Why was he shouting my name?
Six
Luca
My eyes aren’t playing tricks on me.No, it’s definitely Harper McKenna in the stands, watching the team warm up before our game.
Ashton grabs my jersey when I ignore him, dragging me off the ice before we get in trouble.
“Did you see her?”I can’t believe Harper showed up,Little Miss I Hate Sports.
“Who, Harper?”Ashton is shaking his head as we head down the hallway.“No, but I heard you scream her name like a maniac.You’re embarrassing yourself over a girl.”
“Shut up.”I body check him as we step into the locker room.
Ashton rolls his eyes, laughing.“Too bad we like the same girl.”
My stomach plummets at his words.“You like Harper?”
I knew he had a little crush, but I thought he was over it.
His dark eyes glimmer as he offers a rare smile.“Don’t worry, I know better than to steal what’s yours.”
She isn’t technicallymine.Although I want her to be.But if Ashton knows to keep away from her, perfect.
“Good.”
“Find out for me if she has a sister,” Ashton says with a wicked grin.
I’m not doing Ashton’s bidding for him.If he wants a girlfriend, he can find one for himself.“Ask her yourself next time she’s over.”
“Or I could ask her out myself,” he taunts.
I lunge at him, and several of our teammates hold me back from lashing out physically.
“Save it for the ice, Ricci!”Coach shouts at me.
I know Coach is right.I shouldn’t be fighting with Ashton, but it’s hard to let that shit slide, especially when he’s talking abouther.
Harper may not be my girlfriend, yet, but I don’t want anyone else even thinking about dating her.
Because the truth is that I do want her.I’m more than just slightly interested.And the mere thought of anyone else putting their hands on her sickens me.
The rage that builds inside of me, I hate it.The feeling of agony, this tight ball that is nestled in my chest, falling into my stomach with every deep breath that I take.I’m drowning.The more I think about anyone else so much as paying attention to her.
I’m a walking red flag, I know.I blame my father for that, and as much as I don’t want to be him—I despise the man—I also grew up under his roof.It’s naïve to think I could be anything else.
Which is why I’m here playing hockey.The one sport he absolutely despises.He thinks I’m weak and foolish for not following in his footsteps.He wants me to run the empire one day.
No fucking way.
I don’t care if he offered me a million dollars, I’m not doing it.
I know too much about the mafia, the family, the business that the men do, and I wish I didn’t know any of it.
I wish I’d never walked in on my father murdering an innocent man in the basement of our house as a child.Some things haunt me still to this day, and I refuse to so much as handle a gun.The smell of gunpowder makes my stomach roil.
I’m sure that Dante, my father, looks down on me for not joining him in the business.In fact, it’s a truth that I know.He’s told me as much, and yet, it makes no difference to me.
