Page 66
Story: Pucking His Enemy
“Hey, Steele,” Aiden calls from the next stall, peeling off his pads. “You skating like you’ve got a death wish today.”
“Something like that.”
More like I’ve been skating like a man possessed. Taking hits I should have avoided. Making plays that were all aggression and no brain. Coach pulled me aside twice to ask what the fuck was wrong with me.
He chuckles, and Jax chimes in. “You break the nutritionist already?”
I shoot him a glare that could melt ice.
He grins, unfazed. “Figured. You’ve had that ‘I fucked up and liked it’ look since Monday.”
He’s not wrong. But I’m not about to unpack that shit with Jax fucking Taylor. The guy’s got a mouth bigger than the penalty box and zero filter.
“Shut the fuck up, Jax,” I mutter, yanking my gear off with way more force than necessary. My shoulder pads hit the floor with a satisfying thud.
“Ooh, touchy.” Jax doesn’t know when to quit. “Must be some serious sexual tension if you’re this wound up.”
I’m on my feet before I realize it, ready to show him exactly how wound up I am. Aiden steps between us, hands raised.
“Easy, boys. Save it for the ice.”
I force myself to sit back down, jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth. Jax just laughs and goes back to his gear like he didn’t almost get his face rearranged.
Once I’m dressed, I head over to Aiden, towel slung over my neck. “You got a minute?”
He reads the look on my face and nods toward a quieter corner. “What’s up?”
I hesitate. Don’t know why it feels weird asking this, but it does. “I need a date spot.”
Aiden blinks. “You… what?”
Jax hoots from across the locker room. “Holy shit. Hell just got season tickets.”
“Somewhere good. Private. Classy.” I ignore Jax completely, focusing on Aiden. “Not some dive bar where the puck bunnies hang out.”
Aiden whistles, suddenly intrigued. “You’re actually gonna do this right.”
I shrug, jaw tight. “I’m not half-assing it. If we’re gonna sell the story, I’m going all in.”
And that’s the truth. Whatever this thing is with Katarina—fake relationship, PR stunt, whatever the hell they want to call it—I’m not going to fuck it up by being lazy. She deserves better than that. Even if it’s all pretend.
“Look,” I continue, running a hand through my damp hair, “I’ve never had to plan actual dates before. Usually it’s just ‘want to come back to my place’ and that’s it. But this is different.”
Aiden nods, “Different how?”
I struggle to find the words. How do I explain that Katarina gets under my skin in ways I don’t understand? That every conversation with her feels like a chess match where I’m always three moves behind? That she’s Griffin fucking Novak’s sister and I should run the other way, but instead I want to know everything about her?
“She’s not like the others,” I mutter. “She’s sharp. Doesn’t let shit slide. Looks me dead in the eye and calls me on it.”
Aiden raises a brow. “And you like that?”
I exhale hard, jaw tight. “I fucking hate that I like it… but yeah. I do.”
Aiden thinks for a second. “Vino e Cucina. Quiet, local, no phones allowed. Romantic without trying too hard.”
“Solid,” I nod, filing it away.
“And Skyline Lounge after. Rooftop bar. Great view. Not too loud, not too flashy. Makes you look like you planned ahead.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66 (Reading here)
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127