Running From The Mafia Falling For The Hockey King

tina'

olded piece of paper on

HO YOU RE

window was locked from the inside.

o the floor, my back hittin

ad fou

n operatives, had tracked me to Westbridge. And worse, they were playing with me. If they wanted me dead, I would already be dead. If the

lowed me to this campus, everyone around me would become collateral damage. Chloe. My volleyball

s shaking violently as I started throwing clothe

my shoulder for the rest of my life. And they had already proven they could find me anywhere. I dropped th

dache. I walked into the crowded student center for a desperate

ought a brand

down, replaced by a symphony of whispers. People weren't just looking at me with the usual amusement of the campu

enti

as she grabbed my elbow and dragged me behind a concrete pillar. Her

you do?" s

tbridge Anonymous gossip app wa

QUEEN? ENEMIES BY D

und Damon's waist on the back of his motorcycle. The second was an aggressively cropped and filte

mon walking out of the front doors of North Hall in the same clo

nto a scandalous, secret hookup. The entire campus believed Damon and I had faked our massive fight at the

t looks like," I stammere

!" Chloe panicked. "The athletic department is furious! Damon's team is supp

houlder into mine. A tall, glaring junior breezed past, delib

re walking, group

r hours boiling over into anger. I didn't have time to respond, bec

od stormed in

jaw was tight, his dark eyes scanning the room like a predator looking for a target. He spott

rdered, his voice low

re with you," I snapp

n our direction. "My sponsors are threatening to pull my contract. They don't like volatile, reckless captains who get in

us. "Why would I want my face plastered all over the

y. "I am trying to secure a professional hockey contract to get out

to his dark eyes, I saw a flicker of genuine desperation. He wasn't just a spoiled rich kid prote

ged me out of the atrium, pulling me down a deserted hallway near the administ

g with us. But the administration doesn't care about the truth. They care about the o

I crossed my arms. "Tell

d pacing and turned to face me. He took a deep breath, looking like the words

es. "What are yo

fake date. Temporarily. We turn the volatile, scandalous hookup into a sweet, grounded, exclusi

n incredulous laugh. "You're delusional. I would rather wal

you tutors, I'll upgrade your dorm, whatever you w

turned my back on him. "I want absolutely nothin

y three steps

f my hoodie. I pulled it out, assuming

e. It was an u

stopped in my throat. The hallway around me se

t was a digital scan of a physical Polaroid. A picture of me at seven years old, wearing

left the Rossi estate. Only my father, my supposedly dead sis

mage was a si

OF THE ROSSI FAMILY

ked from my lungs. The men in the alley wasn't a random hit. The notes w

was to stand directly in the brightest, most public spotlight possible. I nee

y turne

took in the panic I'm sure was sprawled on my face. He took a step f

broad shoulders, the fierce presence, the golden

lls I had built around myself shattered

ride in my throat, locked my p

d, my voice trembl