His Dangerous Love On Ice Chapter 81: Cole's Pov

I froze, heart beating five times faster than normal.

"What?"

"I'm ruined. Completely ruined. I don't know how this happened, who did this—" She was crying now. "It couldn't be Zane. He wouldn't dare. He's my brother. He's always been supportive. He wouldn't want revenge... would he?"

"Revenge?" I asked carefully, pulse hammering.

"Yes—because Zane knew I forged the video."

"You did what?" I said it like I was shocked, even though I knew exactly what she meant. I wasn't going to act like an accomplice.

"God, Cole, don't you know? Are you that slow?" She sounded hysterical now. "I forged the frame-up video of Olive. And Zane figured it out—he must have. He's too smart not to. I know he can be reckless, but he wouldn't do this to his own sister... would he?"

My mind zoned out, different possibilities forming like storm clouds.

It was hard to believe what I was hearing.

He knew. He knew about Sophia.

And if he knew about Sophia... he must know about me.

About me using her.

'Was that possible?'

No. It couldn't be.

I'd been careful. Smart. Sophia had been dirty, sloppy with her execution.

While I'd done everything clean.

"Cole? Are you even listening to me?"

Her voice vibrated through my ear, pulling me back.

"Yeah, baby, I am. I'm so sorry. I don't think Zane would do something like that. He couldn't have known." I softened my voice. "But you should have told me before doing something like that. Why would you stain your pretty hands like that? You're a Mercer. You'll come back stronger. We'll figure this out together."

I could practically hear her nodding, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Okay... Would you finally come over? I miss you. You practically disappeared after our engagement and immediately claimed you had the flu. Please, Cole. I need you."

I smiled, satisfaction warming my chest. I still had her. Still had her wrapped around my finger just like I'd once had Olive.

My chest tightened at the thought.

"Yes, baby. I'll be there in thirty minutes."

I ended the call.

The second the line went dead, my brain raced with various thoughts.

Sophia's world was crumbling—and it was obvious Zane had made the hit. His own fucking sister. All her deals terminated, canceled.

God, I kept forgetting how powerful he was.

And I was messing with him.

'He couldn't have possibly known I was in her apartment.'

But if he didn't know, how had the cameras been removed?

"Fuck, fuck, Cole... you're slipping," I whispered.

I needed to do something. Act fast.

An idea hit me, and a smile curved across my lips.

I pulled out my second phone—my burner—and called my private investigator.

"Hello, Cole." A deep voice rumbled through the speaker.

"Hello, JT. I've got a job for you. A very private, very secret one. You need to be extremely careful."

"Okay, Cole. Speak. As long as you've got the money, I'm good with whatever you want."

I smiled, nodding to myself.

"I want you to find everything you can on Zane Mercer."

The line went silent for a moment. For a second, I thought he'd hung up.

"Zane... as in the Zane Mercer? Son of William Gary Mercer? The NHL VP's son?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. That Zane."

"Fuck, man. That's too—"

"Too what?"

"It's dangerous. If I get caught, I'm ruined. I'd rather be dead than have him ruin me."

My blood ran cold.

"I'll pay you double. Double what you usually make, with bonuses."

"No way, man. Five times. Five times what you'd normally pay or I'm not touching this."

"What?"

"Yes, man. That's the price. This is a big one. Why the hell are you even involved with him? If he did something to you, just let it go."

I frowned hard. Let it go? I chuckled darkly.

"No. If I agree to pay you five times—God, that's outrageous—no, I'll pay you four times what you're owed. You do the job, you do it well, and if you get caught, you don't fucking involve me. Understood?"

"Hmm. Alright. Send half now, then I start."

I ended the call, staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, Zane... You were my favorite hockey player. I admired you every fucking day." I laughed bitterly. "But I've got to do this. I've got to prove that you can't just be the boss. You can't just be whatever you want to be."

I grabbed my keys, checking the time. Less than twenty-five minutes to see Sophia.

As I walked out of my penthouse, one thing kept tugging at my mind:

People like Zane don't just get to have everything they want.

I get to have things too. I get to be people's favorite star player.

I just needed to destroy their current star.

Find his secrets. Expose them to the world.

And have Olive run from him straight back into my arms where she belonged.