“So you want her to go to school and pay an arm and a leg? When she can stay here and go to school for free? How is that fair? How is that protecting her? She has everything here, but that’s not what is worrying me, King. What if the cancer comes back?”

Karson’s heart sank and dread filled him as he looked away. “Do you have the money to pay all the co-pays, for the surgeries if they’re needed? Do you think the doctors wherever you are can help her the way our doctors can?”

“We can come back home if that happens. I’ll protect her,” he said, almost pleading, but Coach shook his head, his mouth in a straight line as he held Karson’s gaze.

“I know that you think this is it, that she is the girl for you, but son, you’re young and haven’t even begun to see what is out there. I need my daughter to stay here. If you let her go and allow her to finish school here, then when she graduates, I’ll give her the money to start her business.”

As much as he wanted that for Lacey, he didn’t like the terms that were being offered. He wasn’t going to allow himself to be pushed into something he didn’t want. He wanted Lacey, but he also wanted her to live her dreams. “What I don’t understand is why do I have to let her go? Can’t she stay, and I go? That was the original plan.”

“No, because she won’t. She has her mind made up. She’d follow you to the ends of the earth, and she deserves better than that. She needs security, and being a rookie in the pros is not going to offer her that. Do you know how much chemo is? How much her double mastectomy was? Hundreds of thousands of dollars, something you will not have, but I do. Let her stay here and go to school for free. Let her have the security I can give her. Let her go, King. I know it will hurt, but it’s what’s best for her.”

Karson’s fingers bit into his thighs as he slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let her go. I’ll convince her to stay here. It will work out.”

Slamming his fist against the desk, Coach shook his head as he yelled, “I want you out of her life! She won’t do what’s best for her if you are still there.”

“Yes, she will. Just let me convince her to stay here.”

“No! You aren’t good for her, Karson. You have to break it off with her. If you don’t, then I’m sorry, but you can forget about playing tomorrow.”

“You can’t do that!” Karson yelled, flying out of his seat. “Teams are coming to watch me tomorrow. I have to play!”

“You’re right. You have to let her go, or not only will you lose your career but you’ll also lose her. What girl will want to stay with a loser? Especially when you have nothing to offer her?”

Tears stung his eyes as he looked away, gasping for breath. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love her and need to protect her. She is all I have left of her mother, and I can’t let her go.”

“But I can’t either. I love her.”

“If you love her, then let her go. She will be better without you.”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “We are better together.”

“You heard me. You have till tomorrow, King. End it, or I’ll end your career.”

Taking in a deep breath, he tried to process everything that was just said to him. He was being blackmailed, and there was nothing he could do about it. No one would believe him. Nate Martin was the most respected college hockey coach in the league. Everyone loved him. Hell, Karson’s own dad loved him. He had no choice. He had to protect his career, and he had to make sure that Lacey had the life she deserved, even if it killed him to do it. Coach was right. She had free college here, and if her cancer did come back, at least here, she would be taken care of. As much as he wanted to live in his little fantasy world of being a pro and having the best girl on his arm, he had to realize that it wasn’t going to happen.

Looking up at his coach, he said, “I’ll end it.”

“Good,” he said with a nod, running his hand through his blond hair. “And another thing, King—she can’t ever know about this. I’ll ruin you if she ever finds out. Don’t ever forget about my connections in the pros.”

Karson slowly nodded his head. “I won’t tell her.”

“Or Grady. This is between us. Believe me; it’s for the best. I am helping both of you. You’ll see and be thankful when you are a single rookie making the world yours.”

Standing up, Karson looked at the man he had idolized for the last two years and felt nothing but hatred for him. Clearing his throat, he shook his head as he said, “I won’t have a world because Lacey won’t be by my side.”

Walking out of the office in a daze, Karson headed back to the dorm, ignoring everyone as he headed to his room. Once there, he fell into bed and closed his eyes tightly. His tears ran along the side of his eyes, and he needed them to get out of him now. When he was face-to-face with Lacey, he couldn’t cry. He couldn’t let her see how he was slowly dying inside because it would give it all away. She could see right through him and would know that he wasn’t being truthful, but he couldn’t see another way out of this. He had to do it, even if he didn’t want to let her go. There was no other option; he had to protect her and himself. He had worked so hard for his career, and he loved her too much to jeopardize her life. Coach was right; he couldn’t support her the way her father could.