Tatum POVThunder’s touch on my arm makes me want to puke. My entire body freezes, remembering the way he pressed himself against me and how he tried to fuck me. I close my eyes momentarily as he runs a finger down my cheek.“So pretty, such a shame you’re with that guy,” he whispers against my ear. His breath rubbed the naked skin of my neck, making my entire body shiver in discontent. “You’re too much for him. Maybe he will learn to share,” he says before he pulls away and I blink several times before I move away from the door and he opens it, stepping inside. Immediately, I hold on tight to my things and walk as fast as my legs allow me to the opposite side of the stadium towards my small office.Once inside, I lock the door, resting my back against the wooden door with the small glass window on the top. I drop my things on the floor as the tears start to roll down my cheeks and my knees lose their strength and I fall
Fred POV I hate the way she looks right now. I hate I can’t just hug her, I can’t just keep her near me. I hate she has gone through this because Thunder managed to get out of prison. I hate that justice is not being served when it has to be. “Mr. Ashford,” I hear my name being called behind me. I turn around as Thatcher is grinding his teeth because of the way Tatum is looking at me. I turn around and as I am about to reply, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and Julien is standing next to me. “Don’t say a word,” he says as he crosses his arms next to me. “Mr. Ashford, my name is Andrew Bartholomew, I am the new detective responsible for your case and I was wondering if you would be able to talk to us,” he says and I look at Julien, who shakes his head. “Hi, I am Julien Gilmore, Mr. Ashford’s lawyer, my client is at work and as you know, there are thousands of people waiting for him, we can meet you after the game,” Julien says as Andrew the new detective looks at me unimpressed. “Su
Tatum POVThe game was terrible; I have never seen Fred play this badly. I flinched a few times when he was distracted and shoved against the glass. I could tell his head wasn’t in the game and the coach, instead of getting him out, kept him in there so he could get shoved around.Thatcher wasn’t his best either, but it’s a new team and they haven’t had time to practice together. His transfer was weird for everyone. No one ever transfers during the season, usually is only before the new season starts, so I am kind of curious to know what the hell happened and how he got the transfer so easily.Grabbing my things, I walk out of my office to go to the police station. Julien asked me to go with them. He thinks that’s a publicity stunt from the police to show the public they are doing something while they are not really investigating anything they should.Walking down the corridor, I feel my heart beating fast. Even though I know Thunder is not here, I keep thinking he will come out of on
Tatum POVJulien pulled the Ashfords aside while I stand with Thatcher and the team that made me look like a gold-digging whore when we split up. Thatcher touches my arm and I snatch it away from him straight away while his eyes soften and he looks me in the eye.“Are you going to tell me everything that happened?” He asks and I take a deep breath as I look back over my shoulder to see Julien with his back turned to me and Fred watching my every move. His eyes pierce through me as if he is trying to look into my soul. I feel a chill down my spine as Thatcher clears his throat and I focus on him again.I wrap my arms protectively around my body and look at the man that years ago promised to protect me and instead of doing so; he tortured me, and still does. Do I trust him enough to tell him every detail of what happened with Thunder? “Is it true what I read?” He asks and with that, I snap my head up looking at him.“Depends on
Fred POV“It was a waste of my fucking time,” I let out as I bring the cold beer to my lips and Richard nods as Dylan and Jude look at me. My brothers are my best friends. They have always stuck around helping me, even when I didn’t want their help. As the younger of four, I grew up in their shadow, always wanting to be like them.Jude was always quiet, but he was always the strongest one, Dylan was like the clown of the group, his function in life was to make people laugh and make them feel uncomfortable with his remarks, Richard is extremely serious and as the older one he always saw himself as the protector of the bunch.I was always the rebel, trying to break away from them and trying to leave my own mark on the world, and I ended up playing hockey because none of them did, none of them was into sports, besides watching them, so I thought that was my path and I was fucking right. I am good at what I do and everyone that likes hockey knows m
Tatum POVIt feels weird to be living in someone else’s house, especially when everything feels cold. Nothing here is mine, and there’s nothing here that I would have bought to decorate the house. I feel like this deal Julien made me take is the best thing for Fred and me. Or so I hope, I wish his solution would’ve been to get me and Fred together, but then, that would’ve made him closer to me, a woman with a messy past, and an ex-husband who is trying to keep her life in check.I have my own bedroom and even though it looks like it was decorated for a queen; it feels cold and not home at all, my bedroom has blankets and books, candles, photos, and paintings hanging on the walls, messy clothes all around, while here… everything is white, big, comfortable but it looks like it’s supposed to be in a magazine cover. It feels like it’s wrong to lie on a bed like this. It feels like I shouldn’t get anything messy or dirty.
Fred POV“I know you all did your best, and I hope you all have a good rest now, we will be back for the next season with some new players, and a new hope for the Stanley Cup,” the coach says after our last game of the season. Thatcher is standing next to him with his eyes glued on me.We haven’t really talked to each other and, to be fair, he’s been a good captain for the team. Everyone respects him and he is doing the best he can. But I still don’t like the guy. Tatum avoids me like the plague. She only talks to me whenever is extremely necessary and even when I confronted her, she didn’t say much.“Tatum, please, why are you doing this?” I ask her as she looks directly into my eyes. Her arms crossed in front of her chest while she puts more distance between us as she takes one step away from me.“Fred, please, I told you before, I did what I had to do, and this is the best for me and for Grace. Plea
Tatum POVMy heart aches to see Fred here. It’s been months since I have been pretending to be together with Thatcher and it doesn’t become easier. I think in all honesty that it becomes harder. Although he’s keeping his word, he hasn’t touched me. He’s treating me like a queen inside and out of the house. I still think someday he will explode and I am going to end up dead.Watching Fred with his brother and his sister-in-law warms my heart. He looks a little better, not as sad as he was. I know I broke his heart, but I really think this is for the best. His trial is a couple of days away and if this is helping him, I am sticking to it.Obviously, Julien came up with this for my own safety, but I never told him the way Thatcher really treated me, when he found out through Fred he wanted me to get out immediately, he said he would come up with another strategy, but the damage was done. My heart was broken and so was Fred’s. Gra