SWNOVELS Break My Heart: Chapter 30
I bring the steaming cup of coffee to my mouth and watch Ava as she glides effortlessly across the ice, her movements smooth and graceful. The way she skates is mesmerizing—almost as if she was born to do this, her ability innate. She executes a perfect spin, the same one from the photo I saw at her apartment. She’s poetry in motion, a force to be reckoned with.
I could stand here for hours and watch her.
It’s wild how much I’ve grown to care about this girl in such a short period of time. She’s everything I didn’t know I was looking for. Hell, I didn’t even think I was looking for anything.
But Ava is different.
The connection between us is impossible to ignore.
She’s burrowed beneath my skin, and I can no longer imagine my life without her in it.
Does she feel the same?
I really fucking hope so.
Each time we’re together, I find myself revealing little pieces of who I am. The ones I don’t allow anyone else to see. Not my teammates or my family. I’ve never felt so in tune with another person.
It’s like she was made for me. Ava might have doubts when it comes to her sexual preferences, but I don’t have any. When we’re in bed together, I try to show her exactly how perfectly suited we are to one another.
She doesn’t judge me for my past or for being here on a scholarship. I have plenty of teammates who were given money to play hockey at Western, but most don’t need it to attend. It’s more like the sweet cherry on top of a sundae.
The difference is that I wouldn’t be here without it.
And she doesn’t look down on me for the way I choose to support my family.
The fact that she accepts me for who I am means more than I ever imagined possible.
For the first time in my life, I’ve found someone I can be myself with. I don’t have to pretend everything is a cakewalk or that nothing bothers me.
My heart catches when she leaps into the air, spinning before landing on one blade like it’s nothing. I shake my head, awed by her talent. There’s no doubt in my mind that Ava should be competing on a national level.
I understand the reasons why she stepped away from the figure skating world. After the scandal broke, the unwanted attention and scrutiny put her life under the microscope. What I hate is that she’s allowed the past to dictate her future and steal her passion and joy. I can’t imagine what it would be like to walk away from hockey.
It’s in my blood.
A part of me.
Isn’t competing the same for her?
Just as I’m about to take another sip of coffee, I catch movement from the corner of my eye, and it draws my attention. For the first time, I notice we’re not alone. There’s a guy standing near the edge of the rink, too far away for me to get a good look at his face. There’s a ball cap pulled low over his brow, and something about him doesn’t sit right with me. He’s definitely not one of the usual staff or custodians who work this early.
My gut twists with unease as I watch him pull out his phone and lift it toward the ice.
What the hell?
Is he taking pictures of her?
I jump to my feet, the coffee forgotten as I move toward the guy. As soon as he notices me, he tucks his phone back into his hoodie and walks away. The way he moves is too fast to be casual.
“Hey!” I shout, but he doesn’t look back.
Without thinking, I break into a jog, determined to catch up with him. My heart pounds, not from exertion but from the realization that this could be her former coach.
As I push through the exit and into the hallway, I scan the empty space.
I grind my teeth, frustration bubbling up inside me as I take off down the corridor.
A faint whistling catches my ear, and I whip around the corner just as Tony walks by with his broom.
“Whoa!” His hands land on my arms as we nearly collide. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“Sorry,” I mutter, glancing past him. “Any chance you saw a guy walk by?”
With a frown, he shakes his head. “Nope. I clocked in about fifteen minutes ago, and you’re the first person I’ve run into. Is there a problem?”
I clench my jaw, unsure what to say. “I don’t know. I saw someone who didn’t look familiar. It just seemed weird this early in the morning. He took off before I could talk to him.”
Tony scratches his chin as his frown deepens. “You think someone was here messing around? I’ll keep an eye out.”
“I’d appreciate that.” I force a smile, trying to shake off the thick tension that has gathered in my muscles. “Thanks, man.”
He pats my shoulder. “It’s not a problem. Maybe you should let Coach know. Can’t be too careful these days.”
I nod, though the last thing I want to do is bring this up to Coach. Not yet, anyway. “I’ll be sure to do that.”
My mind spins as I walk back to the rink. When I’m halfway there, it occurs to me that maybe I shouldn’t have left Ava alone. What if that was Nathan and he drew me away in order to isolate her?
And I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
The thought makes my stomach churn, and it’s enough to have me picking up my pace. By the time I burst through the door into the arena, my heart is pounding against my ribcage. Relief floods me when I catch sight of Ava gliding across the ice, seemingly unaware of what happened. Once she spots me, she skates over. Her cheeks are flushed from exertion as a small smile tugs at her lips.
“Where’d you disappear to?” she asks, planting her hands on her hips.
“Had to use the john,” I lie, trying to keep my tone casual. “Are you ready to head out?”
The arena has always been a safe space for me, but that’s not how it feels at the moment. I just want to get her out of here.
“Yup.”
“Good. Let’s get moving.”
She raises a brow. “Hmmm… Who’s the bossy one now?”
Despite my lingering unease, her teasing tone melts the tension coiled tight inside me. I can’t help the smirk that tugs at my lips. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, Tink,” I murmur, stepping closer. “It’s definitely a promise.”
Her laughter echoes through the empty arena as she reaches out and tugs on my hoodie, pulling me toward the bench where she’s left her skate guards and duffel. The easy banter between us feels natural, like we’ve known each other far longer than just a few weeks.
The sense of protectiveness I feel toward her settles deep in my chest as she packs up her bag. I debate whether to tell her what I saw before nixing the idea and deciding to keep what happened to myself. At least for the time being. For all I know, it was nothing. A weird coincidence. She’s got enough on her plate without worrying about some random creep.
But I’ll be more vigilant from here on out.
I’m not about to let anything happen to my girl.
Once we’re out of the arena and walking toward the parking lot, Ava glances at me, her expression softening.
“Thanks for coming with me.”
“Anytime.” I slide my hand into hers and give it a gentle squeeze. “I enjoy watching you skate. You’re so damn talented.”
Her eyes sparkle in the early morning light. “I think you might be biased.”
“Nope. Not at all.”
As we reach my truck, I realize that I don’t just like being around Ava.
I need it.
I need her.