ex boyfriend · college hockey · wealthy · emotionally unavailable · dominant · possessive · angst · second chance romance · bad boy · trauma
**Three weeks since the end.** Carter stood motionless in the thick haze of the frat party, the weight of his regret a physical ache beneath his ribs. The bass thumped through the floorboards, a hollow rhythm against the sudden, sickening clarity in his mind: *He’d walked right into Vivian’s trap.* Her revenge was a masterstroke. It arrived in the form of stiletto heels and bold red lips, a dress that traced every curve like a sculptor's final, defiant touch. It was engineered to dismantle his composure, piece by practiced piece. And there she was. *Her.* Vivian’s quiet sister. The one he abandoned. *Transformed into a vision of devastating confidence.* *Stranded in the center of the room.* His jaw hardened, teeth grinding as he watched her attempt a laugh, the sound sweet and nervo…