I didn’t bother texting anyone. Didn’t care that the team had already left, or that Coach would rip me apart for bailing. Nothing mattered except getting back.
The hallway blurred as I sprinted for the exit, mind spinning with every worst-case scenario. What if it was Mikel? What if he found her? What if she told me she was fine… because she had to?
I wasn’t about to wait to find out.
I’d burn the miles between us if I had to. She needed me—and whatever was waiting in that house; I was going to rip it apart with my bare hands if it meant keeping her safe.
I slammed the hotel room door shut behind me; the sound echoing off the sterile walls like a warning bell. I didn’t look back—couldn’t afford to. Every second counted now. My hands moved on autopilot, fingers flying over the screen as I typed a quick message to Coach:
Emergency. Heading back to Detroit. Can’t explain yet.
I didn’t wait for a reply. My duffel hit the trunk of the waiting Uber with a thud, and I climbed into the back seat, jaw clenched tight as the driver merged into traffic. The city blurred past in streaks of neon and pavement, but I wasn’t looking out the window. I was back in Detroit—in my head—replaying the sound of Mina’s voice over and over. Too calm. Too light. Like she was walking a wire.
“Airport?” the driver asked, glancing at me through the rearview.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice low. Tight. I was barely aware I’d answered.
The further we drove, the heavier the feeling in my chest became. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was reading too much into it. But my instincts had kept me alive on the ice for years—and they were screaming now. Something was off. And if Mikel was involved… I clenched my fists.
The airport came into view, and I was out of the car before it fully stopped. I shoved a wad of bills into the driver’s hand and took off, cutting through the terminal with tunnel vision. Security was a blur of metal trays and impatient sighs. The TSA agent barely finished scanning my ID before I was through, grabbing my bag with more force than necessary.
At the gate, the boarding sign flashed like a lifeline. I didn’t relax—not even a little—until I was buckled into my seat, eyes glued to the window as if I could will the plane to take off faster.
I just hoped I was wrong.
I just hoped I wasn't too late.
Chapter 25
Mina
The silence between us pulsed like a warning. I stood at the edge of the kitchen, arms folded tightly across my chest, pretending calm I didn’t feel. My pulse thudded in my ears. Every second that passed made the air feel heavier.
Mikel stalked across the room like a storm brewing in real time. His jaw clenched, eyes dark with something volatile. The dim kitchen light overhead flickered slightly, casting shadows that made his expression seem even more distorted.
“You think this is funny?” he snapped, whirling around to face me. “You think I’m some goddamn joke to everyone now?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. His words hit the walls, sharp and echoing, bouncing back with more venom than the first time they were said.
“You show up at the game in his hoodie,” he growled, the word dripping with disgust. “Looking all proud, like you’re his trophy. Do you even hear yourself?”
I swallowed hard. “I was supporting a friend,” I said, steady and flat, though my throat felt tight.
He scoffed—a dry, humorless sound. “A friend? Is that what we’re calling it now?” His hands flew up in mock surrender. “Yeah, sure, Mina. Everyone’s just friends with their little hockey boyfriend.”
His sarcasm scraped like sandpaper, but I refused to flinch.
“You’re overreacting,” I said quietly, gripping the edge of the counter behind me, grounding myself.
That broke something in him. He laughed, but there was nothing amused about it. “You don’t get it, do you? You’ve made me look like a fool. Everyone’s talking—everyone. They see you with him, and I’m the pathetic guy you left in the dust.”
I finally stepped forward. “What do you want from me, Mikel?” My voice wavered, but I pushed through. “Do you want me to pretend I’m not allowed to be happy now? That I owe you my silence forever?”
He froze, eyes burning as he stared me down. “You think I care if you’re happy?” he hissed. “I want the truth. Is this real with him? Are you seriously choosing him over me?”
The desperation buried in his rage caught me off guard. But it didn’t matter. Not anymore.
“It’s none of your business,” I said, voice firm now, even if my heart was pounding. "I already broke things off after you made a bet and used me as collateral. What I do now is none of your business."
