“Then why tonight of all nights is that being plastered online?”
“Fuck, I don’t know, Rich. If you’re so concerned with my personal life, you can deal with it.”
He goes right back to kissing my body and working me up, his hot mouth teasing the skin of my chest as his lips move south.
“Maybe I should let the rumors spread. Maybe then you’ll see what kind of damage you’re doing to the image we’ve worked so hard on creating. Maybe then you’ll understand what I’ve been trying to warn you about all season.”
Zanders pauses right above my belly button. “Rich, I don’t give a shit anymore.”
“I’m doing this for you, Zanders! Your paychecks are the size they are because of what you and Maddison can offer Chicago other than just your talent on the ice. They’re paying for the whole package! They’re paying for the Maddison and EZ contrasting duo bullshit. So why the fuck would you risk that all in a re-signing year?”
“I highly doubt that Chicago won’t re-sign me just because their organization isn’t plastered in the headlines along with my name.”
That’s right. That’s my guy.
His fingers slip into the sides of my panties.
“Oh, really?” Rich lets out an evil laugh. “Then why haven’t I heard a single word about a new contract from Chicago when the season is almost over?”
That causes Zanders to pause, pulling his hands away from me. He sits up straight, grabbing his phone and bringing it closer to his ear.
“Wait. What?”
“I warned you,” Rich continues. “I told you that Chicago wanted their resident bad guy, and this year you’ve done a complete one-eighty. I’m not surprised in the slightest that they haven’t reached out.”
Zanders’ mouth falls open in shock, his eyes dull and blank.
“I fucking told you, Zanders. Now I need to put in some work and figure out our options.”
His agent hangs up the phone with that.
Any joy or life that was in Zanders tonight is now gone as he sits in shocked silence. The moonlight allows me to see his chest rapidly rise with anxious breaths as the reality of his biggest fear covers his face.
“Zee—”
“We should go,” he quickly says. “You should get back to your room before we get caught. This was reckless, being out here in public.”
He stands from the sand, unable to make eye contact as he redresses.
I can physically feel the distance he’s creating, and I don’t know how to stop it or ease his fears when the reality is, he may have just lost his contract. How do I ease that worry? I can’t. Not when I’m the reason it’s happening.
Zanders stays a block away as he watches me walk into the lobby of my hotel, my clothes and hair still wet from our dip in the ocean.
The quick walk to the elevator is a blur as my chest fills with worry and my mind clouds with fear. Fear for Zanders’ career. Fear of the unknown of what that means for us.
“Stevie?”
My head snaps around as I stand outside the elevator, finding Tara sitting on the couch in the lobby, one leg crossed over the other, her hands in her lap.
“Why are your clothes wet?”
I can feel the blood draining from my face, caught in the moment. Thank God that Zanders is out of sight, but Tara’s suspicious stare tells me she knows something is up.
“I took a dip in the ocean.”
Not a lie.
“By yourself?”
“Yes,” I answer much too quickly. “The water felt nice. You should give it a try.”
She stays silent as she studies me, and thankfully no more words can be exchanged because the elevator dings on the lobby floor.
“Have a good night.” My voice is too high, and my tone is too sweet, but it doesn’t work to ease the tension between us.
“Mm-hmm,” she suspiciously hums as I step into the elevator.
39
ZANDERS
A first-round sweep helped clear my head a bit, but the thought of Chicago not extending my contract has been lingering in the back of my mind since that night in Florida. I’d been careless with my private relationship, relying on the fact we hadn’t been caught yet and hoping the consequences wouldn’t be as bad as we had imagined if we were.
But the reality is starting to hit, knowing there’s going to be a breaking point somewhere in the near future. Either I’m not going to be playing for the Raptors after this season, or Stevie won’t be working for them.
There’s no other way around it, and right now, I’m not ready to face those decisions. The only reason I’ve enjoyed the road this year is because she was with me.