The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 44

My eyes fluttered open, and my head throbbed with a dull ache. Though body was heavy with exhaustion, it felt like | was being restricted in movement. | blinked and my eyes darted around at the space around me.

The room was larger than expected. It appeared to be a barn shed, which exuded an aura of neglect.

The air was musty, carrying the scent of damp wood and decaying hay. Cobwebs clung to the corners, and dust particles floated lazily in the dim light that filtered through the cracked windows.

The ground floor was cluttered with remnants of the past. Wooden crates and rusted tools were strewn haphazardly across the floor. Broken pieces of furniture, long forgotten and abandoned, were scattered throughout the space, their once vibrant colors now faded with time.

The walls were adorned with peeling paint, and patches of wallpaper clung stubbornly to the surfaces. Old, weathered horse saddles leaned against them. A sense of eerie tranquility filled the air, interrupted only by the occasional sound of rodents scurrying in the shadows.

| looked out the broken windows, attempting to guess the time of day. Brooding clouds loomed overhead, floating along a gray sky. | could hear the rain beating against the steel roof in a low hum.

Asharp whine emanated from the doors ahead of me as they slid open, startling me into alertness. Panic surged through me as memories of my encounter with Bruce flooded back. He poked his head in a grinned.

“Good morning, Coco,” Bruce’s voice rang throughout the open space, making my skin crawl. He walked inside and slid the doors shut behind him before prowling toward me.

| made a move to back away, only then realizing that | was bound to a chair. The rope rubbed my skin raw as | shifted. My heart began to pound in my chest as glared at him.

“Let me go, Bruce,” | pleaded, my voice shaking.

Bruce stepped closer and poked out his bottom lip. “Oh, | don’t think so, Coco.

Besides, you kind of forced my hand here,” he said, his eyes gleaming with malevolence.

Tears welled up in my eyes. “Please, | won't tell anyone what happened here. Just let me go,” | begged desperately. “You don’t have to go this far!”

But Bruce’s grip on reality seemed to have slipped entirely. Any hint of amusement had left his expression since our last discussion, replaced with something sadistic. “I’m not letting you go until | get that money. And if you won’t give it to me willingly, then I'll have to involve your lover,” he hissed.

At first, my mind drifted to Lucas, who | had pretended to date openly. He couldn’t have been watching me that closely to even guess we were dating, especially since that was an act we reserved for Timothy. Except, there was a knowing look in his eyes as he tilted his chin up.

“Let's see if lover boy can drop that hockey stick of his for a few seconds to come ‘rescue’ you,” said Bruce. “I’m sure he'll b able to part with a few dollars, or so.” My jaw dropped. “No, don’t bring Timothy into this!”

Bruce raised an eyebrow, looking highly intrigued. “So protective. Before, you could hardly stomach the guy, and | saw how he did you with that little bet of his.”

Just the thought of even Bruce knowing about Timothy’s bet made my stomach curdle. He thought it would be easy to try me after that, as if | was desperate enough.

Regardless, he knew he was triggering me by dragging Timothy into this twisted game. “He’s a part of your life now, Coco, and he’s going to pay for it. | wish | could just throw my legs back for a come up instead of working my life away,” he spat.

“You bastard,” | mumbled, leering up at him. “I worked hard to get to where | am!”

“Of course, you did.” Bruce walked closer to me, his knees knocking against mine. He leaned over, his lips right at my ear as he said, “With every inch of your body.”

Tears streamed down my face and | turned away, ashamed that | could even cry in front of him in the first place. “I don’t belong to you, Bruce. You can’t control me or my life,” | asserted.

Bruce only laughed cruelly. “You do belong

make sure you give me exactly what | wao me now, Coco. And I’m going i A

8.54%%%

With that, Bruce turned and left the shed, leaving me alone in the suffocating room. | had to find a way out and escape this nightmare before Bruce carried out his threats.

Frantically, | looked around the shed for anything that could help. My eyes fell on a rusty shovel tucked away in a corner. It was a long shot, but | had to try.

Summoning every ounce of strength, | stood up, the weight of the chair making my breath ragged. | shimmied over to the shovel and turned around so that the sharpest edge was near my wrists. With trembling hands, | began sawing at the rope that bound her.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as | worked on the rope. Each second felt like an eternity as | fought through the pain and exhaustion. After a while, | strained to look over my shoulder, desperate for any progress.

The shovel had made a nice gash in the rope, not enough to split it. Where would | even go once it was off? From the sound of it, | was in an isolated area.

There was a likelihood of Timothy winding up right where | was. No words could describe my disdain for Bruce for dragging Timothy into this. If Timothy had the sense, unlike | had, he would stay away.

That would be in his best interest at least. As much as | didn’t want to entertain the idea, part of me was hoping that he would arrive. Bruce was using me for blackmail, after all, since he hadn’t been able to blackmail me.

| sighed and shifted around in my seat, the motivation leaving me. Instead, | watched the raindrops trickling down the broken glass and propel themselves onto. the dusty floorboards.

Would Timothy give into his wishes in exchange for me? It felt almost selfish to believe he would. As disgusting at Bruce was, he was right about my naivete.

It was what led to me sleeping with Timothy all those years ago. | had fallen victim to his soft kisses and tender touches, only to receive the final sting upon finding him and his friends having a laugh at my vulnerability.

Timothy had undoubtedly changed since then. He was more focused, but he had also taken on a gentleness that seemed to emanate warmth. Despite all the pain he had caused me, | couldn’t deny the sweetness | saw in his actions now.

11:21 Thu, 21 Mar GGA

He went out of his way to help, offering a hand to those in need without hesitation. His smile was still reserved and guarded, but his hazel eyes gave off a hint of softness. Still, | wondered if I'd get to see those eyes again, admiring me from a distance as | denied him.

As the rain continued to fall outside, | began to fall in and out of consciousness. The exhaustion was getting a hold of me, enticing me. Forgiveness didn’t erase the past, but the anger and resentment that had once consumed me was fading.

For once, | wanted to feel weightless. That came temporarily as | was claimed by sleep.

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