Break My Heart: An Enemies-to-Lovers Coach’s Daughter Sports Romance (Western Wildcats Hockey)
Break My Heart: Chapter 33

With my back facing the hot spray, I allow the water to pound my shoulders, easing the tension from two grueling hours spent on the ice.

Physically, I’m wiped.

But mentally?

My brain refuses to shut off.

I’m struggling with a dilemma. Part of me realizes I need to tell Coach what’s going on with his daughter. He should know in order to keep her safe. But another part realizes that Ava will be pissed when she discovers I took matters into my own hands.

I know that creepy fucker is still bombarding her with messages. I sneak peeks at her phone when she walks out of the room.

Is that an invasion of privacy?

Probably.

But I’m concerned that she’s downplaying the situation.

I have no idea if the guy at the rink taking pictures was Nathan. I couldn’t get a good look at him, but I’ve got a bad feeling about the way it all unfolded. It’s too much of a coincidence.

If some dude was messing with Kia, I’d want to know about it.

So I could bury him six feet under.

Every morning, I drive Ava to the rink and then stick around to watch her practice. I’ve also been picking her up after her night classes. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let her walk home alone.

Whenever I bring up the subject of her former coach, she brushes it off like it’s nothing, even though we both know that’s not the case.

By the time I twist the shower knob so the spray becomes more of a trickle, I’ve arrived at a decision.

No more procrastinating.

I need to tell Coach.

Ava might hate me for it, but I’d rather beg her forgiveness than have this guy take his obsession to the next level.

With a towel in hand, I make quick work of drying myself off before wrapping the damp material around my waist and heading back to my locker.

“Hey, Van Doren,” Colby calls out from a few lockers down. “Are we grabbing something to eat after this? I’m fucking famished. I’ll call the girls. They can all meet us at Taco Loco.”

“Nah, I’m good.”

He waggles his brows. “I’m sure Britt will invite Ava.”

I give him the finger. “I’ll call her myself.”

Bridger, who’s changing nearby, smirks as he pulls on a pair of boxers. “Seems like shit’s getting serious around here.”

“It is.”

He cocks his head and studies me. “Aren’t you getting bored?” He throws a quick look at Coach’s office before dropping his voice. “Or does this have more to do with the thrill of sneaking around behind the guy’s back?”

His words hit an unexpected nerve, and I glare at him. “This has nothing to do with sneaking around, man. I like her.” The word is too small for what I feel for Ava, but I say it anyway.

Bridger arches a brow, clearly not buying it. “Really? You sure about that?”

“Yeah, I am,” I say, more forcefully than intended. The last few weeks have changed everything.

Ava isn’t just some girl.

She’s the girl.

He shrugs. “I’m just saying, Coach isn’t gonna be thrilled when he replaces out. You’ve got a reputation, and it’s not exactly squeaky clean. If he catches wind that you’re with his daughter, he’ll probably bench your ass.”

He’s right.

Coach would flip if he knew.

Which is one reason to keep silent. But I just can’t do it. This situation has become dangerous, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Ava safe. Even if that means taking the brunt of Coach’s ire.

Ford pops his head around the corner. “You sure you don’t want to come with us? Tacos sound pretty good right now.”

I shake my head, knowing exactly what I need to do. “Maybe later.”

Ford takes off, and soon, the rest of the guys trickle out of the locker room, leaving me alone. I pull on my clothes and mentally prepare myself for what needs to happen.

With one last look at my reflection in the mirror, I suck in a deep breath and make my way to Coach’s office. Each step feels heavier than the last.

As I knock on the office door, the sound of game film drifts through the frosted glass before he calls out, “Come in.”

My heart pounds as I push the door open and step inside. “Coach?”

There’s no turning back now.

He glances at me, surprise flickering in his eyes. “Hayes? What are you still doing here? I thought everyone cleared out.”

I stuff my hands into the pockets of my joggers, unsure where to start. “Yeah, they did. I just… needed to talk to you.”

He clicks off the computer screen and swivels in his chair to give me his full attention. “Take a seat. What’s going on?”

My mouth turns cottony as I drop down on the chair opposite him. “It’s about Ava.”

“My daughter?” His brow furrows, and I can feel the weight of his scrutiny. “What about her?”

Fuck.

This is more difficult than I anticipated. I hate that I’m betraying her trust. Especially when it wasn’t easily given.

I drag a hand through my damp hair, trying to figure out the right way to say this. My gaze bounces around the room before settling on a photo of Ava with him and her mother. They’re all smiling, looking as if they’re on top of the world.

“Hayes?” he prompts, drawing my attention back to him.

“Her former coach has been texting her,” I blurt, needing to get it out. “It’s been going on for a while now, and he won’t leave her alone.”

There’s a long silence, the kind that stretches and twists in the air between us. Coach’s face goes stone-cold, his expression unreadable. “How do you know about this?” he asks, his voice tight.

“Ava told me,” I admit, knowing this conversation is about to take a turn.

“Why would she do that?” His gaze sharpens, like he’s piecing something together.

“Because…” I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the fallout. “Because we’ve been seeing each other.”

“Let me get this straight.” His jaw tightens. “You’ve been seeing my daughter?”

“Yes, sir,” I say, my voice steady. “I’m sorry you had to replace out this way, but I’m concerned. He’s sending harassing messages every day.”

He leans back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “Why didn’t she come to me herself?”

“She didn’t want to worry you,” I say quietly. “But it’s bad. The other day, at the rink… I saw a guy taking pictures of her. When I went to talk with him, he took off.”

Coach’s hand falls from his face, his eyes narrowing. “Taking pictures of her?”

“I can’t be sure who it was, but it looked suspicious.”

He swears under his breath, pulling off his ballcap and dragging a hand through his hair. “Does Ava know you’re here?”

“No.”

Even though his shoulders relax just a bit, thick tension continues to vibrate off him in heavy waves. “I appreciate you making me aware of the situation.”

“Keeping her safe is my number one priority.”

Coach studies me in silence. “It sounds like you really care about my daughter.”

I meet his gaze with an unwavering one. “I do. And I don’t want to see anything happen to her.”

He nods, his eyes softening. “I believe you.”

I stand, ready to leave, but Coach’s voice halts me in my tracks. “Did Ava mention that a very prestigious skating coach is interested in training her?”

I blink, thrown off by the shift in conversation. “No, she didn’t.”

Coach leans back in his chair, his expression turning thoughtful. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for her. More importantly, she’ll be in Colorado, and there’ll be security. Ava will be safe there. With everything going on, I think that’s the best option for her. Don’t you?”

The words hit me like a kick to the nuts.

Colorado.

That’s far away from here.

From me.

“Nadia will be with her night and day, helping her get back into competitive shape. There won’t be time for anything else,” Coach adds, his meaning clear.

Translation: there won’t be time for me.

I open my mouth to argue, but the words stay trapped inside, refusing to budge.

When I remain silent, at a loss, he continues, “Skating has always been Ava’s life. You have no idea how much it broke her to walk away. Not only is this her chance to reclaim it but to be safe.” There’s a pause as his tone gentles. “If you really want what’s best for Ava, you’ll let her go.”

The heavy weight of his words presses down on me, crushing the air from my lungs. As much as it kills me, I think he might be right.

I have to let her go.