inside me finally snapping loose. I feel like my skin is too tight, like something inside me is clawing to get out, like if I don’t do something, I might actually fucking shatter.I need to move, to hurt, to do something that makes me feel.The music is loud, bodies pressed together in the dim lighting, and before I even think about it, I
Rook POVAs I step into the office, I scan the room, my eyes landing on the Capos, soldiers, and whoever the fuck else is lingering around. They don’t need to be here for this.“Get out,” I order, my voice sharp. My father doesn’t even look up from his desk, but everyone else hesitates, glancing at him for confirmation. He exhales, shaking his head like I’m a fucking inconvenience.“Go ahead, leave,” he says, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.I wait until the door clicks shut behind them, the room falling into silence, my pulse pounding in my ears.Then I snap. “What the fuck are you doing?”“Trying to work, Rook,” he replies, calm as ever, not even sparing me a glance. “But you’re stopping me.”His fucking tone. Like I’m the one being irrational. Like I’m the one causing problems.“You know what I mean!” I slam my hand on his desk, my patience gone. “Taking Mercer to that fucking illegal fight, forcing him into the ring, what the fuck were you thinking?"Finally, he looks at m
Rook POVDo I know I come first? If I do, surely he will leave Mercer alone? “Then let him go. Stop making him throw games,” I say, watching him carefully, waiting for the usual excuses, the same cold justifications he always gives.He stares at me for a long moment before finally speaking. “You prove to me this is serious, and I will.”I laugh, sharp and humorless. “So it’s serious enough to make him fight for his fucking life, to make him kill men, but not enough for you to stop using him?”“There’s a difference between attachment and a real relationship, Rook. You’re obsessed, and that’s dangerous. But if you ever figure out how to build something real, ask me again.” He turns, walking back to his desk, his focus already shifting. “Until then, sit. You can help me with the next issue.”I don’t move at first, still thinking, still turning over his words, still wondering what fucked-up test he’ll put Mercer through next just to prove a point. Would Mercer agree if he knew it would g
Rook POVThis guy was fucked the moment he stepped through that door. My father leans back slightly, fingers tapping lazily against the desk. “We’re not unreasonable men, Vasquez. You’ll get your week.”Vasquez exhales sharply, relief crashing through him like a damn tidal wave. His whole body slumps, the tension pouring out of him as he reaches for the cash on the desk like it still belongs to him. “You have no idea how much this means, thank you, I swear, I’ll get the rest,” he turns to walk out, voice shaking, eyes practically glossy with gratitude.Pathetic.I don’t even look at Vasquez anymore. I’m watching my father, waiting for the tell, and there it is, that small, knowing smirk. The one that always means very bad things for the idiot in front of him.My father barely tilts his chin, and the men standing by the door move instantly. “Take him.”Vasquez freezes. “W-wait, what?”The guards are on him in seconds, gripping his arms, yanking him up from the chair before he can even
Rook POVKade’s place is empty, not a single sign that he’s even been back. The frustration is building, tightening in my chest because he’s not supposed to be out there alone, not after everything. I already know where I’m going next to Tyler. His team has to know where he is.I pull up outside his place and knock. No answer. Grinding my teeth, I knock again, harder this time. I hear movement inside, a muffled curse, then the door swings open, and Tyler stands there, looking like he’s seconds from slamming it shut again.“The fuck do you want?” His glare is sharp, his stance rigid, and I almost laugh at the audacity of it.“Looking for Kade. Where is he?”His shoulders tense, and I can already see it, that fucking lie forming, the hesitation in his expression.“Don’t fucking lie to me, Taylor,” I snap, my patience gone. His jaw tightens, and then he exhales, rubbing the back of his neck before finally nodding.“What happened to him?” His voice drops, his suspicion evident. “He claims
Kade POVI let myself sit for a moment, drumming my fingers against the desk as I think through what Callum just told me. No major problems, nothing burning down, but there’s always something shifting in the background. Always someone watching, waiting to see what I’ll do next.Time to make it clear. I press the intercom again. “Send in the hockey guys. One at a time.”A few minutes later, the door opens, and the first guy steps in. I recognize him immediately, Liam Carter, a defenseman for one of the teams Nikolai had under his thumb. He’s young, early twenties, still wide-eyed but with a layer of arrogance that tells me he thinks he’s untouchable. Dark blonde hair, sharp cheekbones, built like a guy who’s used to throwing his weight around on the ice.He hesitates only slightly before stepping forward. “Mercer,” he says, but there’s a flicker of something in his eyes, the same curiosity I saw in DeLuca’s guy.“Volkov,” I correct, watching him clo
Kade POVStaying in bed is not me. I’m going out of my damn mind, and it’s only been an hour. Getting showered and dressed, I go downstairs, careful not to be seen by Harlow, then go out to the cars.The guys look at me like I’m crazy, but I’m not. I won’t do anything big, just small things. Getting in the car, my head falls back, and just the noise from the car helps. I don’t think it would have been that bad if I wasn’t alone in the room.The moment the car stops, I’m out of it and walking into the building. There’s a lot I need to get sorted. One side is the hockey. Not me giving it up, but the side Nikolai ran.I’m not comfortable using people’s personal shit against them to get what I want. Purely because I know how much it can fuck with your head.Stopping it, though, isn’t ideal. It’s part of the structure that Nikolai built, and I don’t want to be tearing it
Rook POVOnce everything is plated, I pour a cup of coffee and grab the tray, balancing it as I make my way back upstairs. Kade’s still in bed when I step inside, but I can tell by the way his eyes flick open that he’s been drifting in and out.His gaze shifts to the tray in my hands, then back to me. “What’s this?”“Breakfast,” I say simply, setting it down on the nightstand.He smirks, pushing himself up against the pillows with a wince. “You bring me breakfast in bed now? What happened to calling me a stubborn asshole and telling me to get up?”I cross my arms, giving him a look. “You’re on bed rest today.”Kade raises a brow. “Excuse me?”“You heard me,” I say, grabbing the tray and setting it in front of him. “Eat. Then go back to sleep, watch a game, whatever. But you’re not getting out of that bed today.”Kade scoffs, picking up a piece of toast. “That’s cute. You really think you can keep me in bed all day?”“Yea
Rook POVI watch as Kade walks around the back of the building to go through the back ways so Harlow won’t see him. I didn’t expect that. Him saying we’re going somewhere alone.Honestly, I was expecting to get back and for things to be the exact same. Still, I’m trying not to expect things to be different because if they aren’t, and I gave myself hope, that would destroy me more than just expecting him to do what he did before.Pushing back the issues, I walk inside, and the moment I step through the living room doors, I hear Harlow.“Daddy Rook!” she screams and runs at me. Leaning down, I catch her, and she hugs me, crying.“I’m sorry, princess,” I whisper. Watching her cry for me while Rose dragged her out was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. She looks at me, then behind me.“Where’s Daddy Mercer?” She continues to look around.“You know how Daddy Rook sometimes forgets things?” I ask.She nod
Kade POVRook helps me up despite my protests, and soon, we’re in the car, the quiet hum of the engine filling the space as we pull away from the runway.Rook glances at me, eyebrows raised. “So, we're heading straight home and through the back.”I shake my head. “Not yet.”He frowns. “What do you mean, not yet? You just got drugged into sleep, and you still look like shit.”I lean in slightly, lowering my voice so only he hears. “I want to go somewhere. Just us.”His brows knit together. “Where?”I let a slow smirk tug at my lips. “We never got the final moments of our holiday together.”Something flickers in his gaze, surprise, then understanding. He exhales, running a hand through his hair before shaking his head with a small, exasperated smile.“You really are a stubborn asshole,” he mutters.I shrug. “So, we going
Kade POVPain drags me from sleep, and I move slightly, opening my eyes to see we’re on the plane. I can’t remember anything after Rook getting me. I turn, and he’s sitting beside me.He looks wrecked, he’s worried. Smirking, I nudge him, and he turns to face me. “Sorry I was late home.”Groaning, he punches my arm, and I grunt. “Shit, sorry,” he mutters.“It’s fine, that was the only part of my body that didn’t hurt. Now it feels included,” I mock, and he groans.“Like I care that you were home late. Fucked-up thinking, Kade.”I shrug slightly. “Shame, if you were angry, the sex to punish me would have been fucking epic.”“You’re totally fine, clear. Go back to sleep, nob.”Smirking, I lean my head against his shoulder and hold in the groan. At least now he’s smiling and not so worried about me. “Where&
Kade POVPain drags me from sleep, and I move slightly, opening my eyes to see we’re on the plane. I can’t remember anything after Rook getting me. I turn, and he’s sitting beside me.He looks wrecked, he’s worried. Smirking, I nudge him, and he turns to face me. “Sorry I was late home.”Groaning, he punches my arm, and I grunt. “Shit, sorry,” he mutters.“It’s fine, that was the only part of my body that didn’t hurt. Now it feels included,” I mock, and he groans.“Like I care that you were home late. Fucked-up thinking, Kade.”I shrug slightly. “Shame, if you were angry, the sex to punish me would have been fucking epic.”“You’re totally fine, clear. Go back to sleep, nob.”Smirking, I lean my head against his shoulder and hold in the groan. At least now he’s smiling and not so worried about me. “Where&
Rook POVI tilt my head, watching him writhe. “You’re holding out for them, huh? You think they’re watching? That they’re waiting to see if you can handle a little pain before they decide you’re worth saving?”He chokes on his breath, his fingers twitching against the blood-slick table.I grip his chin, forcing him to look at me. “They don’t give a fuck about you. Every second you sit here thinking you’re being loyal, you’re just another second closer to dying for people who don’t even know your fucking name.”He sucks in a broken breath, but his lips stay pressed together.“Fine.” I grab his pinky, and before he can even brace for it, I snap it back. A sickening crack echoes through the room, his strangled scream tearing from his throat as he thrashes.I let him writhe, let the pain settle deep into his bones before I lean in close. “You've got a few fingers left. You ready to waste them all for people who wouldn’t piss on you if you were o
Rook POVI yank the knife out and slam my fist into his ribs. He chokes on a breath, curling in on himself, but I don’t give him time to recover before I drive my knee into his stomach. He crumples to the floor, coughing, blood dripping from his mouth.“You’re making this worse for yourself,” I warn, crouching in front of him. “You think you’re gonna hold out? You think you’ll last?”“I don’t—” His voice cuts off in a strangled cry as I grab his fingers, wrenching one back until it snaps.His scream rips through the room, raw and desperate.I grip his hair, forcing his head up to meet my eyes. “You’ve got nine more before I move onto something worse. Now tell me. Where. Is. He?”Tears spill down his face, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His lips tremble, but he still doesn’t fucking answer.“Stubborn,” I mutter before grabbing another finger and snapping it just as easily as the first. His body jolts, another scream tearing from