Off Ice.

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

Finn

I literally cannot stop checking my phone.

Aves isn't the only who's on edge. I am constantly making sure she's not calling or texting me - that I'm not missing anything just in case it has to do with that freak. I just know that he's going to be around, especially since I'm not. I went to her apartment complex's security before I left again and reiterated how they need to look out for him, how he's been stalking her for years and he's crossed state lines in order to follow her. The first guy I spoke to looked so disinterested and it boiled my blood but then his supervisor saw what was going down and stepped in and she was much more invested.

Her name's Kate and she wanted to help, which is more than literally anyone else in that stupid fucking city have been like when it came to the situation. She had me show her the footage that I had went through with the people working down there the day Mason showed up, and explain everything. She pulled up Avery's apartment record as well as all the tenets in the building and specifically looked for people with the last name Hughes or the initials MH, but there were only three and they were definitely not him. One is a single mother who lives here with her daughter, one was some dude in his late twenties that Kate said is a self proclaimed wannabe influencer (apparently he walks around the building with his camera all the time - telling everyone he meets that he's the next David Dobrik), and some old lady who's lived in the building for longer than Avery's even been in Los Angeles.

I laughed at the influencer guy. To each their own of course, and Avery would yell at me and say that he's just doing what he loves - but it's really fucking funny. LA is full of those kinds of people.

I also gave Kate my phone number so she could contact me if there was anything going on. I'm really fucking relieved that there is at least one person in that building besides Cam and Avery who are being vigilant about him, and I'm glad that it's someone who's got a high position in the security.

I obviously would never want to take Avery away from the life she's created for herself, but I won't lie - I wish I could just pack up all of her shit and take her on the road with me, purely because I'd know where she was and that she was okay the entire time.

Yes, I know that's overprotective and probably not okay. No, I don't give a fuck. Why should I? It's not like I'm expecting her too or even telling her that that's what I would love to do. I care about Avery more than I care about myself and there's someone out there who could hurt her, who has hurt her. I don't care how possessive it is, I just want her to be safe.

But with that being said, I would literally never try and pull her away from her own life. One of the many things I love about my relationship with Avery is that we're both our own people and we both live our own lives. We're good people separately and we just become better when we're together. Me wanting to take her with me has nothing to do with me wanting to be in control of her life at all, in fact that's the last thing I want - it's just about me not wanting her to be in danger.

I know it doesn't make much sense, but that's just how I feel at the moment.

I had a meeting with my team and we had dinner together and let me tell you, it's hard as fuck not talking about Seattle with them. Liam approached me earlier in the night when I arrived and just shook my hand, the two of us silently acknowledging the fact that this is my last season with the Sharks.

I pride myself on the fact that I'm a pretty emotional guy - I like that I'm in touch with how I feel and that I don't feel weak for being a bit more sensitive. I hid it well like I usually do, but I did get choked up a bit when he shook my hand. I remember him coming to that event back in Seattle and talking to me for the first time. I remember how nervous I was and how big and scary he seemed purely because he was a coach in the NHL.