Page 36 of Pucking Snowed In With My Ex

“What? You said once that you thought she was hot, and I agreed with you. That was it. Besides, you can’t lay claim to her like a fucking possession. If she wanted you, she wouldn’t have dated me.”

“Skye loves me. She doesn’t want to admit it, but she’s always wanted me, Cal. You’ll never be who she needs. She’ll always be terrified that you’ll break her heart.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Alex didn’t just dip his toe into the WTF pool. No, he took a headfirst swan dive.

“You’ve lost your fucking mind, Alex. You assaulted her and just tried to kill her. I don’t think anything could break her heart more than that.”

“I wasn’t going to kill her. She kept yelling and I just wanted her to shut up.”

I shook my head. This rant didn’t scare me. What did…was that I’d left him alone with Skye dozens of times and had never given it a second thought. How the hell did I trust my judgment after realizing something like this?

“Classy,” Noah said, rolling his eyes.

“Shut the fuck up,” Alex growled at him.

“Why did you want to go to Wayward so badly?” Nathan crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing.

“I was meant to go. My family worked hard to earn the respect to be there, but the Dean refused my application, slammed the door in my father’s face, and made us a laughing stock. But the golden boy here gets an invite. The guy who never had to prove himself got a free ride, just like everything else in his life. You were born with a silver spoon, and people have fallen at your feet ever since like you’re a fucking God.” Alex spit on the ground. “You took everything I ever wanted, stole every opportunity from me. Skye, Wayward, first-line center in Juniors, and now look at you…riding the coattails of your famous daddy. But here’s the thing, Cal. When you close your eyes at night, I want you to remember this.” My hands balled into fists as his lip turned up in a cocky smirk. “No matter how many times you fuck Skye, she will always remember me.”

My temper snapped. The thought of him touching Skye…I would die before I ever let him near her again. I didn’t bother letting him say another word and punched him so hard across the face that his eyes rolled back in his head.

“Don’t you ever say Skye’s name again. Fuck, I wish I’d done this three years ago,” I growled and hit him again and again until he was hanging limp and passed out between my two friends.

I wiped my bloody knuckles on my hoodie. “I need to know now if any of you have a problem with Alex never making it home?” Turning around, I looked at my friends. No one moved. “You’re all sure?”

“I just want to know if we get to hit him,” Conner said. “My fist is itching for a piece.” The others nodded their agreement.

“Have at him, but don’t kill him,” I said and nodded at Nathan and Aaron, asking them to step away. As soon as we were out of earshot, I crossed my arms and took a deep breath. This was a big favor, and I would owe them, but it needed to happen. I had learned very early on at Wayward that anything could be purchased for a price from the right people, including someone disappearing without a trace.

“I need to ask—” Nathan grabbed my arm and cut me off.

“This one, even I would do for free, no need to ask. Consider it done,” Nathan said, looking every bit the mafia son he was. Aaron nodded in agreement. No one messed with the Mikhailov family, and this was not the first time I was happy to be friends with these two cousins.

As tempted as I was to give Alex what he deserved, I knew it was handled, and I had more important places to be. Aiming for the house, I ran towards the future that was always mine.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CALLUM

Panting as I burst through the door, my eyes scanned the room. Skye was curled up on the couch with blankets wrapped around her shoulders and a cup of something in her hands while Tyler stood guard at the window.

“Cal,” Skye said, her voice breaking as I walked to her. She was in dry clothes but was still shivering, and I didn’t know if it was the cold or what had happened. Skye set the mug aside, and as soon as the hot liquid was out of her hands, I wrapped her up in my arms and took my first deep breath since I realized she wasn’t in bed with me. The terror of almost losing her was setting in as the shock and rush of adrenaline wore off, and it left me shaking.

“I’ll give you two some space. Do you want a coffee,” Tyler asked, and I nodded, but I didn’t think anything would warm me up for a long time.

“I should take you to the hospital.” I smoothed Skye’s hair back as she shook her head no.

“I’m okay, I promise. I don’t want to go to a hospital.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the bruise on her neck.

“But….”

“No buts, I’m not going. Please don’t make me. Not on Christmas.” She smiled and grabbed my hands. “I’m alright.”

“Fine, but if you start to have any adverse symptoms at all, then I’m taking you, no arguments.” I kissed her forehead and hated that she felt so cold.

“Cal, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have gone outside alone, but Sammie was calling me, and I thought…I thought that….” She looked away and wiped a tear trailing down her cheek. “I thought it was bad news, that….”

“It’s okay, you don’t need to say it. I listened to the recording.” I pulled out her phone and handed it to her. “That was quick thinking.”