Chapter 26 Mia 4
Liam Carter
I should have expected this.
The moment Mia walked into the rink, I should have known she’d pull some reckless, attention-seeking stunt. That’s who she is. Always has been. But I didn’t expect her to kiss me in front of everyone, before I could react, before I could stop her.
I was too stunned to push her off immediately, too thrown off by the audacity of it. But the moment I did pull back, my eyes weren’t even on her.
They were on Ava.
Her expression was unreadable. Blank. No hurt, no anger, just... nothing. And that pissed me off more than the kiss itself. I wanted her to react, to say something, to rip Mia off me by the hair if she had to. But she just shook her head, turned around, and walked off like it didn’t matter.
Like I didn’t matter.
Fuck.
Why did I assume that? I should know her better than that and watching her prove it just a few seconds ago, turned me on like a fool. Her composure and how she talked so casually. Like she was marking her territory in front of Mia without stooping to her level.
That’s my girl and I couldn’t wait to leave this godforsaken conversation to drive us back home.
Us. Home. Damn, that sounds like a dream come true. A dream that bore the most erotic ideas
Mia’s still talking, her hands gripping my jersey like she thinks I’ll actually pull her close instead of stepping back. I let her go a long time ago. The real question is, why the hell is she here?
She blinks up at me, eyes wide like she’s expecting me to be the same guy who used to drop everything for her.
“Liam,” she breathes, “I’ve missed you.”
“What are you doing here?” I stare at her.
Her lips part slightly, like she wasn’t expecting the coldness in my tone. Good. She shouldn’t.
“I, I just... I had to see you. I heard about the injury, and I felt awful. I thought maybe…”
“What” I almost laugh “Where have you been living? Under a rock? An injury that happened months ago?
“Liam, I just didn’t know how to…”
“No.” I cut her off, jaw clenching. “You don’t get to just show up out of nowhere and act like you give a damn.”
Mia flinches but quickly recovers, forcing a small smile.
“Come on, you’re really going to act like we meant nothing to each other?”
“You acted like we meant nothing when you left.” My voice is sharp now. “Don’t stand here and pretend this is some kind of grand reunion.”
“That’s not true.” Her face twists with frustration.
I exhale slowly, reigning in my irritation. I don’t have time for this. My pulse is still too high, my skin still too tight with the memory of Ava’s hands on me before practice, her teasing remarks, the way she stretched me out, and touched me.
And now she’s gone. Waiting in the car alone, when I should be there with her, singing to a song we both like while denying the sexual tension we both create
All because of this.
I turn away, already walking toward the locker room, but Mia grabs my wrist. “Wait, Liam, just give me five minutes. Let’s talk, just us.”
“We don’t have anything to talk about.” I yank my arm free.
Mia’s eyes flash with something, maybe desperation, maybe frustration.
“So, what? You’re just going to pretend like we never happened?”
“We did happen, Mia. And then you left. You don’t get to rewrite the past because it’s convenient for you now.” I shake my head.
She steps closer, lowering her voice. “Is this because of her?”
I go still.
Mia tilts her head, eyes narrowing slightly.
“Ava?.” She practically spits her name like it’s poison. “That’s why you’re acting like this, isn’t it??
I don’t say anything. I don’t need to.
Because the moment she says Ava’s name, something shifts inside me.
It’s not just about proving Mia wrong. It’s about the realization that I don’t give a single fuck about Mia anymore. Not the way she wants me to. Not the way I used to.
But Ava?
Ava’s under my skin.
And fuck! I like it.
I smirk, running my tongue along my teeth as I tilt my head.
“What’s wrong, Mia? You don’t like it when someone moves on?”
She scoffs. “You don’t even do love.”
I take a slow step toward her, lowering my voice. “Maybe I just never found the right girl before.”
Her face goes pale.
Good.
I walk past her without another glance.
Let her fume.
Because the only thing on my mind right now?
My snowflakes.