Chapter 2

Chapter Two

T he burn radiating up my legs doesn't slow me down. Coach has had us running drills all morning. He finally calls time but I'm not ready to stop. I keep going, working the puck across the rink until I'm the only one out here. Well, the only one skating anyway.

Coach and Gray stand off to the side. Watching. Fuckers are probably trying to psychoanalyze me. Gray knows why I'm not ready to stop. It's the same every year on this date. I need to skate until I drop. I need to work myself to the point of fucking exhaustion, because that's the only way I can escape just a little bit of the pain.

Four years. Whoever the fuck said time heals all wounds is a fucking liar. Or a moron. Probably both. Because it's been four years and it still fucking hurts. I'm living the dream, doing everything Sean and I worked our asses off to get. Everything we've wanted since college. High school . He should be living it up with me.

But he's not. And because he's not here, neither is she.

I let my mind drift to thoughts of Montana and immediately curse under my breath. It's the anniversary of my best friend's death and I still can't stop thinking about his little sister.

Four long fucking years since I last saw her. I haven't been back home, because I know the moment I cross those city lines, I'm heading straight for her. And that's something I can't do. Because, even from the grave, Sean is warning me against touching his little sister .

Ignoring the world, I keep pushing myself. That is until I skate past Gray and the fucker shoulder-checks me onto my ass. "You're done. Let's hit the showers."

"I'm done when I say I'm done," I hiss as I push back up onto my skates.

"You know I was hoping I wouldn't have to bring out the big guns, but you're leaving me no choice." Gray turns and waves a hand at the bench.

And before I know it, his six-year-old daughter comes barreling forward. "Uncle Luke, Uncle Luke, Daddy says you're coming over to my house. I made cakes. You want one of my cakes, Uncle Luke?"

I glare at Gray, who just smirks back at me. He knows I can't say no to this little girl—neither can he. "I can't wait to eat one of your cakes, Graycee." I bend down, scoop her up, and spin her around. "Are they chocolate?"

"Of course they are. Chocolate is the best kind." She smiles at me with so much joy, so much fucking innocence on her tiny little face.

"Okay. Well, I suppose I should shower first, huh?"

Graycee holds her nose and nods her head. "You're stinky," she whispers as I make my way over to the bench where her mother is waiting .

"See you soon, princess." I kiss the top of Graycee's head before passing her over to Kathryn.

Gray catches up to me in the tunnel. I don't say anything as I walk through to the locker room. After removing my gear, I jump inside a stall and allow the cold water to pelt my heated skin. I'm fucking exhausted, but not exhausted enough. Because as soon as I close my eyes, Sean's face stares back at me.

I've gone through so many different emotions over the years. Right now, I'm settling on anger. I'm fucking pissed that he did this to us. I'm more pissed at myself that I didn't know there was a problem in the first place.

I turn off the water, wrapping a towel around my waist as I walk back out to the almost empty locker room. Three pairs of eyes follow my every movement. Gray, King, and O'Neil.

"I'm pretty sure you've all got better things to do than look at my ass," I tell them as I drop my towel and pull on a pair of briefs.

"Yeah, I could be looking at my wife's ass," King says. Then I hear the slap that lands across his head.

"That's my fucking sister," Gray growls at him.

" My wife ," King repeats, and I roll my eyes.

That fucker never learned to keep his mouth shut. I'm honestly surprised Grayson hasn't killed him yet. When King first got with Aliyah, I thought for sure I was gonna have to help my best friend bury a body. But here we are, all fucking friends. Some of us closer than family.

I wonder if Sean would have been okay with it… if I had the balls to just tell him I was in love with his sister.

I pull on a pair of jeans and then a shirt, before I swipe up my phone and check the notifications. I have three missed calls from my mom. It's not unusual for her to call me today. On this date. She has every year since we lost Sean. But three times in a row isn't like her.

I hit the voicemail icon and sit on the bench as I listen to her message. "Luke, it's mom. I… uh… I need you to call me. It's about Montana…"

I freeze. Montana. Why would my mom be calling me about Sean's little sister?

I hit my mother's number in my contacts and immediately call her back.

"Luke, thank god. How are you?"

"Mom, what's going on with Montana?" I ask.

"She's… she's here. In the hospital," Mom says, then quickly rushes out, "But she's okay."

"The hospital? What happened?" My grip tightens around the phone as I try to stop my hand from shaking.

"On the record, she was in a car accident."

"What do you mean on the record ?"

"Well, that's what her chart says but I don't believe for a second that she was in a car accident, Luke."

"Why? What's going on?"

"I've read her file. I had no idea… Luke, she's been admitted to the hospital six times in the last two years. All accidents. "

My blood goes cold. "You think someone…? Fuck," I bark out as my free hand runs through my hair. "Mom, what the fuck happened to her?"

"I don't know for sure, but I've seen this a lot. Too many times. Women claiming they're just clumsy. Girls who get into a lot of accidents . It's usually the boyfriend or husband and not a doorknob that really has them showing up all black and blue."

I see red. Whoever the fuck thought they could lay hands on Montana is a dead man. "I'm going to fucking kill him. Who? Who did it? Who touched her?"

"I don't know." My mother sighs into the phone. "Luke, she needs you. She won't let me help her, but I think she'll let you. "

"I'm on my way."

"Drive safe," Mom says. "I love you."

"Love you too. See you soon." I hang up and reach for my bag before pulling my wallet and keys from my locker.

"What happened?" Gray steps in front of me. Blocking me from walking out.

"I… I have to go home. Montana's in the hospital. Mom thinks someone…" I feel sick. My stomach turns at the thought of someone hurting her.

"I'll drive. Come on." Gray snatches the keys out of my hand and I'm too numb to do anything but watch him.

"It's a three-hour drive, Gray. I'll be fine."

"I don't give a fuck if you'll be fine. Let's go," he grunts in my direction before walking out. I slide my feet into my shoes and follow after him. He stops to talk to Kathryn and Graycee for a second. I don't hear or even bother to listen to their conversation. My mind is reeling with all the possibilities of what could have happened to Montana…

"Last time I made the trip home, to that hospital , it was because Sean died. I can't do it again…" I whisper the moment we're on the road, my glare focused on the signs blurring by us.

"Did your mom mention how bad it really is? What kind of injuries?" Gray asks.

"No." I shake my head. "Just that she's okay."

"Then, she's okay. Your mom wouldn't lie to you."

He doesn't know Montana like I do, though. She's not okay. And I've been a fucking asshole for not checking in on her. I thought keeping my distance was the best thing for her, that I was letting her move on so that she could create a life that didn't include me. I thought she'd be happy.

"I'm going to fucking kill him. Whoever the fuck she's been seeing, whoever's used her like a fucking punching bag… I'm going to find him and tear his fucking heart out of his chest."

"I'll help." No questions asked, no hesitation. Just… I'll help . Gray knows all about Montana. What she means to me.

We went out drinking shortly after I joined the Knights, and he asked about the name tattooed across my ribs. Three whiskeys deep and I told him everything. All about Sean, what he did, and then all about the girl I was in love with. The girl I couldn't have. The girl I still shouldn't be thinking about.

"What if she doesn't want my help?" I ask after another moment of strained silence. I mean, what if I get there and she tells me to fuck off?

I wouldn't blame her.

"Since when do you care if people want your help or not?" Gray says. "Best thing to do is not even ask. Just do whatever you have to do to get her out of the situation she's in."

"You're right." I nod my head.

Montana is coming home with me today. Kicking and screaming if need be. I'm not taking no for an answer. I've let her live her life. I've left her alone, and now she's curled up in a hospital bed because some asshole thought it'd be fun to beat on her.

Fuck that. I'll never let anyone lay a single finger on her again.