“Jax, what are we doing here?” She shivered. Even in spring, the night air was chilled. I slid my jacket around her arms. I couldn’t help the grin that crossed my face when she huffed and followed me.
“We’re going somewhere downtown?” Her gaze searched the area for recognition.
“Yes.” We were close enough that I was okay to let a few hints slip.
Her guesses were closer. “We’re going to a show?”
“Almost.” I smiled as she looked incredulously at me for my nonanswers.
As we got closer, more and more people gathered, some of whom were singing in excitement. She turned her head to hear better just as we stepped around the corner. She went still and stared up at the big theater sign. A high-pitched squeal escaped her, and she jumped into my arms. She beamed, eyes bright, and a wide smile took over.
“Congratulations, Sidney, for acing your midterm.” I squeezed her tighter, eyes still roaming over her face. Her smile wobbled before she wrapped her arms around me, tucking her head deep into my chest. She took deep breaths, and I slid her feet back to the ground, wrapping myself around her. Tightness constricted my chest, knowing the emotions she was fighting against. I hoped she lost. I hoped she caved to them and let this happen.
I cupped her face with my hands and gently wiped her tears with my thumb. “This wasn’t exactly the reaction I expected.” I kept my voice light so she knew I was joking. Her surprised laugh surrounded us.
She looked up at me and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “Thank you. A million times, thank you.”
“Anything for you.” Playfully clipping her chin with my knuckle, I grabbed her hand and led her inside to watch her favorite play. Hamilton.
TWENTY-EIGHT
JAX
My pounding heart echoed in my ears as I sucked down a breath deep into the bottom of my lungs. My legs burned with the effort to propel myself down the rink, but I ignored my body’s screams to stop. Instead, I dug into the feeling, knowing that it meant I was pushing myself to my very limit.
The puck felt natural on my stick, like the two were stuck together as I weaved in and out of defensemen. We were tied two-two in the championship game, and like hell I’d let us go into overtime. No, this stopped here, with this goal.
Alex skated up my left side out of view of the players focused on me. I deked right until they moved with me before sending a blind pass to where I knew Alex was just as the defensemen crashed into me, lifting me off my feet. Pain radiated through me, and my lungs refused to take a breath, but I didn’t care. All my focus was on Alex’s bar down goal.
I heaved my breath and shoved the player off me. He looked utterly defeated, and I patted his head while getting up. “Good game, buddy.”
He just growled. Not that I could blame him. They’d been fucking close to winning. Too fucking close, but we’d shut them down like I knew we would.
Our team was huddled around Alex, cheering our victory, but my eyes searched for the pretty brunette I knew would be in the crowd. Somehow, in the last few months, she’d become the only person I wanted to celebrate with.
My breath hitched when I spotted her wide eyes, a smile taking over her face. She bit her lower lip, knowing it drove me crazy. I skated toward her, and her eyes grew wider with each move until only a quarter inch of glass separated us.
“Meet me at the dressing room entrance,” I yelled over the roar of the crowd. I didn’t want to wait a single second more than I had to.
“What?” She turned her head and moved her ear closer to the glass.
“Meet me at the dressing room entrance.” I shouted the words.
She shook her head, and her cheeks turned the beautiful shade of pink I loved so much. She knew that was where girlfriends waited for their men.
I stared her down, hoping she could see just how serious I was. “You better fucking be there, Trouble. You don’t want me tracking you down, and I promise you I will.”
A shudder ran through her. Maybe she would like me hunting her. I stored that away for later.
Her hands wrung in front of her, and she nodded. “Hurry.”
Fuck. With that word, I raced to the dressing room.
Alex charged into me, nearly knocking me over. “Buddy, that pass was wicked.”
“Get off me.” I broke from his arms, trying to strangle me like a motherfucking python. “I don’t have time for this.”
“Your girl meeting you, Jaxy?” Lucas smiled from across the dressing room. This time, instead of denying it, I smiled wide, letting every player in here know she was mine.
Alex patted my back. “You better hurry the fuck up, then. That one’s skittish.”
Didn’t I fucking know it? It felt like any second she could disappear on me, but screw that. I was claiming her today, letting every asshole know who she was with.
Sidney’s muffled voice came from the hall. “He asked me to come.”
I was on my feet, half-dressed with my hockey pads still on but jerseyless.
Our security guard laughed and pushed her back. “Listen, I’ve heard that at least a dozen times today. That’s what all the bunnies say.”
Anger flashed through me, and I pulled the guard back by his collar. “Call my girl a bunny again and I can promise you will regret it.”
Both of his hands flew up in defense. “Sorry. I just—well, you know how it is.”
“No, how about you tell me why you stopped my girl from coming in?”
Sidney gasped at my words. There was no way anyone missed them. The place was packed with reporters and fans.
“I—I didn’t know. It won’t happen again.” I must’ve looked feral because there was genuine fear in his eyes.
“Jax, let him go. I’m fine.” I instantly dropped him and moved toward Sid. I was always taller than her, but I was more than a foot taller in my skates.
She chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes blown wide. She always loved making me jealous. “No one touches you, Trouble.”
She smirked in response. “Except you.”
“Smart girl.” I hauled her off her feet into my chest, eating up her squeal, followed by a giggle. I lifted her high enough so she was a few inches above me, looking down. Our eyes searched each other’s while cameras clicked around us. I’d publicly claimed her, but she hadn’t claimed me.
Her slow, seductive smile grew, and she leaned down, owning my mouth, showing every single person here that she was mine and I was hers.
At least for now. That thought sank like a stone, and I struggled to take my next breath. Sidney caught it, searching my gaze before capturing my lips again in an all-consuming kiss.
Fuck it. This was worth everything that was coming. She was worth it.
My coach yelled from behind me. “Hurry the hell up, Ryder. You’ve got press in five.”
I reluctantly let her slide to the ground, my grip still tight on her hips. She looked around, her brows pulled together as she took in the dozens of cameras pointed our way.
“Eyes on me, Trouble.”
She didn’t hesitate, gaze flashing to mine, and I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll come to your place as soon as I’m done.”
It had been three days since we won the Championship, and our lives had been so busy I’d barely seen her. Now, Sid stood in my doorway, looking up at me expectantly. My smile melted from my face as she looked around, brows pinching. Shit. My breath caught in my chest, and my throat tightened. I’d been so caught up in everything that I didn’t think about how she would react to this. Everything had been nuts since our manager called this afternoon. Apparently, the Boston manager had watched our game three days ago and was so impressed that instead of leaving after graduation, I was heading out two weeks early. It had been a bit of a clusterfuck since that moment. The guys had told a few people, and the news spread fast. Our house had been filled with people for the last few hours. Sid’s cheeks were red from the crisp night air, and her head tilted to the side, looking into my eyes. A pit formed in my stomach. I didn’t want to tell her this next step. I didn’t want to acknowledge the end of our journey, even with the excitement of what was happening to my career.