Axel (Carolina Reapers 1)

A piece of the puzzle clicked together, but I waited, patient, silent, as he kept staring at the ink over his knuckles, as if he could see the blood he’d drawn with them.

“He left her when she accidentally got pregnant.”

I sucked in a sharp breath.

“And she miscarried.” His words were barely a whisper. “When he spotted me, he had the nerve to act like he knew me. Act like I would bother to speak to him. When I called him out on being a coward for leaving my sister once she was pregnant…” Rage flickered in his eyes, and he clenched his hands into fists. “He said it didn’t matter anyway. Said he’d sent her a check to ensure that there was no baby.”

Tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I cleared them away. This was my office. This was my player. I couldn’t be emotional in this space.

Didn’t stop me from hissing, “Asshole.”

Cannon breathed out, long and slow, before uncurling his fingers from the fists they’d been in.

“I’m surprised you left him intact,” I said, shaking my head.

There. The smallest, tiniest hint of a smile. So fast I could’ve imagined it.

“And you didn’t tell anyone this,” I continued. “Because you didn’t want your sister’s name involved.”

He pressed his lips together, nodding. “Still don’t,” he finally admitted.

I waved him off. “Don’t worry about that. I’m damn good at my job. If you tell me your sister is off limits, I make that happen. But you have to tell me these things or I don’t know how to protect you.”

He cocked a brow at me, amusement lighting up his eyes like he thought the idea of me protecting him was comical.

“Now,” I said, ignoring the laughter in his eyes. “I pulled the security footage from the location of the incident and gathered enough evidence to show that the ref poked you in the chest.”

Cannon furrowed his brow like he didn’t remember that part.

“Yes, he did,” I said. “I’ve shown it to the League and explained your reaction was one of self-defense.”

He pursed his lips as if to say really?

“The footage clearly shows you walking out of the locker room, calm and collected, before he singled you out in the altercation.”

“Wow.”

I nodded. “They called me a few minutes before you came in here,” I said. “Explaining their decision to not seek charges or an investigation of the matter as it was clearly a provoked incident from the ref’s side. He is now suspended, and after the story you told me, one call will find him unable to secure another ref position this season.”

“Damn,” Cannon said. “Wait, you knew they’d dropped the investigation before I came in here?”

“Yep.”

“And you let me sit here in silence for over half an hour?”

“Uh huh.” I raised my palms at him. “I work for you as much as I work for Gage, Cannon. You’ve got to talk to me. Trust me. I’m here to help you in whatever way I can. And now I know how important your sister is to you. I’ll be able to ensure she stays out of the media.”

Another hint of a smile, but not quite. “You are good.”

“Oh, I’m the best.” So good I couldn’t relinquish control and fly to Sweden when my husband needed me. Fucking hell, I needed to talk to Axel. Every single time I thought about him another chunk of my heart broke off.

“Can I go to practice now?”

I smirked. “Yes.”

He rose from the chair, the bulk and height of him filling the room. Didn’t matter how many NHL players I’d worked with over the years, I was always surprised by their sheer size and dedication to keeping their bodies in top physical condition.

“Do me a solid and try not to pick a fight today, will you?” I said as he reached the door, a slight tease in my tone.

He huffed but nodded as he opened the door. He paused in the entryway, glancing over his shoulder. “Thanks,” he said, the word gruff, as if he didn’t have practice in saying it.

“It’s my job,” I said.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Not for that. I mean, yes for that, but…” That muscle ticked in his jaw again. “For not believing that I unleashed on that asshole for…for fun.”

“I’ll always be here for the true story, Cannon. Gage too. Never forget that.”

He blinked, those walls reinforcing around his eyes. Conversation clearly over.

Over, but settled.

Something inside me sighed at the accomplishment.

And pain rippled through me as I realized I only wanted to unwind with one person after this never-ending week, but I wasn’t sure if he’d even want to speak to me after what had happened.

* * *

“You’re back!” I shut the door behind me, quickly petting Slytherin and Hufflepuff as I hurried farther into the house. I’d just caught sight of Axel’s back as he’d turned down the hallway that led to the stairs. Lukas had told me after my meeting with Cannon that Axel had already landed, something that both excited and terrified me. “I’ve been dying to talk to you,” I said before I’d cleared the corner. “Axel, you need to know...I’m so—”