Rook POVLeaving the hospital, I head straight home, my mind locked on one thing. Axel has overstepped. And now, I can finally deal with him without my father’s disapproval hanging over my head. He won’t like it, he never likes when I make decisions without his permission, but I don’t give a shit. It’s not like Axel can help him anymore. The news has already spread. After that hit on Mercer, no team will touch him. He’s done.I step onto the estate, moving through the halls toward my father’s office. The second I walk in, he lets out an exasperated sigh, already knowing why I’m here.“Rook, you’re obsessed with him, and it’s clouding your judgment,” he says, his voice firm, warning. “Leave Axel alone.”I laugh, shaking my head as I lean against his desk. “Unlucky for Axel, Mercer told me everything."My father watches me closely, his expression shifting slightly, but he still looks unbothered.“What? Was Axel taunting him?” He scoffs, smirking like this is some minor inconvenience, li
Rook POVI spin on my heel, shoving past the nurse, already making my way back toward the exit. “We need to get to Kade’s. Now.”My father doesn’t argue. We’re moving again, back in the car, the driver pushing the speed limit as we cut through the city. I watch the roads flash by and it feels too slow, the tension is growing thick and suffocating.“I thought Axel was smarter than this,” my father mutters, staring out the window.“When you make someone sabotage their own career, what the fuck do they have left to lose?” I snap, barely keeping my anger contained. I knew Axel wouldn’t go quietly, but I didn’t expect him to be this fucking reckless.The car skids to a stop outside Mercer’s building, and I’m already out before the tires fully still, my father and the others close behind. I don’t wait for them. I take the stairs two at a time, my heartbeat a violent rhythm in my ears as I reach his door.The handle turns too easily, the door isn’t locked. I push it open, stepping inside, my
Kade POVI’m not sure what’s going on. There’s a lot of noise, and voices in the background, but it takes a while to fully wake up. My head fucking kills. It had dulled down to an ache before, but now it feels like someone is slamming into it over and over again.“Right, sit up,” Rook’s voice cuts through the haze, firm but not harsh. I groan as I push myself up, my entire body protesting the movement. I hate this. If I had been well, I would have stopped Axel myself. But no, instead, I look weak as fuck.“You need to go to the hospital,” Rook says, throwing some clothes at me. I blink, trying to focus on the room as everything still tilts around me.“I’m not fucking going back there,” I grit out. There’s no way I’m spending another minute in that damn hospital. I was fine before, I’ll be fine now.“Then get dressed. You’re coming back with us,” he orders.I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head. “I’m fine here.”“Listen to him,” Nikolai cuts in, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Kade POVI’ve barely stepped inside when a man is already waiting. He's older, professional, and dressed clean but simple, the doctor.“Sit,” he says, gesturing toward a chair. He doesn’t waste time, grabbing supplies as he steps forward.The alcohol stings as he cleans the wound, and I grit my teeth as the needle pushes through my skin, pulling the torn flesh back together. Rook leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the whole thing like he’s enjoying the show.“You’re lucky you didn’t crack your skull open,” he mutters.I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, I’m real fucking lucky.”The doctor finishes a few minutes later, taping over the stitches before stepping back. “You need to take it easy. No sudden movements, no stress on the head, and definitely no getting hit again.”I scoff. “Yeah, I’ll be sure to avoid that.”Rook pushes off the wall, moving toward me. “Come on, you need sleep.”I look at him, narrowing my eyes slightly. “Where the hell am I even sleeping?”“In my bed,”
Rook POV I walk down the stairs, trusting that Mercer will stay put, for now. But it’s Mercer. He pushes, and tests boundaries, even when it puts him at risk. Like leaving the damn hospital when he knew Axel was still out there. If he’d stayed, Axel wouldn’t have had the chance to get near him.Rubbing the back of my neck, I make it to the front door, only for a hand to catch my arm before I can step outside.“I’m coming,” my father says, his voice firm, already making it clear this isn’t up for discussion.I sigh, but I don’t argue. “Fine with me,” I say with a shrug before heading out to the car.Sliding into the seat, I lean back, letting my head rest against the cushion as I wait. I already know where we’re going, and so does Axel. The second he sees where he’s been taken, he’ll know exactly what’s coming.The drive is quiet, tension settling thick between us, but it’s not uncomfortable. My father isn’t the type to fill silences with unnecessary conversation. He only speaks when
Rook POV **This chapter contains torture**Letting out a low chuckle, I tap my fingers against his knee. “Now, see, that’s interesting. The others? They weren’t getting to you. The ones on your shirt, your arms, even the ones near your throat. But this?” I nod toward his hand, where a faint red mark is already starting to bloom. “That one actually got a reaction.”Axel breathes hard, his fingers twitching again, and I know exactly what’s happening. His brain is desperate to believe that if he moves the right way, if he angles his hands just so, he can maybe get free.He won’t, but I like that he’s still holding onto that sliver of hope.It makes this even more fun. I reach into my pocket again, pulling out a zippo lighter this time instead of another match. I flick it open, and let the small blue flame flicker higher.Axel stiffens, his whole body going rigid, and I tilt my head slightly, watching him. “You know what’s coming, don’t you?”His jaw locks, his breath sharp. “Rook, listen
Rook POVI press my boot harder against his thigh, pinning him to the chair, keeping him in place. “It amazes me, really,” I muse, dragging the tip of the knife along his arm, barely any pressure, but enough to send another shudder through his body. “You were brutal on the ice, weren’t you? Hard, merciless, fucking relentless.”I dig the blade in suddenly, just below his wrist, watching as the skin splits open, a fresh trail of red weaving down his arm.“But off the ice?” I tap the hilt of the knife against his forehead again, mockingly. “Your body is weaker than most.”Axel exhales sharply, his entire frame shaking.“Oh, look,” I murmur, watching as the blood drips, slow and steady onto the floor. “You do bleed. Just like the last guy I killed.”His throat bobs violently, his breath catching, and I see it—that flicker of horror, the realization setting in.I grin wider, leaning in, my voice dropping low. “You’re going to beg me for death, Axel,” I whisper, letting the knife hover jus
Rook POV **Contains Murder**A full, sharp laugh that echoes through the warehouse, bouncing off the walls, filling the space like it belongs there.Behind me, my father sighs, already done with my shit. “Rook, don’t fool around,” he mutters, arms crossed. “Just finish this.”But I’m already shaking my head, already grinning as I step forward, pressing the knife against Axel’s cheek again, just enough for him to feel the weight of it.“I’m bored of playing alone,” I say, voice low, sharp with mockery.Axel still thinks he can take me? After all this?Fine, let’s play.I cut the rope from around his ankles. Then, I step behind him, cutting through the ropes, letting his arms drop limply to his sides. He doesn’t move right away, his body still stiff from being restrained for so long. But he will.I grab his wrist and press the handle of the knife into his palm.“Go on,” I murmur, stepping back, stretching my arms lazily. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”Axel doesn’t move. His fingers twitch
Kade POVDeclan? He just keeps running his fucking mouth.“You know, I used to wonder why Nikolai kept him around,” he continues, spitting blood onto the floor. “A sniveling, weak little bitch with a name he didn’t fucking deserve. Always throwing tantrums, always being coddled, always needing someone to clean up after him, “pathetic." But then I realized it.” His lips curl, a cruel glint in his eye.“Rook’s not here because he’s strong. He’s here because people like you keep spreading his legs for him. He’s never fought for a damn thing in his life, never had to work for it, never had to be worth shit, just sat there and let men like his daddy, men like you pick up the pieces when he breaks like the fragile little cum-dumpster he is."My breathing is steady. My heart rate doesn’t spike.But my fingers twitch.Declan leans in slightly, smirking
Kade POVAs soon as he's got the door open his daughtersteps out fast and slaps him across the face. “This is your fault!” she yells.“To be fair, it’s also on you,” I cut in, smirking when she whips around to face me. “You told me everything.”Her glare sharpens, but I don’t flinch. “You can leave now.”She hesitates, looking between me and her father.Declan sighs, pulling her in for a hug. “Go, princess. I’ll be fine.”I scoff. “Debatable.”She turns her fury on me, storming forward. “If you hurt him—”“You’ll what?” I ask, stepping closer.She falters, stepping back slightly.“Exactly,” I say lowly. “Nothing. Now get out.”She spins and storms off, her heels echoing across the concrete floor.Declan watches her leave before turning to me, conf
Rook POVBy the time I pull up to the rink two hours later, my frustration is boiling over. Neither Kade nor my dad have answered my calls. I tried both of them multiple times, but nothing. Not a damn response.Gripping the wheel for a moment, I exhale slowly before getting out of the car. I grab my bag and Kade’s, heading inside without bothering to check my phone again. If he was coming, he’d be here already.As I step into the rink, the usual pre-game energy is buzzing around, but I barely register it. I spot Taylor on my way past and shove Kade’s bag into his hands without stopping.“He’s late,” I mutter, not waiting for a response before continuing toward the locker room.The second I step inside, I can feel eyes on me. The tension in the room is thick, unspoken. The guys glance at me, some shifting awkwardly, but no one says anything outright.I force myself to focus, setting my bag down and pulling
Rook’s POVWhen I wake, I’m alone. I glance at my phone, but there’s nothing from Kade. Sighing, I get up and get ready. When I head downstairs, I see Harlow sitting with Rose.Kade’s mother is in a separate room with the capo at the door. I’m glad they did that since I don’t want her anywhere near Harlow. Rubbing my face, I walk to the office, but no one is there.“Where are they?” I ask.“Your dad mentioned he was going to meet Lucas,” Damon shrugs.“Yeah, I know him. He does that often, just decides to go visit him without notice,” I laugh. “And Kade?”“From what I hear, he hasn’t left the warehouse.”Sighing, I nod and head to the kitchen to grab a coffee. Walking back through, I sit with Harlow and Rose.“You and Mercer are playing today, right?” Rose smiles.“No, it’s tomorr
Kade POVI take another slow step toward the far side of the warehouse, letting my eyes sweep the space. “What’s in the other rooms?” I ask, keeping my tone light, like I’m just making conversation.She shrugs, finishing another drink before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Nothing. Just old storage spaces, I think.”“Isn’t it a bit foolish not to check? What if someone else is here?”That makes her pause. Her head tilts slightly as she glances around, like the thought only just occurred to her. “Yeah… maybe we should check.” She smirks, nudging me with her elbow. “But you go first.”“Figures.” I let out a short laugh, shaking my head.Making my way toward the first door, I place my hand on the rusted handle before pushing it open. The room inside is small, half-empty, and useless. The window on the far wall lets in too much light, an
Kade POVSuddenly she moves fast. One second, she’s grinning at me, and the next, she’s leaning in, her lips pressing against mine without hesitation.I push her back instantly, shifting away as smoothly as I can without making it obvious how much I don’t want this. She blinks, surprised for half a second before smirking like this is all some kind of game.Laughing it off, I force down the frustration curling in my chest. “You’re a bit forward, aren’t you?”She tilts her head, her fingers tapping against the table. “And you’re a bit slow at taking hints.”“Do you want to do something?” I shake my head, pretending I'm amused instead of irritated. She watches me for a moment before sighing and stretching her arms out.“Like what?”She leans in slightly, eyes glinting with mischief. “Come with me. I know there’s some really good whiskey in these crates. We could take a few bottles and get drunk.”That catches my interest.I sit back, considering. Here, I’ve got an easy excuse to shut her
Kade POV“What about you?” I ask, shifting the topic slightly. “What would you do if you weren’t working with him?”She tilts her head, considering. “I don’t know. Maybe run something legitimate, something with actual structure. My own thing, away from all the crap he’s dragged me into.”I keep my attention on her, letting her talk. She wants to prove herself, wants to be seen as more than just someone working under her father. That might be useful.She leans in, smiling at me. “But enough about that. Let’s talk about you now.”Before I can respond, her hand slides over my thigh, fingers trailing higher. I laugh, catching her wrist before she can go further. “Calm down, we’re in public.”She pouts playfully but doesn’t pull away immediately. “You afraid of a little attention?”I smirk, keeping my grip loose but firm. “Not a fan of giving everyone a show.”She sighs dramatically, finally pulling her hand back. “Fine. I’ll behave. For now."I chuckle, taking another sip of my drink. “Tha
Kade POVShe keeps flirting, keeps finding excuses to touch me. A hand on my knee when she laughs, a brush of her fingers when she reaches for her drink. I play along, giving just enough to keep her engaged, but every touch makes my skin crawl. I don’t let it show.Her phone buzzes, and she glances at it, sighing before muttering under her breath.I take a sip of my drink, watching her. “You good?”She rolls her eyes. “Just my dad being an asshole.”Bingo.I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah, I get that.” I exhale, swirling the drink in my glass before muttering, “Mine went and got himself killed.”She pauses, her fingers still resting against the stem of her glass as her eyes flick back to me. “Shit. How?”I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. “Got involved with the wrong people. The Volkovs. Thought he could play their game, but he wasn&rsqu
Kade POVThe taxi ride to the club feels strange. It has been years since I have needed to take one, but showing up in my usual car would be a mistake. I keep my hood up, staring out of the window as the city moves past in a blur. Titan is not my kind of place, loud and packed with people trying too hard to impress each other, but for now, it is where I need to be.When the taxi stops, I step out and pay the driver before heading toward the entrance. The bouncer barely glances at me as I walk inside, the heavy bass of the music vibrating through the floor beneath my feet. The scent of alcohol and sweat lingers in the air, neon lights flickering overhead.I move to the bar, keeping my steps casual, blending in. Sitting down, I glance around, scanning the crowd for her.It doesn't take long to find her. She's near the VIP section, sitting with two other women, laughing as she sips her drink. She doesn't look concerned, doesn't look like someone hiding a sto