Page 87 of Pucked Around and Found Out

“Terror... move.”

We both look at him, surprised.

“He's right,” Cas continues, struggling to push himself up slightly. “I deserve this. I betrayed him. I've been lying for too long. I chose to trust the wrong person before I found him and learned what a true brother is..”

“Cas—” Toren starts.

“Move,” he repeats firmly. “This is between him and me. Not you.”

Something like respect flickers through me.

At least he's willing to face the consequences of his actions.

Toren looks between us, clearly torn.

“If I move,” she says slowly, “you'll kill him.”

“Probably,” I agree.

“Then I'm not moving.”

“For fuck's sake, Terror!” Cas snaps, and there's real anger in his voice now. “Stop trying to save everyone! You're pregnant! You shouldn't even be here! Get off the fucking ice before he hurts you too!”

“I'm not leaving you to die!”

“I'm not asking you to leave me to die,” Cas grits out. “I'm asking you to trust that maybe—just maybe—Xaden isn't going to kill me. Because if he wanted me dead, I'd already be dead.”

The observation is accurate.

If I really wanted Cas dead, I would have put a puck through his skull by now.

Instead, I've been breaking bones. Causing pain. Making him suffer.

But not killing him.

Toren must realize this too because her eyes narrow.

“Why?” she asks, looking at me. “If you want him dead, why is he still breathing?”

“Because death is mercy,” I say coldly. “And I'm not feeling very merciful.”

“Bullshit,” she says again. “You could make him suffer and still kill him. But you're not. Why?”

I don't answer.

Can't answer.

Because admitting the truth means admitting she's right about everything else.

“Fine,” Toren says finally, slowly moving off of Cas. “But if you kill him, you'll have to live with knowing I was right about you. That you're not the monster. You're just a coward who couldn't face his own humanity.”

The words land like physical blows.

She stands and carefully makes her way toward the edge of the ice, her eyes never leaving mine.

I watch her go, then turn my attention back to Cas, who's lying on the ice bleeding and broken but still managing to hold my gaze.

“How did she get to you?” I ask quietly.