All Chapters of Break The Ice: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

For the rest of the week, Tristan didn’t so much as breathe in my direction. It probably had something to do with the fact that I avoided both the rink and the canteen. Instead, I spent most of my days in the chemistry lab. Nat was always around, and whenever she was, most of our experiments ended up blowing up in our faces. We laughed until our stomachs hurt, quickly cleaning up the mess before the teachers noticed. The sharp smell of chemicals clung to our clothes as we left the lab, giggling like kids who had just gotten away with a prank. At home, the silence felt heavier than usual. Mum was out more often, and even when she was around, she seemed distant. Whenever I caught her, she smelled like scented candles. With all this free time, I buried myself in reading. My phone stayed silent—so unlike it usually was. I couldn’t help but wonder if Jade was okay. Friday arrived too quickly, knocking me off my feet. Every breath felt heavier as I reminded myself: It’s just a date. No

**MYLES**"...If you think that's good, then you need to try this," Jake said when he was suddenly surrounded by three suited men, who loomed over him. "You'll need to come with us, sir," one of the men recited. "You're being detained for identity theft." My frown mirrored Jake's as I looked up at the men, who seemed to be closing in on our table with every second. "Uh," Jake began, an uncertain wry smile on his face as he looked from me to the men, "Is this a joke?" He laughed again. "It’s a joke, right?" The men didn’t look like they were joking. "Sir, we'd like for you to step outside." Jake’s laughter faded as he realized the suited men weren’t playing around. He glanced at me, his face contorting with confusion, then back at the men, who had stepped closer, their presence suffocating the space between us. "Woah." Jake rose quietly, as if careful not to draw attention, though it was already too late. "What identity theft? You don’t even know my name." "Jake Carter,"

**MYLES** Thunder rumbled overhead, lightning illuminating the room in quick flashes. But even the storm couldn’t distract me from what he was doing to me. The kiss—his touch—it wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t even a kiss. It was torture. Torture he inflicted as he pressed me against the wall, his fingers fumbling with my zipper. I should’ve shoved him away again. I should’ve done anything but melt into him. But I didn’t. I kissed him back, matching his pace, my fists curling into the front of his shirt as his tongue slid against mine, claiming me. I pulled him closer, craving the heat of his body against mine. Soon, I was gasping for air. I tried to pull away, but he didn’t budge. My head spun as I groaned softly into his mouth, yet he still didn’t relent. I could feel his arousal pressing against my thigh, his fingers digging into my skin. Just when I thought I’d pass out, he pulled back. I struggled to catch my breath, my wide eyes fixed on his chest as the cool air hit

JADE"There's hot water in the bathroom," I said, leading him into my room. "I'll bring out a change of clothes and toss yours in the washing machine. They’ll be ready before morning."Myles frowned, crossing his arms. "I don’t know how to tell you this, but no matter how buff you think you are, your clothes won’t even make it past my neck."I would have laughed if the sadness rolling off him didn’t hit me first. Asking him about it felt as pointless as trying to beat Leo in math.Everyone knew I was the wild card of our group, maybe the wildest in the school. Myles, though my best friend, had tried to catch up once but gave up halfway through. But not once, in all the days of our chaos, had Myles stayed out until 2 a.m., soaking wet, shivering, and lost on a quiet street."Just go on," I said, giving him a playful punch. But the way his jaw clenched stopped me short. Was he in pain?"Myles, just go take a hot bath before you catch a cold."He didn’t move. His hands lingered at the he

"Is it just me, or have you grown a lot shorter?" "The doctor says that's what happens when you have a sister who can't keep her mouth shut." "Is that your way of saying you miss me? With all this affection, maybe I don’t need a boyfriend." "You're fourteen. I'm killing all your dates until you hit sixty." "You're such an ass, Tris." We were in front of the pool out back. When she wasn’t chuckling into my face, we watched sunlight dance across the blue water. I sat beside her, her small, soft palm resting in my large one as I counted her fingers over and over again. For a moment, I forgot what waited for me outside those gates. My smoothie lay abandoned nearby. "Well, you're late," she said, raising her chin defiantly. "I got myself a lovely boyfriend. Even a kiss on the cheek." I squinted, trying to tell if she was joking. The slight worry in her eyes as she searched my face told me she wasn’t. My stomach twisted as I rose to my feet, standing in front of her to get