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PIERRE

H onestly didn’t think my life could get any better than it is right now.

I’ve spent the past week in Issy’s bed. We have our own routine which is me eating her off the kitchen countertop as soon as she gets home from work, then I serve her dinner where we talk about our day, and then dessert is usually taken in the living room and ends up with lots of orgasms, then we go to bed together.

Frankston on the floor beside us. I wake her up in the mornings with more orgasms before sending her to work with her breakfast pack. Perfection.

The cherry on top is The Mavericks offered me a contract.

They offered me a two-year deal, which would then turn into a yearly contract until I retire.

It’s not quite as lucrative as the one I had at the Devils, but I don’t care as I get to play with my brother.

But they did offer me the chance of joining the coaching team when I was ready to retire, which is a good deal.

“Are you ready?” Marcus, my agent, asks as I stand behind the curtain.

I’m in the green room freaking out about walking out in front of the packed media scrum for the first time since Kitty and I broke up.

Guess my new life in New York starts now.

The media think they are here to welcome Felix to The Mavericks, they have no idea they are getting me, too.

This has been a tightly kept secret by everyone, they wanted it to be a huge surprise.

After the announcement, Felix and I have a heap of publicity shoots to do to celebrate our addition to the team.

After today, the world will know I am in New York, and the quiet bubble I have been living in will end.

Felix and I have appointments to look at apartments next week, now that I am out of confinement.

Which I’m not looking forward to because as soon as we find somewhere, what’s happening between Issy and me is going to end.

And I don’t want it to end. I just need a little more time to convince her that we should keep doing what we’re doing once I leave.

It will be good to finally be able to get out and about again.

As much as I like living in Issy’s home, I’m going stir crazy.

My brother has asked me to join him and Sam on their daily runs around Central Park.

The summer is slipping away quickly, and before I know it, we are going to be back into training camp, then it’s some exhibition games, and then the season starts again.

Harper has arrived with Issy, and I must remember to keep my hands to myself.

This is the first time we’ve been out in public together.

I’m so used to being able to freely touch her that all I want to do is walk up to her, pull her into my arms, and kiss her but that would earn me a knee to the balls.

She looks beautiful in a black wrap dress that accentuates her body, dipping low exposing her gorgeous tits.

I am going to slowly unwrap her out of that dress when we get home.

Get your mind out of the gutter St. Pierre, it isn’t a good look stepping out onto the stage in front of the world’s media with a boner.

I watch in slow motion as Issy makes her way over to where Marcus and I are standing.

“You came?” I say to her, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“I wouldn’t miss your big moment,” she says, her cheeks blooming with a blush.

“I’m freaking out,” I tell her. She reaches out and touches my arm and I know she is trying to keep the connection between us without looking suspicious.

“You’ve got this. You have stood in front of these things a million times,” she reassures me.

“Not right after a scandal.”

“You don’t have to answer questions about you or Kitty,” she says my exes name with gritted teeth.

Someone ducks their head out of the curtain and gives me a thumbs up, I guess they are ready for me.

“Good luck out there. Everyone is about to lose their minds.” She grins before excusing herself and heading back over to where Harper and Meadow are standing.

“This is it, Pierre. The next phase of your new life,” Marcus says, clapping me on the back.

“I’m ready,” I tell him. Just hope Issy is too.

Everyone lost their minds. The sports media were shocked when I came out and announced I would be joining The Mavericks, after Felix’s press conference.

It felt amazing sitting beside my little brother as we bantered back and forth with the media.

Sitting there and watching Felix confidently answer hard questions about his personal life gave me the strength to do the same when they asked me about mine. Overall, it was a huge success.

And that’s how we have ended up at some club in the VIP section that Sam Rose arranged.

“Congratulations to your freedom,” Sam says, raising his shot of tequila high.

“And congratulations to my new wingman.” He grins.

Never going to happen. My eyes fall on Issy, who doesn’t look happy.

We all throw back our shots. Felix and Harper are on the dance floor together in their own little world, and I wish so much that I could do that with Issy.

But she’s right when she says if our friends knew, they would assume we were back together again, and the pressure of labelling ourselves would be put on us and I won’t do anything that will jeopardize my relationship with Issy again.

Meadow, Kimberly, and Issy are in a corner talking together while sipping on champagne.

“There he is, the man of the hour, Pierre St. Pierre.” Sam grins as he brings over four beautiful women to our area of the VIP section, obviously not needing any wingman help.

“This man just got his heart broken, so he’s looking for someone to help put it back together again.

” The girls all ooh and ahh as I shake their hands.

My eyes always land on where Issy is sitting, and she isn’t impressed. Thanks Sam.

“So, you’re a hockey player?” one of the girls says, sliding up beside me.

“Yes, I am,” I answer, grabbing my beer and taking a sip, feeling very uncomfortable.

“That’s so cool. I love hockey.” She grins.

“Oh really? Who’s your favorite player?” I ask her.

“Um, oh you know … um … you,” she says brightly. I may have been in a relationship the last couple of years, but I know when someone is bullshitting me.

“Thanks. I appreciate my fans.” I grin and glare at Sam who thinks this is hilarious.

The night continues disastrously, I’m stuck entertaining these women, pretending to be interested in whatever mundane story they are telling, something about being flown out to Dubai to party.

They show me their social media profiles which makes me cringe, but I smile and nod as they slide past their thirst trap photos.

Something that I realized Kitty used to do to my friends.

When I look up, I notice Issy is talking to a man in a suit, and she’s laughing, placing her hand on his chest, and leaning in as he talks to her.

Is she flirting with this guy? My knuckles turn white as I grip my beer bottle.

He looks like some finance bro. Is that her type?

Sam notices the scowl on my face and follows my line of sight.

He gets up and moves the girls out of his way, and sits beside me.

“Is she the reason you’re not interested in these women?” he asks.

“No,” I snap, throwing back my beer.

“You look like you are about to murder that guy.” He chuckles.

“Just looking out for a friend,” I tell him.

“Sure, it is. These women are raring to go, man, they would make a great rebound.” He elbows me.

“No offence, but these women are carbon copies of my ex. I’m not interested.” I sip on my drink.

“But they’re hot.” He chuckles.

“They are all yours,” I tell him.

“You’re the best wingman.” He smirks. “If you don’t like that guy talking to Issy, why don’t you do something about it?”

“I can’t do that,” I tell him as I take another sip of beer.

“You can. Harper and Felix have gone as has Kimberly. Meadow is running around somewhere, no one is going to know. Except me, but I’m going to be very distracted by four beautiful women.” He chuckles.

“You saw nothing,” I tell him as I extricate myself from the group and walk over to where Issy is talking to the guy.

“Hey, you ready to head home?” I say, placing my arm around Issy’s shoulder.

Issy shoots daggers at me and tries to push my arm off her shoulders, but I grip on tighter.

“Oh, hi, I’m Pierre, Issy’s roomie,” I say, holding out my hand to the man, who gives me a wide smile and shakes my hand.

“Hi, I’m Simon. Have we met before, you look familiar?” he asks, shaking my hand.

“I have that kind of face.” I grin.

“Are you staying with this man or coming home with me?” I turn and ask Issy.

Her mouth falls open before it shuts back up tightly.

Simon looks between the two of us awkwardly. “Issy, it was good seeing you again. Call me, we need to catch up,” he says before making a hasty retreat.

Exactly what I thought, he couldn’t handle the competition.

“What the hell do you think you are playing at?” Issy pushes out of my arms and glares at me as she places her hands on her hips.

“You looked like you were hitting it off with that guy.”

“Who, Simon? He’s friends with my sister, and he’s gay.” Oh. I’ve played this all wrong. “Bet Sam’s little friends are sad you left.”

“I’m sure Sam will keep them busy.” I grin at her.

“He always does.”

“I wasn’t interested in any of them,” I tell her.

“Really? They were beautiful and young,” she states.

“They aren’t what I want.” The anger on her face dissipates.

“Were you jealous?” she asks.

“Extremely.” I smirk as I shove my hands into my pockets. “Were you?”

Issy mulls over my question for a while before a smile forms on her face. “Extremely.”

“Fuck, Issy. I want to reach out and touch you, but I can’t.” I keep my hands in my pockets.

“Shall we get out of here?” she says.

“Yes.”

And with that, we disappear out of the club.