Tempting The Ice King

THE PLAN

The air inside the car was heavy with an unspoken tension. Kyren's gaze was locked onto the road. He hadn't spoken a word to me since last night.

He was as cold as ice. And I had no idea what was going through his mind. He was probably going to ditch me for dragging him into this mess.

Our encounter on the kitchen counter, and our almost moment on the couch... all of it was recorded. And if those recordings ever came out... both our lives would be ruined.

This could ruin Kyren's life.

"I'm going to the police after class." I pointedly stated.

Kyren didn't answer. He didn't even spare me a glance.

"I also think I should move back into my dad's place. He won't bother you if I'm not there." I muttered before biting into my inner cheek.

"Bother me?" Kyren finally answered, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. "This isn't about me being bothered. He was in our home, Hailey. He touched our things, planted a camera in our midst. This isn't your mess alone."

"This could ruin your chances of becoming an NHL star. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I ruined your life. I'm moving back to my dad's place. End of story." I pointedly stated.

"You're not going anywhere. Especially not to your dad's place." He cut me off. "If you move back to your dad's, you're handing yourself to him on a silver platter."

"Fine. But I'm still going to the police."

"That's a good idea. I'll come with you." He suggested, and I frowned over at him.

"That would be suspicious. People will ask questions." I said, stating the obvious.

"Let them. Their opinions mean nothing to me." He said, his silver eyes finally landing on me as he parked his car in his reserved parking spot.

The parking lot was packed with students, who were now curious, staring at Kyren's car.

Tessa, already waiting for him outside, excitedly waved at him, but he paid her no mind.

I sucked in a deep breath before staring deep into his eyes. "What's the plan?"

"We're gonna give him a show." He calmly explained. "From the second we step out of this car, we are the most obsessed, inseparable couple on campus."

"Inseparable, how?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You're going to wear my jersey. You're going to sit on my lap. And when I kiss you in front of the team, you're going to kiss me back like you mean it."

I bit down on my bottom lip as nervous butterflies fluttered in my chest.

Kyren jumped out of the car and confidently walked around the car. He opened my door for me, and I placed my hand in his before stepping out of the car.

He closed the door behind me before pinning me to the metal of his car. His tall form towered over me, blocking out the morning chill.

I could feel the gaze of the campus turning to us. The hushed whispers of the hockey team and the sharp gasps of the cheerleaders.

Kyren didn't spare them a single glance. He fisted one hand in my hair, forcing me to meet his burning silver gaze.

"Don't look at them," he rasped, his voice a low vibration that thrummed against my lips. "Look at me. Make them believe that you're mine."

Before I could even catch my breath, his mouth crashed against mine in a possessive kiss. Deep and punishing. He tasted of mint and dark coffee.

He didn't just kiss me; he marked me, his tongue lashing against mine with a possessiveness that made my knees go weak.

My hands instinctively moved to his chest, bunching the fabric of his hoodie, and for a second, the lines blurred. I wasn't sure if I was performing for the cameras or if I was simply drowning in him.

He pulled me closer, his arms locking around my waist until there wasn't a breath of space left between us, letting everyone watching know exactly who I belonged to.

Kyren slowly pulled back, his thumb dragging across my bottom lip, which was now swollen and red from his mouth.

He didn't let go of me. He kept his arm draped around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. We walked through the main doors. The lobby of the athletic center fell silent.

We passed Tessa, who looked like she'd seen a ghost. Kyren didn't acknowledge her, he just pulled me closer, his fingers digging slightly into my hip. A silent reminder for me to stay in character.

Inside the briefing room, we joined the entire varsity hockey team and the cheer squad. My dad stood at the front. He looked exhausted, and his face looked pale.

I needed to get him to a doctor. Off campus.

Coach Laurel entered the briefing room before taking the spot next to my dad. "We have exciting news for you all." She announced.

Kyren wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on top of my head.

"We're sending you to Wolfe Lodge. A private mountain estate. This is a mandatory week-long training intensive." My dad explained, and excited whispers filled the room.

"Take this time to train, get to know your team, and build more friendships. Forgive each other." Coach Laurel said, her gaze flicking between Tessa and me.

Tessa was the first to storm out of the room. She heard it too. The meaning behind Coach's words was that Tessa dropped me, and I needed to forgive her.

Tessa claimed that she dropped me by accident, but nobody believed her. Accident or no accident, the trust between us was broken.

How could I trust her to catch me after what happened?

Once the meeting was over, I left the building with Kyren by my side. He grabbed my hand, interlacing our fingers, and my heart skipped a beat.

"I love when hot people date," Jia muttered with a smile on her face before she and Brie disappeared down the hallway.

He walked me to my first lecture of the day. We stopped in front of the large doors that led to the lecture hall.

"I was thinking about taking my dad to the hospital in the city after class. With everything going on, I want to stay away from the campus clinic." I explained before running a tired hand over my face.

"He seemed out of himself at the meeting," Kyren noted, a light frown creasing his forehead.

"Come see me before you leave," he demanded before placing an unexpected kiss on my lips. He turned his head before smirking at a group of girls watching us nearby.

He left my side without another word. I took a seat in the front row and froze when I found Oliver there.

I didn't know he was a biology major. I hesitantly sat down, leaving two seats open between us.

"Are you okay? I haven't spoken since we bumped into each other at your dad's place." He uttered, concern lacing his words.

"Practice keeps me busy." I kindly answered before turning to my books.

"Are you sure? I saw that kiss; it looked like he was hurting you. You don't have to do this, Hailey." He whispered in a tone that only I could hear.

"Kyren would never hurt me." I pointedly stated. "I'm not some damsel who needs saving. If I'm kissing someone, it's because I want to."

Oliver's expression shifted from concern to a dark flash of something I couldn't quite identify.