Page 32 of Her Puck Daddies (Game On Daddies #2)

ERIC

O f the three of us, I can hold a grudge the longest. And after what went down with Dean a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been keeping to myself for the most part, even though it all came out in the wash.

With all the evidence the security team collected and handed over to the authorities, Ava’s now ex will be locked up for a long time.

I get that Ava needed to prove her own strength to herself, too. I do. But knowing coach was aware of the situation, and how deeply our publicist got involved, I can’t even look at either of them right now.

Ava, on the other hand.

She’s changed since that day. There’s a new confidence in her, more forthright, more assertive in everything she says and does. Yet, I’ve held myself back from her. She’s been living with the captai n, sleeping in his bed. I know Levi spends plenty of time up there, joining them for some “fun.”

But not me. Not yet.

I'm not angry with her, anymore at least. It's my own guilt now. I can’t seem to shake how much danger she’d always been in, right under my nose.

Me, the guy who can read people like an open book, the one who can pull poke checks on the best hockey players in the world without them even realizing. But I missed something as big as this?

It gnaws at me. Every damn day. I haven’t been okay with it. I should’ve seen it. I should’ve known.

So, I’ve been avoiding Ava, keeping my distance from her and the guys. Until now.

“Eric, wait. Eric…” Ava's voice shouts from behind. It was only a matter of time.

I turn to face her. Her beautiful, highlighted brunette hair is tucked into a ponytail, and she’s wearing those scrubs. Today’s version is somewhere between orange and pink.

She catches up with me, grabs my arm, and pulls me into her office. I lean against the table as she starts grilling me. “Are you ever going to forgive me for this? Because I’ve gotta say, I’m really sick and tired of feeling punished by you, and not in the fun way.”

I glance down at her. She’s standing firm, arms crossed over her chest, but I can’t shake the worry I’ve been holding onto since that day. Her ankle’s healed, but what about everything else? What about us?

“What would I have done if I’d lost you, Ava?

” My voice cracks on the words before I can stop it.

I look down, trying to mask the depth of my fear.

I mean it, though. “You really don’t get it.

I can’t think about anything else. Every single morning when I wake up, and every night when I go to sleep, all I can think is… What if you’d been killed that day?”

Her voice softens in that familiar, comforting tone. “But… Eric,” she whispers. “I wasn’t. I’m still here.”

“Still here?” I shake my head. “You didn’t tell me. You didn’t warn us. You went off like some damn secret agent and threw yourself in harm's way, like it was all on you.”

“I had to. This was my problem,” she says, her tone defensive.

“But you’re not just you anymore. You’re ours, Ava. Mine , Sven’s, and Levi’s.” I feel my chest bubble with frustration. “It’s not just about you anymore. If something had happened, if I’d lost you, I would’ve lost a piece of myself too.”

She ’s quiet for a moment, and my stomach twists. I need her to understand.

“I was thinking about you. All three of you,” she finally says, her voice low, but steady.

“You guys are why I did it. I had to stop him. But it was more than that. I had to stand up for myself, too. Had to show the girl I used to be—the one he controlled—I wouldn’t let him tear me down again.

And I couldn’t let him hurt the men I love. ”

My heart skips a beat at the words. She loves us? She loves me ? It's electrifying and overwhelming, yet I know, without a doubt, that I feel the same way.

I swallow hard. “I love you, too,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

It’s something I’ve never said to any woman before.

Not like this. “And I need to know you’re safe.

Just promise me, Ava. No more secrets. No more hiding things from us.

We’re in this together. All of it. You’re not alone anymore. ”

She smirks at me, her fingers tracing a line down between my pecs, soft and teasing. “Tell you what. I promise never to act as bait for an ex again.”

I frown, not taking it lightly. “I’m serious, Ava.”

She gives a little laugh, but there’s sincerity behind it as she wraps her arms around me. “I won’t do anything dangerous without telling you first,” she says, her voice soft. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

And even though I still feel the weight of everything hanging over us, in this moment, with her in my arms, I feel the first flicker of hope. That we can get through anything together.

“I’ll see you tonight?” Ava asks, blinking up at me.

“See you tonight.”

As I watch her walk away, I can’t help but wonder if coach or Barb will ever address the fact that the four of us are tangled up in a relationship together. Our contracts specifically state a non-fraternization clause, a rule meant to keep things clean, professional, nothing messy, no distractions.

But this feels different.

The truth is, coach has always had a way of reading people, of knowing when to bend and when to stand firm.

I can only guess why he hasn’t brought it up yet.

He knows that with the playoffs fast approaching in April, bringing this to light could cause a storm we aren’t ready for.

It’s not that he condones breaking the rules.

It’s more about the bigger picture. This team, these players, the drive to win—it’s too important right now.

He’s likely lookin g at this with the same single-minded focus he applies to the game.

As long as the distractions stay out of the media, out of the locker room, and off the ice, as long as we perform, it’s not his job to police our personal lives.

Barb, on the other hand, has always been more by-the-book.

But even she knows that sometimes the heart can’t be boxed in by policies meant for a different time, a different place.

If the team stays focused, if we keep everything under wraps and manage to stay successful as a team, maybe she’ll turn a blind eye too.

If the boys and I keep our focus on hockey and our private lives private, it shouldn’t matter. At least, I hope it doesn't.

***

Later that night, as I make my way up to Sven’s place—or maybe I should say Sven and Ava’s place now—I feel a quiet sense of gratitude that our sex tape never saw the light of day. The thought of it still sends a chill through me, and for a moment, my imagination gets the best of me.

What if we started making our own videos, just for our eyes, in private? The idea stirs something deep inside me, a new level of intimacy, and my body reacts—my cock jumping under my belt.

Whe n I reach their doorstep, Ava answers the door wearing a satin gown that hugs every curve, the fabric gleaming softly in the low light. Her nipples are visible through the delicate material, sending an immediate rush of heat to my groin.

“Hey, beautiful,” I say, smiling.

Sven and Levi are in the kitchen, knocking back beers, the sound of cans opening and the low hum of their conversation filling the air. "Want one of your brown ales?" the captain calls out, but I don’t spare them a glance. My eyes are fixated on Ava.

"I’d rather the four of us head to your bedroom," I respond, my voice low, cutting through the casual vibe. The tension between Ava and me has been building for too long.

Without waiting for a response, I hold out my arms in silent command. Ava understands instantly, she always does. She launches herself into my embrace, her body colliding with mine, warm and familiar, her legs wrapping securely around my waist.

It’s been too long. And I’m done waiting.

I press my lips to her neck, trailing slow, deliberate kisses along the delicate skin as I move toward Sven’s room.

My fingers work quickly, easing down the straps of her gown, and the moment her perfectly plump breasts are exposed, I take one into my mouth, groaning at the way she shudders against me.

My tongue circles her nipple, teasing, tasting, while her nails dig into my shoulders, clutching me closer.

I smirk against her skin, knowing I get to go first again.

I carefully move us through the doorway, making sure no part of her grazes the walls or anything else. She’s precious cargo, and I always take care of what’s mine.

“Mhm,” is all I can manage. If Ava ever needs protecting again—no matter the situation—I’ll be the one to do it. The captain and the goalie might have her back, but I’ll be the first to take matters into my own hands.

“I want you so bad, Hottie,” I murmur, my restraint hanging by a thread.

There are no more words needed as she jumps off me, her urgency mirroring my own.

Clothes fly everywhere, and I pull her bare body against mine, savoring the warmth of her skin, the way she molds so perfectly to me.

My breath hitches as I meet her gaze. Those mesmerizing brown eyes locking onto mine, full of heat, full of unspoken promises.

“Can we do this differently today?” I ask, my fingers tracing the curve of her spine, anticipation crackling in the space between us.

“Anything for you,” she whispers into my ear.

“ Good, because I’m going to fuck you full of sin tonight,” I say with a naughty smirk.

“Have your way with me,” she moans as I kiss along her neckline.

My cock twitches at her words, a smirk curling at the edge of my lips. “That’s what I love to hear.”

I grip her waist, guiding her to sit at the edge of the bed. The way she looks up at me, expectant, eager, only makes me want her even more.