Page 104

But she kneels.

Hands hit the floor. Then her knees. She crawls, slow and shaking, across the cabin floor toward me.

Caleb’s stopped cooking. He’s watching now, fork in hand, eyes wide with interest.

Sienna stops at my feet.

I don’t speak. I wait.

She swallows hard. Her voice is barely audible. “Please, Eli. I want another chance.”

I shake my head slowly. “Not good enough. Try again.”

She hesitates. Then her voice gets smaller. “Please… sir.”

Closer.

“I’ll do better. I’ll… obey. Just give me this chance.”

“Say you’re my pet. My bad little puck bunny.”

Her body flinches. But she says it.

“I’m your pet. Your puck bunny.”

God. That did something to me. Knowing she’s the coach’s daughter, grew up around hockey. Fuck, she makes the perfect fucking puck bunny if you ask me.

Caleb’s breathing slows behind me. The smell of searing meat fills the air, but all I can focus on is the girl kneeling in front of me, eyes glassy, pride shattered.

I lean forward. “Now ask again.”

“Please let me try again. I want to play. I want to win.”

I lean back with a grin. “That’s more like it.”

She sits on her heels, brushing hair out of her face. “If I win this time, you both get tattoos. My choice. Anywhere.”

Caleb raises a brow. “And if we win?”

Her voice breaks for a second. “You get exactly what you want and how you want it. You’ll take it anyway.”

I stand, stretching, stepping around her like she’s prey on display. “What’s the game?”

She turns her head toward us. “I want to run.”

Silence.

She continues. “Through the woods. If I reach the road without either of you catching me, I win. You chase me. If you catch me, you win.”

Caleb laughs. “You don’t know the layout of the forest.”

“I’d rather that than sit here and be passed around like a prize.”

I grin. “I’m in.”

Caleb watches her for a long moment. Then shrugs. “Fine. I’m in. If I catch you, your ass is mine.”

Heat pools at her cheeks as she continues to kneel on the floor.