AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Unfortunately.” She nods. “He’s the original bad seed. Bobby has always been into things that could’ve dragged Beck down to the gutter, but Beck worked hard to stay apart from all of that.”
“Yeah. I’m sure he did. He’s good like that.”
“He’s always been that way. Even when he was a hot young superstar, he was the kid who would stop playing ball to help an old lady cross the street.”
“Does he have family other than his dad?”
“No. Just Beck and Bobby. His mama didn’t make it out of the delivery room.” She flips her hair over her shoulder and, with a bright smile, makes a clear effort to change the subject. “So, did you like hockey before the job? Or is the job the reason you like hockey?”
I weigh my answer carefully. Karla plays nice, but I’ve seen her claws come out when she thinks Beck is being threatened. I won’t insult her by lying. “I think I like the guy who plays hockey. It’s important to him. And he’s important to me.”
“That is a very good answer.” She nods approvingly. “More ice cream?”
I look at the already-empty cup in my hand. “I shouldn’t.”
But I hand the cup over because she is standing over me now, hand extended to work up a refill. “Beck would never forgive me if I let you go hungry,” she explains.
I laugh. “I doubt that’s a particular danger I have to worry about. Will you at least not let me eat alone?”
She grins wickedly and starts making a scoop for herself.
Then we settle in and watch the game. Toward the end of the third period, with the Wave clinging to a one-goal lead over Weston Scott and the Los Angeles Firebirds, there’s a knock on the wall behind us. Karla and I look up in unison to see Spencer walking in.
He’s got something in his hand. An envelope. As soon as he gets close enough for me to spy some of the handwriting and the black rose taped on the back, my heart freezes.
The stalker.
“This was outside on the front door,” he explains.
I nod, turning it over in my hands, examining it from every angle, mostly because I don’t want to look inside.
The envelope is plain, like the rest, except for where my name is written on the front in red ink. It’s from the same style of thick stationary the rest of the letters have arrived in.
Spencer is still standing over me, watching me, probably to make sure I don’t fall apart and turn into some bawling baby. Thereare no guarantees since I’m already not feeling well and I’m a walking hormone.
But I slide my finger under the flap and pull the letter out. More petals spill onto my lap.
Your pregnancy is disturbing. My plans for you do not include a child. They don’t include anyone else. Including the jock buffoon. He doesn’t deserve you. He doesn’t love you. He won’t take care of you. You deserve better. Leave him and I will forgive you. Stay with him and I will gut him like the pig he is. I will spread his insides out and bath your child in his blood. The choice is yours.
32
BECK
When I leave the arena, I’m ready for this day to be finished, ready to get home to Sloan. I’m in a good mood.
Dix accompanies me out the door to the players’ parking lot. “How’s Sloan?” he asks. “I haven’t heard about—oh, holy fuck.”
I look over at him where he’s drawn to a halt. His eyes are huge and his mouth is wide open.I follow his gaze and see what he’s looking at. Then my eyes go huge and my mouth falls wide open just like his.
Holy fuckis an understatement. Because my car is absolutely ruined.
My tires are slashed. Every window is shattered to absolute shit and there is red paint the color of blood splashed on the hood, roof, and trunk.
I don’t give a shit about the car. I liked this one, but it’s just a way to get from home to here and back again. Insurance will make me whole. It’s no skin off my back.
What Idocare about is whoever the fuck thinks they can threaten me.
Suddenly, stadium security is holding me back and shepherding me and Dix back toward the stadium. “Mr. Daniels, Mr. Hayes, we need you to go inside. We’ve called the police and there are multiple squad cars en route. We need to get you both to a safe place until we’ve cleared the scene.”
