Page 49

FORTY-EIGHT

willa

“Willa, I swear if you don’t stop,” Belle threatens, staring at me like she’s thinking about smacking me. I slowly remove my hand from the table in front of me where I’ve been tapping my fingers.

We’re in a hotel in San Diego. Games four, five, and six of the finals are here. Game six is tonight, and Boston needs to win to tie it up and force a game seven. It’s making me anxious, but that’s only part of it.

Theo called this morning and said that he’s still keeping an eye on Eva and her communications. She’s getting desperate in her search for Ezra and even though she hasn’t found even a hint of his location, he’s worried she’ll do something drastic to find him. Which is why Maverick and Jo are also with us on this trip. If Eva was going to do anything, it would be to Maverick.

Cal and Harlow have been checking in. It’s been weird without them, but I’m glad Cora isn’t near any of this.

Belle slaps my hand away from my mouth where I was trying to chew on my cuticles again. I glare at her but put my hand down. Declan is either going to speak to Sinclair tonight if they lose or three days from now after game seven. I half want it to be tonight to get it over with, but I don’t want him to lose.

“You’d think for a place that charges a year’s mortgage for a week’s stay would have a better selection,” Maverick grumbles as he looks through the mini bar.

“You’re paying for security and anonymity, not snacks,” Kai points out.

“We have to leave soon, anyway. You can get food at the arena,” Jo points out.

“Are you planning on seeing Dec before his game?” Belle asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t think seeing me this nervous is going to help him.” I managed to keep it mostly together when he was here earlier, before he had to leave to get back to his hotel and team. He’s not allowed to stay with me, and the team is at a different hotel a few miles from here. Kai found this hotel and insisted we stay here because of their reputation for keeping celebrity stays on the down low.

Hockey Boy

Where are you?

“Or not,” I saw, looking at the message on my phone.

At the hotel still.

Instead of texting me back, he calls.

“What’s wrong?” Declan asks the moment I answer.

“Nothing.”

“Willa. . .”

I sigh. “I’m just a nervous wreck and didn’t want to mess up your game.”

“Princess, I’m nervous too. That’s why I need to see you.” There’s a slight desperation in his voice that has me standing and heading for the door. I can hear Kai snort and everyone else following me.

“I’m on my way. Will there be time before warmups?” I ask, now rushing down the hall.

“Car is already outside,” Jo says, keeping up with me easily. Stupid short fucking legs.

“I’ll make time,” Declan says.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can, hockey boy.” I stuff my phone back in my pocket and half run out of the hotel.

I slide into the waiting limo to find Maggie already there. She can stay in the hotel with the team since she’s not high profile. I’m sure Gideon has been taking advantage of that, even though he’s supposed to stay in his own room.

“Jo sent the limo for me first,” Maggie explains, probably seeing the questioning look on my face.

I look over at Jo, and she just shrugs. “I knew you’d end up wanting to see him before the game.”

I run through the arena the moment we get there. My security easily handles the team’s since it’s the third game in a row I’ve been here and they recognize me, anyway. They’re still required to check badges, which I understand, but they’ll have to wait.

“Dec!” I yell when I see him. He’s standing at the entrance to the tunnel in full uniform, waiting for me. I throw myself at him, and he easily catches me like he always does, his stick clanging on the rubber floor where he drops it.

“Princess,” he murmurs into my hair. “Are you okay?”

I smile. “I am now.”

He searches my face and then grins when he sees I’m telling the truth. “Me too.”

“Win tonight so we can go home and celebrate,” I tell him.

“Yeah, and then I have to win game seven too, so that Sinclair is in a good mood,” he grumbles.

“One thing at a time. Focus on this game. Don’t hog the puck. Don’t shoot at the left corners like Finn is expecting.”

“I fucking love you,” Declan says before kissing me.

“I fucking love you too. Now go win.” Declan kisses me once more before releasing me and heading out onto the ice.

I make my way back to my security detail and let them lead me to the stupid box I have to watch from. I know why, and I didn’t even fight Declan on it, but it would’ve been nice to be closer to the action.

“Willa!” I turn to see to see Ben.

“Hi Ben,” I say, smiling at him. Declan told me how he dumped everything that’s been happening on Ben and instead of running, he helped Dec process it. I’m so thankful he’s there for Declan when I can’t be.

“I’m glad I caught you. The guys want to throw Declan a surprise retirement party, and I wanted to get your input on it with. . .” he pauses and scratches his head. “With everything, I figured it would be important.”

I laugh humorlessly. “I can see why you’d think that, and I appreciate it. I’ll give you my number, and we can plan it.” He nods and quickly types my number into his phone, sending me a text so I have his.

“I was also hoping you had or could get some pictures of Dec playing hockey when he was young. Or if you have any. I’m going to put a slideshow together.”

“Of course,” I agree.

Declan had a talk with Sally and Ted about keeping their phones on them and even bought them a satellite phone before they left. They were planning to come back to watch him play in the finals, but he asked them not to. I don’t know what he said to them, but they agreed. He was too nervous having them here with everything going on.

He’s sacrificed so much for me. Declan doesn’t see it that way, of course. I’m already planning something for when this is all over to make it up to him.

“Thanks, Willa,” Ben says, waving and taking off with his camera in his hand.

“Who was that?” Maverick asks around a mouthful of popcorn, looking over my shoulder at where Ben disappeared.

“Declan’s friend, Ben. He needs my help with a surprise retirement party.”

Mav nods and throws his arm around my shoulders, leading me to the box to watch the game. I lean into him. Maverick has been happy recently. Or as close to happy as any of us come the closer we get to Eva’s arrest. Harrison somehow got his contact to wait until the day after game seven to move in on her. I don’t know what he had to promise to get that favor, and I don’t think I want to know.

That also means that Declan only has one day to convince Sinclair to help us.

But Mav has convinced himself that Ezra’s within reach, and Eva is already in an orange jumpsuit. We’ve been letting him have it since he could be right. It wasn’t worth ruining his good mood over. Not yet anyway.

I’m practically hanging out of the box. Belle hasn’t even bothered to stop my fidgeting. Not that she’s noticed. She’s just as on edge as I am. Boston and San Diego are tied with less than a minute left in the third period.

I bite down on my lip as I watch the clock run out. Both teams are exhausted. They’ve been fighting hard to win.

“What happens now?” Maverick asks.

“Another period, but it’s sudden death,” I explain.

Maverick gasps, and I look over at him to see how horrified he looks.

I snort. “It just means that they play until the first goal, not the full allotted time.”

“Right. That’s what I thought,” he says, trying to school his expression.

Belle bursts out laughing. “You one hundred percent thought they were about to start fighting each other,” she says. “Don’t lie, Maverick.”

“They fight each other all the time. It wasn’t much of a leap,” he grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest and slinking down into his seat.

“Send Dec a picture of your lady bits to motivate him,” Kai says, completely serious.

“Never say lady bits ever again,” Jo says, her nose turned up in disgust.

“Skating with a hard on isn’t going to help him,” Belle points out.

I sigh and grab my phone from where I shoved it into my boot. These stupid jeans I wore have fake pockets. What psychopath made fake pockets? Whoever they are deserves prison time.

You got this, baby.

Hockey Boy

I’m sure as fuck trying.

Please tell me you have some winning play in that beautiful head of yours.

I wish I did. You’re both playing to borderline perfection.

I don’t point out that being this far away is putting me at a serious disadvantage if he wants my observations.

I was afraid you were going to say that.

I love you, and I’ll only love you a little less if you lose.

Very funny, Princess.

“Lady bits,” Kai whispers out of the side of his mouth like it would make it so no one else hears him. I roll my eyes, but decide to try it, anyway.

I’ll let you take my ass if you win.

Fuck.

Holy fuck, Willa. Are you serious?

Only if you win, baby.

I’m going to fucking win. I’ve wanted to claim your ass so bad.

I know. And you can tonight. After you win.

Fuck, Princess.

I need to get back out there. I love you.

I love you too, hockey boy.

“Yeah, that will definitely get him to score,” Maverick says, laughing so hard he snorts. “He’s going to score twice.”

“Mav!” I scold, clutching my phone to my chest. “Don’t read my texts.”

“You can’t score twice in overtime,” Kai says.

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. I watch Belle explain it to him, and his eyes widen.

“I didn’t think she was going to do it!” he says, trying to defend himself.

“They’re back,” Jo says, getting everyone to turn their attention back to the ice.

Declan is staring right at me. He points his stick at me and even though I’m not close enough to see the look in his eyes; I know the heat that’s burning there for me. I’ve seen it and felt it enough to have the image of how much he wants me etched into my brain.

I blow him a kiss. He pretends to catch it and holds to his chest. Then he skates off to join his team where they’re gathered around Coach at the bench. I watch him lean in to listen, nod, and then skate straight to his position.

Gideon wins the face-off and passes it straight to Ivanov. I watch the predictable play unfold. It’s the one they’ve been trying the entire game. Gideon to Ivanov. Ivanov back to Gideon. Gideon back to Ivanov, who will shoot on Finn just to have his shot blocked.

And that’s exactly what happens.

But San Diego is pulling the same plays when they win the face-off too.

“This is going to take days at this rate,” I grumble, watching Bouchard stop an easy shot. Declan is on the bench, chewing on his mouth guard, eyes focused on the puck at all times. I know because the cameras keep finding him or Martinez, who looks like he’s about to break his stick over his knee.

“Where’s the puck blocker going?” Belle asks. I look up to see Finn skating to the bench. The cameras zoom in on his face, which is red and angry. He’s yelling at his coach but ends up getting off the ice. I don’t even bother correcting Belle’s terminology before I’m out of my seat.

Kai quickly explains to her that they pulled their goalie so that they could have an extra guy. It’s a risky strategy and one that could go either way for them. I can see the thought behind it. If they lose, they still have one more game. Or they could cinch the victory now. They really don’t have anything to lose.

“I’m so nervous I might pee,” Maggie says, squeezing in next to me. We’re all right up front watching, so the space is a little tight.

It feels like I’m watching the puck drop in slow motion. Then time speeds back up when Gideon wins and passes to Ivanov.

“No,” I grumble. Ivanov is surrounded in seconds, and I think that’s the end of it, but he manages to pass to Declan, who slaps it across the ice. He doesn’t get far before he’s slammed into the boards, but the attention on him and Ivanov leaves Gideon open. He gets to the puck before San Diego’s defense and slips the puck around the net as they chase him.

I hold my breath, watching Gideon take his shot on the empty net. The puck hits the defenseman’s skate, bounces off the goal post and then skims right over the line. The lights flash and the buzzer blares.

Maggie and I are jumping and screaming in each other’s arms. My friends surround us doing the same thing.

“They did it!” Maggie yells, tears falling from her eyes.

We all separate long enough for me to look down and see Declan. He smiles at me and winks. I bite my lip, knowing what that look means.

“You’re going to want to get some lube,” Maverick whispers in my ear, snickering when I look at him in horror.

Oh. Fuck.