The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 49

He is still quiet. With one last glance at him, I quictly left the room.

As she walked down the hospital corridor, I felt the exhaustion return in full force. I had crossed so many of my own boundaries just in the past couple of hours. It made one issue of mine more evident:

Timothy and I were far from over.

I stumbled through the door of the apartment, my body weak with exhaustion and hunger. The events from the woods still weighed heavily on me, and I felt like I could barely stand.

Aria popped up from around the corner. As soon as she saw me, she came rushing towards me, her eyes wide with worry.

“Oh, my goodness, Evie! What happened? Are you okay?” Aria asked rapidly.

“I–I need to get his blood off of me,” I blurted out, tripping over my words.

They didn’t seem to register to her at first as she stood there and blinked at me for a few seconds. Finally, it seemed to commute, and she backed away, holding her hands up.

“Oh! Yeah, go take a long bath,” she begged, clasping her hands together.

I nodded, already shuffling toward the bathroom down the hall. Just before I closed the door, she shouted, “I’ll make you some dinner!”

I stood before the mirror, my reflection a dark expression of my reality. My face was ashen, smeared with dirt and blood. My brown eyes, usually bright with determination, were red and strained.

With a deep breath, I tore my gaze away from the mirror. There was work to be done, decisions to be made, and I couldn’t afford to dwell on my appearance any longer. Besides, Timothy was in far worse condition than me.

I stepped away from the mirror and switched on the shower, already relaxing at the sight of the powerful streams shooting from the shower head. I peeled off my clothes and stepped in.

The water cascaded over me, mingling with the tears that streamed down my

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cheeks I grabbed the shampoo and squirted it in my hair before working it in with my nails. The red film of blood on my skin washed away at my feet and swirled down the drain, erasing all evidence of its existence.

If only the water could wash away my thoughts. As the water flowed over my face. I couldn’t stop replaying the event of Bruce’s knife sinking into Timothy’s skin. Bruce didn’t even think Timothy would risk it, but he had been wrong.

My relationship with Timothy was a dangerous dance on the edge of disaster. He was my client, and I was his lawyer. Yet, there I was kissing his cheek in the hospital.

I could chop it off to pity, but I was just as pitiful for caving in.

I scrubbed my skin raw, breaking off the last remnants of debris until I was left with a sense of purification.

Wrapping myself in a towel. I stepped into the bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the body–length mirror. I still looked weathered, and a bruise I hadn’t noticed on the side of my face was visibly purple. But I was clean.

I got

dressed in some sweatpants and a large sweatshirt, the cold still clinging to me, before stepping back into the living room. Aria was at the stove, stirring pasta in a large pot as marinara sauce sizzled in the pan beside it.

The tangy aroma lifted my spirits ever so slightly and I drifted into the kitchen. As I slid onto one of the seats at the counter, the chair legs squeaked beneath my weight. This caught Aria’s attention as she then whipped around. spoon still in hand.

and hunched over. She looked ready to burst

know where to start,” I said,

spoon, finally realizing she was dripping sauce everywhere, before walking over to me. Take your time, Evie. I’m here for you,” she

placed her hands on my arms and suddenly snatched them away. Without a second thought, she rushed to grab a blanket from off the couch, then draped it over

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Chapter 49

down in one sitting.

beginning,” Aria encouraged, rubbing circles

said finally. “But I told him that I wouldn’t give it to him, so

can’t believe he would do

came. Then he-” I cut myself, reminded of Timothy’s pained cry as he collapsed. “I was

tightly. “You’re safe now, Evie. He won’t

“He‘ still out there!”

police. They need to find Bruce and

bitterly. “They’ll investigate,

me. “He kidnapped you, and he stabbed

at Aria. “I know, but what if there’s not enough evidence? What if it’s just his word against mine? The police might not

but we have to at least try. We can’t

tears welling up in my eyes once again. “I’m just so scared,

won’t let that

enough?” I sighed heavily. “What if he finds a way to manipulate the situation again? I can’t go through that

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Chapter 49

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my eyes. “I promise you, Evie, you won’t have to

breath, trying to steady my nerves. Aria’s words

time to think about it,” I said finally, wiping away my tears. “But can

Aria gasped. “The pasta!”

over the whole time. Aria grabbed the spoon and began to stir rapidly, taming

water.

my words!” she promised, and I found myself laughing at the absurdity

to check on him, to see how he was faring. I’d caught the news reports about his recovery,

speedy recovery. Others were holding peculiar rituals, vowing to curse the man.

work.

life. He would be back soon, but the fear of facing him, of seeing

blink. above the elevator doors. When they opened, Timothy emerged, accompanied by another man. I watched from across the hall as he led Timothy into the

work,

just let someone take care of you, for once?” the man retorted, following Timothy inside. The door was left ajar and I stood still, waiting for

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Chapter 49

bit my lip, torn between wanting to know how Timothy was and wanting

goodbye to Timothy before shutting the door behind him. He stopped to

said softly, hoping my voice