“You heard me. You have till tomorrow, King. End it, or I’ll end your career.”
Taking in a deep breath, he tried to process everything that was just said to him. He was being blackmailed, and there was nothing he could do about it. No one would believe him. Nate Martin was the most respected college hockey coach in the league. Everyone loved him. Hell, Karson’s own dad loved him. He had no choice. He had to protect his career, and he had to make sure that Lacey had the life she deserved, even if it killed him to do it. Coach was right. She had free college here, and if her cancer did come back, at least here, she would be taken care of. As much as he wanted to live in his little fantasy world of being a pro and having the best girl on his arm, he had to realize that it wasn’t going to happen.
Looking up at his coach, he said, “I’ll end it.”
“Good,” he said with a nod, running his hand through his blond hair. “And another thing, King, she can’t ever know about this. I’ll ruin you if she ever finds out. Don’t ever forget about my connections in the pros.”
Karson slowly nodded his head. “I won’t tell her.”
“Or Grady. This is between us. Believe me; it’s for the best. I am helping both of you. You’ll see and be thankful when you are a single rookie making the world yours.”
Standing up, Karson looked at the man he had idolized for the last two years and felt nothing but hatred for him. Clearing his throat, he shook his head as he said, “I won’t have a world because Lacey won’t be by my side.”
Walking out of the office in a daze, Karson headed back to the dorm, ignoring everyone as he headed to his room. Once there, he fell into bed and closed his eyes tight. His tears ran along the side of his eyes, and he needed them to get out of him now. When he was face-to-face with Lacey, he couldn’t cry. He couldn’t let her see how he was slowly dying inside, because it would give it all away. She could see right through him and would know that he wasn’t being truthful, but he couldn’t see another way out of this. He had to do it, even if he didn’t want to let her go. There was no other option; he had to protect her and himself. He had worked so hard for his career, and he loved her too much to jeopardize her life. Coach was right; he couldn’t support her the way he could.
As he lay crying in his bed, he thought about what this was going to do to her, knowing this was going to break her. He was going to be responsible for shattering her, and he had to live with that for the rest of his life.
But what other choice did he have?
* * * *
Lacey was standing in front of her mirror, looking over the sweater dress she had paired with a pair of black boots, hoping that she looked good enough to meet Karson’s parents. She was nervous, but nothing could wipe the grin off her face. She had spent the night wrapped in her boyfriend’s arms. The same boyfriend she was going to leave Chicago for and continue to love for the rest of her life. She was so glad she took the chance two months ago. She had promised to live life to the fullest, and she was doing just that.
Nerves coursed through her. Not only was she meeting his mom and dad, but he was also supposed to get word that day if he was going into the draft. Everyone believed it was a done deal but, at the same time, there was a chance that no one would want him. It was a 2% chance, but still, it was there. She had the confidence that he was going, and he would be first-round pick. Everyone would gush about him, he’d get a great deal, and he’d rock the hell out of the league. That was the plan, and while he did all that, she’d get her degree and then open the best lingerie business in the country. Those were her dreams, and she knew that they were within reach.
As long as she had Karson standing beside her.
When the knock came at the door, she smiled because Karson was early. Reaching for the door, she pulled it open to find her delicious boyfriend on the other side. She was surprised that he was wearing jeans since they were going out to dinner at some ritzy restaurant, but ignored it as she reached for him, placing a kiss on his sweet mouth.
“Hey!” she gushed as she shut the door behind him. “You’re early. Give me a minute; I gotta fix my makeup. Did your dad find out if you are going in the draft? I’m so excited. I feel good about it.”
When Karson didn’t answer, she looked back at him to find him watching her. “What?”
“You look beautiful.”
A grin pulled at her lips as she said, “Well, thank you, but really, are you going in?”
Slowly, he nodded. She squealed before wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I’m so proud of you! You’re going to rock the big leagues!”
When he didn’t hug her back, Lacey pulled back, surprised, and looked up into his face, immediately seeing that something was very wrong. His eyes were bloodshot, his face red, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or from crying. But why would Karson cry? He was her big, burly boyfriend. He made other guys cry. “What’s wrong?”
Closing his eyes, he undid her arms from around him and took a step back. “We need to talk.”
Dread filled her chest as she looked up into his face. “About?”
“About us.”
Her heart picked up in speed as she continued to look at him. He was looking everywhere but her, another sign that something was horribly wrong.
“Lacey, we have to end things.”
“What?”
“With me going to the pros, I’m going to be so busy, traveling and training and shit, and it isn’t fair to drag you into all that.”
“What are you talking about? We’ll be fine. That’s why I’m going with you, so we can see each other when you have downtime.”
“No, you need to stay here. Go to school for free and be with your family.”
Shaking her head, she said, “No, I need to go with you. I need to be with you. Everything else will fall into place as long as we are together.”
Still not looking at her, he said, “Lacey, I can’t ask you to follow me across the damn world. You need to think of yourself, what is best for you, and that’s to stay in Chicago.”
“Who are you to tell me what I need? We’ve been together for two months, and you’ve never told me what I need. Except for maybe you, and you were right, so stop and look at me! What is going on?”
Slowly, Karson met her gaze and let out a long breath. “You’re right, we’ve only been together for two months. Maybe we are rushing into this. I’ve been having second thoughts, Lacey, and I can’t help but feel like I dragging you from everything you know. I don’t feel right about that. This is your life, and we don’t know what could happen. Your cancer could come back or I could flop when I hit the big leagues, and then what? How would I support you?”
Not able to hold them in any longer, Lacey’s tears rushed down her face as she slowly shook her head. “As long as we have each other, everything else will fall into place.”
She could see the pain in his eyes, but that still didn’t stop him from saying, “Love won’t put food on the table, or pay for your college, or start your business, Lacey. I’m sorry, but I have to end things.”
A sob ripped from her as she looked away, gasping for breath. What changed? How did they go from promising to be together forever, to him breaking up with her?
She’d slept with him.
Looking up at him through her tears, a sob was caught at the base of her throat as she cried, “Is this about my breasts? Are you breaking up with me because I have no boobs? I trusted you! I showed only you, and now you’re breaking up with me?”
He was in front of her before she could even take in another breath. Squeezing her arms in his hands, he shook his head quickly, tears welling up in his eyes as he held her gaze. “God no, Lacey. Don’t you ever think that! I love you, I love your body, and I love every single thing about you, but I can’t do this. I can’t guarantee you the future when I have no clue what mine is. As much as I want to say we can get back together once I figure it all out, that isn’t fair to you. I want you to have the life you deserve, and I
don’t think I’m the man to give it to you.”
“But you are! Karson, if you love me, don’t break up with me,” she cried, holding on to his forearm. “You promised you would never break me, and that’s what you are doing by giving up on us and leaving me.”
Looking down at the ground, he took in a deep breath. “I know, but I am doing it for you. I’m sorry, Lacey. I’m so fucking sorry, but don’t you ever think I don’t love you. I do, but I’m sorry, I have to end this.”
Pressing his lips to hers, he kissed her hard, but she pushed him away. “No! You don’t get to kiss me or tell me you love me when you are breaking up with me! How is that fair? How is that even right? It’s a contradiction to everything, because even with you saying you’re doing it for me, it makes no sense! If you loved me, you would stay with me and love me for the rest of our lives, but you aren’t doing that, are you?”
“I can’t. I love you too much. I have to let you go,” he said, as tears slowly rolled down his perfectly chiseled face.
“Why?”
“Because I have to, so that you have the life you deserve,” he said with all the compassion in the world, but all it did was piss her the hell off.
“Bullshit. Get the hell out,” she cried, hugging herself with her arms.
“I love you, don’t forget that,” he whispered, but she ignored him as she crumpled onto her bed.
“Leave me alone. You made me a promise, Karson, and you broke it! You have completely broken me, and do you even care? Are you going to be here to pick up the pieces? No, you’ll be in the damn big league, leaving me behind to figure out how to live my life without you! How can you live with yourself knowing that?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered.
Covering her face, her tears leaked all over her hands as her body shook with her sobs. The room was completely quiet and she thought he had left, but when she looked up, she found him still watching her from the doorway. “I’m sorry, Lacey. I really do love you.”
And with that, he shut the door, completely shattering her heart. As Lacey lay there, tears rushing down her face as she choked on her own sobs, she had no clue what had just happened, or how she was going to put herself back together after that. Their love was all consuming, and now she wasn’t going to have that. How did someone come back from that?
She thought being diagnosed with cancer and having her breasts removed was the hardest thing she’d ever have to battle, but all the pain she felt then didn’t even come close to the pain she was feeling at the moment. She was a survivor though, and she knew that she would cope with losing the greatest love of her life but, like everything else that happened in her life, she wished she didn’t have to.
Yesterday.
Karson stood in the back of the auditorium as the Catappellas sang their hearts out for the championship. His bags were in his car and all ready for the trek back home to Wisconsin before the draft. He wanted to be excited for the new life he was about to embark on, but it was hard when he knew that the girl who stood in the middle of the group in a bright red dress wasn’t going with him. It had been a month since he had broken things off with Lacey, and each day was harder than the last. He fought with himself daily to keep from going to her and begging for forgiveness. He knew he had made the biggest mistake of his life, but he prayed in the long run it was for the best.
He missed her—everything about her. He missed her lips, her smile, her laugh, and the feel of her body against his. He wanted nothing more than to run to the stage and ask her to run away with him, but from where he stood, he could see Grady and Coach. The hatred he felt in his body for his old coach was indescribable. He would always blame him from taking away his world and ruining him.
As he watched the Catappellas sing “All You Need Is Love” by the Beatles, his heart ached for her. He was stupid to come, he knew that this would hurt, but he had to see her one last time before he took off, leaving Chicago and his world behind him. Watching her from afar was hard and he hated it, but it was what he resorted to for the last month. He wasn’t sure when or if he’d ever see her again, so he knew he had to come, even if it was just to watch her since he knew he couldn’t say anything to her. His words would mean nothing to her. He had already broken her, and nothing he would say could fix what he had done.
When the group started to sing the melody to “Yesterday,” also by the Beatles, someone handed Lacey a mic and she took center stage, the lights shining on her, making her look like an angel. Something lurched in his chest. He fought for his breath as her sweet lips moved, and the most beautiful sound came out. As she sang the song, each word stabbed into Karson like a knife. He knew it wasn’t a coincidence that she was singing this song. She might not know that he was there, but she was singing it for him. It hurt hearing the words, but he welcomed the pain.
He deserved it.
When she hit the crescendo of the song, he could see her tears welling up and soon a tear rolled down her cheek as she sang her heart out. She was going to do great things. As the realization that she was going to do them without him settled on his heart, his own eyes filled with tears. Taking in a deep breath, he moved his hand along his cheek, catching his tears, as Lacey finished the song, causing the crowd to lose it. Unlike he usually did, Karson didn’t clap or cheer, he only watched her. While she smiled and bowed, thanking the crowd, he hoped that the powers beyond gave them another chance later in life, because if he did get another chance, he’d never let her go. No matter what. He regretted what he had done, and he knew that he would live with that regret for the rest of his life.
As he walked away, his heart heavy, he knew that his love for Lacey would never stop. While he knew he was about to embark on a new journey, he also knew that his heart would forever stay hostage to Lacey Martin.
And there was no other place he’d rather leave it.
###
Don’t miss the continuation of Lacey and Karson’s story in Laces and Lace, an Assassins Series Novel, due out in 2015!
Books by Toni Aleo
The Assassins Series
Taking Shots
Trying to Score
Empty Net
Falling for the Backup
Blue Lines
Breaking Away (due out in June 2014)
A Very Hockey Holiday (due out in Dec 2014)
Laces and Lace (due out in Dec 2014)
Rush Series
Jude (due out in Oct 2014)
Standalones
Let it be Me
The Whiskey Prince (due out in Aug 2014)
Bio:
When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, Toni is probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel. She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog.
www.tonialeo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/tonialeo1
Twitter: tonilovesweber6
Hooking Hannah
© Cassandra Carr & Cindy Carr
Dedication
We dedicate this to the countless brave people who have fought cancer and won and the equally brave souls who have lost their battle.
We also dedicate it to the scores of hockey players who have always been ready to give their hearts and resources to a good cause.
Cassandra’s Special Dedication:
To my mom, who I co-wrote this story with. Thanks for being my most constant supporter!
Chapter One
Ice blinded Scott Richards, a fine, snowy film covering his visor as he waited for his turn in warm-ups. As he wiped it with the back of his sleeve, he glowered at the man who’d started the shower of ice.
“I’ll get you for that, Mickey.” Mark “Mickey” McDonald didn’t seem fazed in the least.
“It’d be the first time this season you’ve hit anybody. Bring it on.”
The players near them laughed, but Scott grinned. “Who needs to b
ang bodies when I can put the biscuit in the basket instead?”
Mickey made a derisive noise. “Yeah, yeah.”
Scott loved the All-Star Game. Every player there was the best in the sport, and it was the one time, barring perhaps the Olympics, where the guys really mixed and played for a common cause. Sure, the game couldn’t exactly be called riveting hockey, but it was fun for both players and fans. He was happy to be a part of anything that increased the popularity of the sport.
The game started a little while later, and Scott, a centerman, lined up for his first shift against a guy he’d played with in juniors. “Hey, man.”
“Who let you in the building?” the guy sneered, but followed it up with a toothy grin which displayed his mouthguard more than his actual teeth. It was neon yellow and Scott had to blink just to regain the focus in his eyes.
“Top five in faceoffs, seventy points already, baby.”
“Still gonna kick your ass.”
“Love to see you try.” The linesman dropped the puck and a scrum ensued to gain possession. Scott came out with it, skated a stride and then stepped neatly around his opponent, and passed off to his winger. He heard the guy swear behind him and laughed. Man, he freaking loved playing hockey.
Scott streaked through the slot. The defenseman at the blue line who’d been passed the puck by the winger must’ve seen him raise his stick, because he sent a smooth saucer pass that Scott one-timed, catching the goaltender off guard and recording his first goal of the game on his first shift. He and his teammates did a brief celebration and then changed lines.
Seduced by the Game Page 7