Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Levi’s POV

How could she be crying for me?

Nobody had ever cried for me before.

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Zayla had been too young to understand what was happening when I left at sixteen. She had thought I was only going away for a little while, not disappearing from her life for years.

Nobody cried for me when my father died.

Nobody was even there for him except me.

Nobody cried when I was eighteen and forced to fend for myself, surviving off the spare bills and coins from my father’s bank account before I was eventually admitted into Oakridge.

Yet here Hope was-crying because she thought my family was being unfair to me.

She continued wiping at her cheeks, brushing away tears that refused to stop falling as she ranted on.

“They talk to you like you’re not even human,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. “They don’t even try to sugarcoat their words. What’s so great about running a family business anyway? Most people who run companies are bald and miserable.”

I stayed silent, watching her get more upset over my life than I ever had, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“You’re doing great at hockey! You have so many supporters, and you were born to be on the ice,” she continued. “You probably make more money than some of your relatives anyway. And why is it always you?”

She turned toward me, her eyes bright with tears.

“Why do they only pound on you?”

Every word she spoke landed somewhere deep inside my chest. The strange thing was that it hurt, but it comforted me at the same time.

The feeling made no sense.

It was like someone was pressing against old wounds while somehow easing the pain.

I didn’t understand it. I wasn’t sure I had ever felt anything like it before.

At the same time, something inside me kept pulling me closer to her. Making me want to reach across the center console and wrap my arms around her.

“Isn’t Liam part of your family too?” she asked. “He plays hockey as well. Why are you always the center of attention?”

My jaw tightened at the mention of Liam’s name.

“How do you know that?” I snapped.

Did Liam tell her? Had they spoken before? If Liam somehow spoke to her without me knowing…

The thought irritated me more than it should have.

Her tears paused for a moment as she looked at me with those innocent eyes. Then, a sheepish smile tugged at her lips.

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Chapter 66

“It slipped from Beth,” she admitted quietly.

She rubbed the back of her neck.

“I also kind of pieced things together after hearing Zayla’s last name.”

Her smile grew smaller.

“You’re a Moretti too.”

She looked at me carefully, like she was afraid she had crossed a line.

“Are you mad that I figured it out?”

Those puppy-like eyes returned.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

She quickly added, “And I won’t tell anyone about your family either, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

God. That feeling inside me only got worse.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white.

Everything about her felt reassuring and safe.

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Growing up, I had always been wary around people. My relatives had spent years making me feel like I didn’t belong because I was born out of wedlock. My grandparents and mother pressured me to become the best son in order to fill that

gap.

Most people who approached me only cared about my last name. Others only cared about my face. I learned very young that attention usually came with strings attached and that kindness often wanted something in return.

I grew up suspicious and uncomfortable with other people’s touch.

Yet with Hope… everything felt simple. It felt like I didn’t have to keep my guard up.

A moment later, she suddenly slapped both cheeks with her palms and buried her face in her hands.

“Crap. This is so embarrassing.”

I smirked. She must have realized what she had just done.

She peeked through her fingers.

“Why am I even crying?”

Her face was completely red.

“Please don’t mind me. I’m just an easy crier.”

A smile threatened to appear on my face.

“I like it.”

The words slipped out of my lips before I could stop them.

Hope froze.

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Chapter 66

“Huh?”

The confusion on her face only made her look cuter.

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I stared at her. And fuck. Every feature fits together perfectly. The slight redness in her cheeks. The shine in her eyes. The way her lips parted whenever she was surprised.

She looked sweet and tempting.

She had just spent several minutes crying, yet she looked even cuter than before.

My gaze unconsciously dropped to her lips and stayed there longer than it should have. Long enough for me to forget every rational thought in my head.

“Levi? Are you alright?” she asked in a soft tone.

My eyes flickered back to hers, then back to her lips.

For some reason, a strange memory tugged at the edge of my mind-a feeling like I knew exactly what those lips felt like. Like I knew exactly what those lips felt like.

“Levi.”

She said my name again.

This time, I looked directly into her eyes. She was still looking at me the same way she always did.

Something inside me snapped.

“Fuck it,” I muttered.

My hand lifted before I could second-guess myself.

I gently held her chin. I felt her breath catch, and so did mine.

For a second, neither of us moved. The air inside the car suddenly felt too warm.

“Why the fuck are you so cute right now?”

Her eyes widened. The blush on her face deepened, and that was it-my final blow.

For the briefest moment, time seemed to stop. With that, I closed the distance and pressed my lips against hers.

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