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Chapter Twenty-Eight

LILY

Instinct and training kick in as I assess the situation and determine our best exit route.

“Oh, bloody brilliant,” Payton mutters next to me as he shields his eyes against the flashes.

One journalist shoves his way from behind the rest, then lunges toward us, his phone up and recording everything. “Payton, is this your girlfriend? She’s wearing your jersey. Does your family approve of her?”

I jump in front of Payton, blocking the guy from getting any closer. “Step. Back.”

The journalist blinks at me, surprised. No doubt he didn’t expect me to be the one to stand in his way. “I?—”

“I said, back off.” I match my expression to the threatening tone of my voice.

He recoils, then looks as if he’s about to launch forward again, just like the rest, vying for Payton’s attention.

To our left, the exit route to the parking lot is blocked by news vans, and all the commotion has drawn a crowd of fans to our right.

That leaves only one choice—retreat into the arena.

I spin around and herd Payton toward the door we just exited. “We need to go back inside. ”

He frowns at me as if he’s unsure.

“Now!”

He nods and turns around.

Faces full of shock, Sophie and Luke stare at us as if we told them the end of the world had arrived, and I have a feeling in Payton’s mind it has. But there’s no time to explain anything to them yet. I continue to push Payton until we’re well inside.

“What the hell?” Luke growls as he follows us inside.

Payton drags a hand down his face. “It’s a long story.”

I glance toward the door. “Where’s Sophie?”

Luke tips his head in that direction. “She’s trying to find out what that’s all about.”

Payton and I lock eyes, commiserating this unexpected turn of events without words.

Several of the other players walk out of the locker room, smiling and oblivious to the commotion until they see us standing there and then hear the muffled sounds from outside. Natural curiosity propels them toward the exit to find out what’s going on.

Except for Wade, who glances between Luke and Payton. “Did the party move to the hallway?”

“That’s one way of looking at it,” Luke grunts.

Clearly flustered, Sophie rushes back in and points at Ethan and Mathéo. “You two guard the door and don’t let anyone in.” Then she points at Luke. “Go get Coach Markelson.”

All three jump into action, and my respect for this woman just doubled. Now I get why she and Luke are such a good match. His grumpy side needs someone who understands and yet sets boundaries for him.

While Payton talks to Wade, I join Sophie near the door. “Were you able to find anything out?”

“Officially, they’re here on an anonymous tip. Unofficially, sounds like it was Houston Jennings.” She draws her brows together. “Is it true? Is Payton royalty?”

I glance back at him, unsure of what to say. This is his story to tell, not mine, but I want to help him, too. “Am I talking to Sophie, the reporter, or Sophie, the friend?”

“ Your friend. I always put the people I care about before the job. And for the record, I’m a photojournalist.”

Her stubbornness makes me smile, but her declaration sends all these warm and fuzzy feelings through me. For the first time in my life, I have genuine friends—something else I’ll have to give up when I return to England.

Although Del proved to be a good friend during this odd assignment. She offered to stay and help wrap things up, but I could tell she was itching to get home, so I told her to go on ahead of me. Now, I wish she were here to navigate this situation with us.

Pressing my lips together, I nod. “Sorry. I had to ask. It’s part of my job.”

“What job?” She blinks her round eyes at me.

I sigh. “I’m not Payton’s wife. I’m his…bodyguard.”

Her mouth drops open just so as she stares at me. “Wow, didn’t see that coming.” She shifts her focus back to Payton. “So, Payton is royalty.”

“More like royalty adjacent.” I can tell a myriad of questions are passing through her mind as she processes this.

“So all this time…?” She rolls her lips inward as she thinks. “All that stuff I said…you two seemed so real.”

Without thinking about it, my eyes find Payton and drink him in.

He ran his hand through his hair at least once, leaving it a bit tousled, like the way he looks when he wakes up in the morning.

He didn’t bother putting his tie back on, so his shirt is unbuttoned at the top.

And every time he flexes his arm, I see the definition of his biceps.

But it’s his quiet strength that draws me the most. And makes me feel…safe. Maybe what’s happening between us is stronger than I realized.

“Oh.” A mix of mild astonishment and realization flashes across her face as she studies me.

Feeling exposed, I glance away, looking for anything else to focus on. “Yeah.”

No more words. Just the press of her hand against my upper arm to say she understands. And this bundle of feelings and emotions I’ve been holding close feels a little lighter and manageable.

Sophie glances toward the throng outside. “We need to hold a press conference or something. Otherwise, they’ll just keep hounding him.”

As I nod in agreement, Coach Markelson enters the scene, trailed by Luke. Coach pulls Payton aside for a brief chat, then strides out the door to deal with the reporters. Next thing I know, the assistant coach, Derek, is herding us back into the locker room area to Coach’s office.

A few minutes later, Coach joins us along with the rest of the team. “I’ve asked the press to give us a few minutes to get organized.” He zeros in on Payton. “I think it’s time you fill us in, Pay.”

I stay at Payton’s side as he explains his true identity and the entire situation, from his cousin’s disappearance to his sister’s insistence on hiring a bodyguard, which brings a room full of hockey players’ eyes on me.

And crickets.

I glance at Payton, unsure what to say because the spotlight is never supposed to fall on the bodyguard.

He meets my questioning gaze. “I’m the one who insisted Lily pose as my wife, and she has been beyond supportive.”

One of the rookies in the back makes a snickering comment, but Luke’s grunt shuts him down.

I didn’t think a burly man like Luke could appear more awkward than he does right now. With his hands in his pants pockets and shoulders near his ears, he takes on an almost sad expression. “Pay-man, why didn’t you just tell us who you are? We could have helped you deal with all this.”

Sophie stands next to him, giving me a look that says the same—I could have entrusted her with the truth. The rest of the guys are either nodding or making comments in agreement, all out of concern for Payton.

He holds a hand up, bringing a hush to the group. “In hindsight, I wish I had. But I thought keeping my lineage a secret was the easiest way to be a regular bloke who plays hockey.”

Ethan chirps, “Is that what you call that botched play tonight?”

Chuckles rumble through the room—more snickers and chiding, but all in good fun, as if they’re over it already. But more likely, they want him to know they’re okay with who he is.

Wade lets out a whistle. “Let’s let the past be the past, boys. Right now, we need to ask our man here what he needs to deal with this mess.”

The burn behind my eyes hits me in full force. To watch these guys rally around Payton is one of the most heartening things I’ve ever witnessed. These people are community-bound by so much more than a stick, a puck, and a frozen floor.

Sophie steps up and rests her hand on Payton’s arm. “They’re not going away, so answering their questions will help keep this from ballooning into something bigger. If you’re up for it.”

Coach chimes in. “She’s right. They’re waiting to hear from you, Payton.”

Payton scans the room and then gives a reluctant nod.

Keeping a quick pace, Coach leads us back down the hallway. Multiple footsteps coming from behind stop both Payton and me, causing us to turn around just short of the exit .

Every single member of the team, plus Derek, Sophie, and Mia are staring at us.

Luke lets out a snort. “You didn’t think we’d let you do this by yourself, did you?”

A couple of rogue tears slip down my face before I can stop them. I look up at Payton. “I’ll be right there, making sure they don’t get too close.”

Not that he really needs a five-foot-ten female bodyguard when he has an entire team of muscled hockey players who tower over me.

Payton’s eyes warm as one side of his mouth lifts in a slow smile. He brushes a thumb over my teary cheek. “Sorry to put you through this, luv.”

I give him a watery smile. “Part of the job. But just so we’re clear, this will not be like that movie The Bodyguard .”

He lets out a soft laugh. “Understood.”

A voice from the back snickers. “Yeah, bodyguard my a?—”

“Stop!” Luke growls.

Coach’s voice breaks the silence. “Ready?”

Payton and I nod, and along with everyone behind us, we step outside in a united front to meet the press.