The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 96
Bruce was no stranger to the law. Breaking it was his favorite hobby. I could still
recall the moment he walked through the door of my father's home, a permanent
smirk etched onto his face along with that practiced swagger. From the moment
he locked eyes with me, I knew he'd found his next punching bag.
I tried to keep my distance from him, during High School, but I was well aware of
the shady activities he was involved in behind closed doors. Teens and adults
alike. would show up at our door for all sorts of
things, most of which were illegally produced by his own hands. With my dad
constantly out and my stepmother purposefully carefree, Bruce could bring over
a serial killer and they'd be none the wiser.
Seven Years Ago
I'd come home earlier from school that day. Debate team was cancelled for the
evening, so I had the
luxury of trekking home while there was still a hint of daylight. I was less fortunate
to find Bruce's truck parked in the driveway.
I paused at the door, my hand wrapped around the doorknob, as I debated going
in. I didn’t have anywhere — or anyone
or anyone — else to run to, but dealing with Bruce seemed like a bigger hassle
than just sitting on the swings at the elementary school’s playground until
sundown.
With a sigh, I tried the door and found that it was unlocked. I pushed through,
trying to keep my steps quiet as I shut the door behind me and took off my
shoes. Bruce's voice travelled down the hall, though he sounded preoccupied.
“Well, tell that asshole if he doesn’t give me my fair share by the end of the week,
I'll skin him alive,” he growled, and I heard winced when I heard glass shatter
against the wall. “No, you will tell him!”
It wasn't out of the ordinary to hear Bruce spout off violent threats, but I had yet
to see him act on any of them. He wasn't exactly strong in build, and his skin had
the pallor of someone who barely touched the skin. Of course, I'd already learned
not to underestimate his ability to manipulate others.
I slipped my backpack off my shoulders and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed
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one of the only decent looking apples out of the basket on the counter and took a
small bite out of it, testing the taste. It had taken on the softened texture of a fruit
far past its due date.
Scrunching my nose, I threw out the rest of them and turned to the grocery list on
the refrigerator door.
The list was getting bigger and bigger, like they were expecting me to pull the
weight when it came to grocery shopping. My salary was only so big and buying
hundreds of dollars worth of food meant little with Bruce's impossible appetite.
I dropped my bag onto the floor and hopped onto one of the seats at the
breakfast bar. I dropped my head in my hands and shook it violently, wondering
when I'd wake up from this nightmare.
“Who's out there?”
My heart stilled and I cursed myself, forgetting that Bruce was attentive when it
suited him. His harsh steps echoed throughout the home as he entered the
hallway and walked into the kitchen, spotting me at one of the seats. He
narrowed his eyes. at first before a crooked grin edged its way onto his lips.
“Coco, hello,” he said slimily, sauntering over to the other side of the counter. I
looked down, letting my hair fall over my eyes and effectively blocking his view of
my face.
“Bruce,” I said coldly.
He drummed his fingers along the counter and let out a chuckle. “I've got some
“friends coming over soon. Best run along before they get here.”
I leered up at him. “Why?”
“Oh, interested in my little business?” he asked casually, tilting his head back. “I
can show you a thing or two about making deals with people.”
Finally, I pulled my bangs away and allowed him to take in my scrutinizing
expression. He seemed pleased with this, however, his smile broadening.
“Oh, like you're the master of manipulation?” I prodded.
Bruce leaned in close, his foul breath fanning against my face. “It's second
nature to me. You just find someone's weakness, their vulnerability, and you
exploit it.”
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I felt a shiver run down my spine, a mixture of fascination and unease. Bruce had
always been enigmatic, but now he was being open about a side of himself that
I'd only heard whispers of. He had a reputation for hacking into secure systems,
but he'd always been careful not to reveal too much about his illicit activities.
Just as the conversation was taking an unsettling turn, there was a knock at the
door. Bruce tilted his head toward the door and lifted his eyebrows, a silent
offering for me to watch him in action. I sat still as he walked toward the door and
peered through the peep hole.
“Who is it?" he asked obnoxiously. Briefly, he caught me staring and gave me a
wink. I shot him a look of disgust.
“You know who it is,” a familiar voice came through the door, already sounding
agitated. “Open up.”
Bruce's persona seemed to morph right then. His relaxed demeanor turned stiff
and reserved as he opened the door and waved his visitors inside. When I saw
who walked through, I froze.
Timothy charged in, his expression stern. He didn’t notice me sitting there with
his back turned and his attention set solely on Bruce.
Bruce smirked at him, his tone dripping with false cheer. “Well, look who we have
here. Timothy, what brings you to our humble abode?”
Timothy wasted no time, his voice laced with irritation. “Cut the crap, Bruce.
Where are those CDs we asked for?”
Bruce leaned against his desk, his eyes locked onto Timothy's. “Ah, yes, the
CDs. Well, it seems the price has gone up since our last conversation.”
Timothy clenched his fists, his patience wearing thin. “You can't just change the
price like that, Bruce. We agreed on a fair deal.”
Bruce chuckled darkly, his eyes dancing with mischief. “Fair is such a subjective
term, Timothy. But don’t worry, I'm willing to make a compromise.”
I watched in silence, my heart pounding in my chest. There was an air of danger
in the room, and I could sense that things were about to take a turn for the worse.
Timothy's jaw clenched, his voice low and controlled. “Fine, Bruce. Just tell us
the new price, and we'll settle this.”
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Bruce's lips curled into a sly grin, and he turned his attention to me. “How about
this, Timothy? I'll throw in Evie as part of the deal. That should balance out the
price, don't you think?”
My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a flush of embarrassment wash over me. All
eyes fell on me and I ducked my head, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks. I
couldn't tell if Bruce was joking or not.
Timothy's face darkened with anger, and he took a step forward, his voice sharp
and unwavering. “You nasty fuck. How are you going to disrespect your own
sister like that?”
My eyes widened and I looked up at Timothy. His eyes were on Bruce, but there
was a passion behind his glare that made my chest tighten and my heart quicken
in pace.
“I'm here for the CDs,” Timothy repeated. “Nothing else.”
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) =

Bruce's laughter filled the room, a
sinister sound despite the humardn

: So fo ®
his expressioy. du you're such a

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oz, fine, I'll give you your
precious CDs. But the price has gone
”
up, so be prepared to pay.” The
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the latest chapter there!
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Timothy looked at me once again
P
and I couldn't help but pause under
his striking gaze. Hig feyel@yes'
cgnsiddrede for a moment,
curiosity taking over his previous
anger. Eventually, he looked back at
Bruce and scoffed. The content is on
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chapter there!
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i] wT . :
Fine.” Timothy reached into his

pocket, producing a wad of cash. He
counted out the mogeg pndHanded it
tqBrycdlAfteY receiving the payment,
Bruce went to go. retrieve the burned
CDs before shoving them into

5 )
Timothy's hands. The content is on
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chapter there!
“Nice doing business with you,” Bruce said pleasantly, tucking the cash away.
Timothy squinted at him, his fists clenched. “Consider it the last time. Asshole.”
As Timothy walked out in a huff, Bruce turned to me, a wicked glint in his eyes.
“Well, that was amusing, don't you think, Evie?”
I glared at him, my voice laced with anger. “You're despicable, Bruce. Offering
me up like I'm some kind of toy.”
Bruce shrugged, unapologetic and unabashed. “It's all in good fun, Evie. You
shouldn't take it so seriously.”
But I couldn't shake the feeling of violation and betrayal that had settled in my
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Chapter 96
chest. Bruce's words had cut deep, and I couldn't deny that I'd been
entertain his antics even slightly. As he continued to laugh, I couldn't help but
wonder how deep his deceit ran and what other secrets he was hiding.