Page 39

PIERRE

I ’m freaking out. I’ve bought Issy a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of champagne, some homemade cooked meals for her, and a present.

Not sure if she is cooking, but I don’t care, the fact that she is even inviting me over for dinner is good.

All through training camp, I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and I know my brother was the same over Harper.

Walking into that lingerie shop to meet up with Collette who starts next week at the club, and seeing Issy strut out looking like a wet dream was not what I was expecting.

I went back in after she left and bought the exact outfit she was wearing and have brought it here tonight with me.

She could either hate it or model it for me later if the night goes well.

Issy: Hey, just come right on in, my hands are busy. You know the code.

Pierre: Just arrived now.

I walk up the stairs, punch in the code, and enter her home. The house smells amazing the further I walk in, but as soon as I turn the corner, I notice the kitchen is empty.

“Hey, Issy, I’m here,” I call out to her.

“I’ll be right down,” she calls from upstairs.

I place the bottle of champagne down, as well as the flowers and her presents.

I go in search of a vase while I wait for her to come down.

The dining room table has been set and there are candles, she’s gone to some effort for dinner tonight.

Please mean that this is a good sign of where tonight is heading.

I find a vase and put the bouquet in it, move it to the table, and place it beside the flowers that are already in the middle of the table.

“Hey,” she calls out.

When I look up, I almost have a heart attack.

There she is standing in one of my college hockey jerseys.

I’ve lost the ability to speak. My heart is thundering in my chest. I just stare at how beautiful she looks.

Flashes of her in a Mavericks jersey with my name on the back and a baby in her arms wearing the same thing flash through my mind.

I want forever with her. She is my everything.

Issy has always been it for me, and it’s taken me fifteen years to grow the balls to finally do something about it.

“I love you.” The words tumble out of my mouth.

“I love you too, Saint.” She grins, and the next thing she is launching herself into my arms and kissing me.

Thank fuck. I kiss her back feverishly. I pick her up, my hands cupping her ass as I place her on the kitchen counter, her legs wrapped around my hips.

“I want us to have a second chance,” she tells me, cupping my face.

I kiss her desperately because this is all I have ever wanted.

“I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get you back,” I tell her as my hands run down her sides, taking in my old jersey. “I can’t believe you still have it.”

“I couldn’t bear to get rid of it,” she confesses.

“I will never make you regret giving me another chance, Issy. I’m done. This is it. You and me. I want forever with you.”

“Me too. I’m sorry I locked you out of my life for so long.”

I cup her face. “This is the last time you and I apologize to each other about the past. Deal?”

“Deal.” She grins as I kiss her.

“We look to the future now. You and me.”

“And Frankston,” she adds.

“And Frankston,” I say, kissing her softly as she wraps her arms around my back. “I got a present for you, but I think I kind of like what you’re wearing now.”

“You did?” She grins.

“I bought the lingerie I saw you in yesterday. The whole set,” I tell her.

“No way.” She giggles.

I nod as I lean in and whisper in her ear, “But I would rather see you bent over the sofa so I can see my name on your back while I fuck you.”

Issy groans.

Tonight, my brother and I are playing with The Mavericks. It’s an exhibition game, but it’s against Felix’s old team, and he is going to have to play against his ex-best friend and teammates who slept with his ex. I think shit is going to go down tonight, but I’ve got my brother’s back.

“Get your head in the game, man. Those assholes from LA are in the next changing room and deserve some fucking revenge,” I tell my brother as I slam my hand against his helmet.

He needs to focus. I know he sent Harper his jersey to wear tonight.

If she comes to the game, then she says yes to getting back together, but if she doesn’t come then I don’t even want to think about it.

Issy messaged assuring me Harper would be there, that she’s wearing my brother’s jersey.

I may have bought Issy a couple of new ones to wear while I fuck her.

New kink unlocked. Issy in my jersey bent over the sofa while I fuck her.

My name on her back makes me fucking come so fast. Also makes me want to change her name permanently to mine.

Just can’t wait till she has my name for real.

My brother suggested I should wait and propose next year because it’s probably not good luck ditching one wedding with one woman while preparing to marry another in the same year.

And I would have to agree. I just want reassurance that she is mine, I’m still worried that all this happiness could vanish.

“We have your back,” Emmett Black, the Captain of the team, says as he walks past, so do a couple of the other guys.

“Envision annihilating them,” I tell my brother. “Felix,” I knock our helmets together, “nothing matters more than beating those assholes. You hear me.”

“Yes.”

“Good, now let’s get out there and fuck their shit up,” I say, firing him up. I want to show The Mavericks fans what I am made of.

We walk out of the locker room and wait in the tunnel until we get called out. This is the moment the adrenaline kicks in. You can hear the crowd going crazy. The music is pumping. The boys are all hyping each other up. One by one, they call our names out, and the crowd goes wild.

“Welcome to The Mavericks, Felix St. Pierre.” The announcer calls out my brother’s name, and I watch him launch himself out on the ice as the crowd goes wild. Some of the other guys jostle me, jeering me up for my turn.

“Keep that Mavericks welcome coming for Pierre St. Pierre,” the announcer says, and I skate out to the stadium going crazy. I take a moment to look around and wave at everyone, appreciating their support before skating out to warm up with the other guys.

“She’s not here,” Felix says as he stretches.

“She might be running late or grabbing a drink,” I reassure him. His eyes move and watch his old teammates skate around. Stephen looks over and sends daggers my brother’s way. There’s no way these two aren’t fighting tonight.

“Head in the game. Forget everything else. We beat those fuckers. Show them they can’t mess with the St. Pierre brothers. Yeah.”

“Yeah.” My brother smiles, and I can see him finally focus.

We skate around our fans’ areas and sign pucks and shirts for fans, but I am starting to worry as the minutes on the clock for the warmup count down and our girls aren’t here. I see our sister and skate over to her.

“Where are the girls?” I ask her.

“Don’t tell Felix but shits gone down,” she says.

“Is Issy okay?”

“Yes. She’s fine. She’s with Mom up in the family suites. She didn’t want to come down and distract you. But Harper isn’t, and we need Felix’s head in the game,” she warns me.

Shit.

“Hey, Lettie,” Felix says, skating over and joining me.

“Hey. You guys look good out there together. Can I get a picture?” she says, changing the subject. We pose for photos for her which has Felix smiling.

“Do you know if Harper is coming?” he asks her.

“She should be. There’s an accident, so traffic is crazy,” she reassures him. This relaxes him, and he gives her a thumbs up before skating away. “Smash them,” she says.

“I’ll do my best.”

LA has been playing dirty all night. I can see them chirping away at Felix every second they can, and he is trying to ignore them, but he’s failing.

They are relentless. I body check a couple of players into the wall, which is satisfying as does the rest of our teammates.

Who knew this would be the team bonding session we needed?

Felix joins me on the bench and squirts his face with water to cool down. “Would you stop letting them get into your head,” I tell him as I watch him make simple mistakes.

“Fuck you, I’ve got this under control,” he yells at me.

“I don’t think you do. You’re missing simple passes.”

“I know, okay. But I’ve got this.” He slams his stick into the wall a couple of times.

“You better,” I warn him as we head back out on the ice again.

I hear one of the guys say something about nudes, and my brother sees red.

He scores. Hell yes. Everyone goes wild. I skate over to congratulate him.

“In your face,” he screams at his old teammates.

“Like your woman’s tits are in everyone’s faces.” Stephen chuckles.

That’s low.

“What the fuck did you say?” Felix asks as she pushes him.

“Oh no, you don’t know.” Stephen bursts out laughing.

My brother pushes him again. The refs’ whistles blow, and I call out to my brother, but before I know it, he’s taking off his helmet, throwing his gloves down, and launching himself at his ex-best friend.

One in all in. And the rest of our team starts in on the other team.

I am pummelling this guy, and the next thing I know, the entire stadium goes quiet.

I pull away from the guy and turn to see Felix on the ground, not moving.

Fuck.

I skate over to him.

“Felix. Brother,” I scream at him. He’s knocked out cold, he doesn’t move, and everything in me breaks.

I launch myself at Stephen. “You fucking bastard. What have you done?” I scream at him.

My teammates pull me away as the ref puts me in the penalty box for the rest of the game for misconduct.

“Motherfucker, I’m going to kill you,” I scream as my team pulls me from the ice.

“We’ve got him. He’s going to be okay,” Emmett reassures me.

“He cracked his head on the ice. That isn’t good.”

“He is going to get the best medical treatment, okay? Trust me. But you getting yourself into any more trouble is not going to help him.” He’s right.

I move into the penalty box and slam my stick against the walls, letting my anger and frustration out.

The fans boo Stephen as he’s sent to the other penalty box, he’s been kicked out for the rest of the game too.

As the medical team comes and stretchers Felix away, the entire stadium stands up and cheers for him.

I pray he is going to be okay.