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Chapter Thirty-Three

I was in way over my head.

I didn’t realize it until the cameras were flashing, and I was clutching onto Liam’s arm as if it were a life raft in the middle of the sea of panic I was currently treading.

Liam had warned me about the cameras. In fact, he’d seemed so concerned about them that I started to worry he didn’t want any permanent connection to me, like the kind that happened when photos went online. But I told him it was fine, and it was. The issue wasn’t me having to pretend to be into him, but the worry I had that he wouldn’t be able to pretend with me.

I kept my head down, noticing how Maggie and Brody had no such reservations as they pranced on ahead of us.

“Hey.” Liam’s head came down until he was level with my ear. “You’re doing great. It’ll be a lot calmer once we get inside.”

I stared up at him, grateful for the way he was leaning into me, keeping me calm as we walked into the Fairmont Hotel. And that was when a photographer leaped right in front of us, snapping a photo.

Liam’s arm tightened around me, pulling me to his side in a protective grip. I didn’t know if it was for show, but I knew, at least partially, that he wanted to protect me from all this. The part of the job he hated.

And while it overwhelmed me, I never felt safer than I did beside Liam. It wasn’t just that he was tall and big and had that resting expression daring anyone to see what happens if they get too close. It was that I felt some part of him truly cared about me, even if it wasn’t in the way I wanted. I knew that if he could help it, he wouldn’t let anything hurt me.

“Mr. Brynn.” A microphone was shoved into his face. “Who’s the lovely lady serving as your date tonight?”

“Private,” he said in a clipped tone, moving us along before anyone had a chance to argue.

Thankfully, there were plenty of Harbor Wolves players who didn’t mind getting their photos taken or being interviewed, but it was clear Liam was the one everyone wanted.

Maybe it was because he denied them so often that all the reporters went after him. Everyone wanted to be the one he stopped for, the one he gave attention to at last. They wanted to be the one to earn the sought-after privilege of being the one Liam Brynn finally paused for.

But he didn’t stop. Not for any of them.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said when he led us inside the most extravagant lobby I’d ever set foot in.

Everything was shimmering and gold, the glow of the ornate chandelier filling the room with a warm light. It felt more like I was inside the palace of some aristocrat than a place people could pay money to stay at.

“It’s fine,” I said, honestly, taking everything in. “I know what I signed up for.”

He gave me a smile of gratitude, and I had to look away. Not just to take in the breathtaking hotel we were standing inside, but because Liam was so beautiful tonight that it hurt to look at him.

I waited for his hand to fall away now that the cameras were behind us, but it never did. I knew the longer I felt it, the worse it would be when he finally took it back.

Just like how tomorrow would feel after spending a night by his side, pretending to be the one he wanted.

I fought a sigh. Maybe I hadn’t thought this all the way through.

“We can still go home if you want.” His voice was low, closer than I expected.

I stared up at him, wondering how long he’d been studying me for him to be able to notice the slightest shifts in my demeanor.

“If that were an option, we wouldn’t be here in the first place,” I teased. Being here with him wasn’t the problem. It was being anywhere without him afterward that I was worried about.

“I don’t care,” Liam said intensely, eyes boring into mine in a way that left me dizzy. “I’ll deal with the fallback. If you want to go, we’ll go.”

“Liam,” I said, tilting my head with a smile. “I’m fine, really.”

“You always say that.” He rolled his eyes, but everything about his demeanor was soft… gentle, almost.

“This time, I mean it,” I said honestly. “I promise.”

He narrowed his eyes on me, scrutinizing as if he could detect if I was telling the truth or not with just a look.

“Come on,” I said, nodding my head in the direction where Maggie and Brody had wandered off. “Let’s go have some fun.”

“Fun,” he repeated with a huff. “You have a great way of spinning things, you know that?”

I laughed, and he led us to the ballroom, but the only thing I was aware of was the way his hand slipped down until it found mine.

Fooling everyone around us of the lie that I knew better than to believe: tonight, Liam Brynn was mine.

Liam

It was loud. There were too many people. And I was being asked a lot of fucking questions. Everything that made up the stuff of my worst nightmare of an evening.

But it wasn’t.

And that was solely because of the blonde sitting next to me, who hadn’t left my side for even a moment.

I saw the eyes on her. The hunger in men’s gazes as they stared her up and down, and while it pissed me the hell off, I had the satisfaction of them knowing she was with me.

Mine.

My eyes said exactly that every time I caught them looking our way.

Yeah , I thought with satisfaction each time some creep averted his gaze, turn your fucking head in the other direction. She’s not for you.

She wasn’t for me either, but no one had to know that.

I don’t think she noticed, but I was touching her a lot. In whatever small, inconsequential way I could manage without sending her off any red flags. She’d agreed to pretend to be my girlfriend for a night, not to have my hands all over her body in front of a few hundred people.

So, with every ounce of self-restraint in my body, I kept it casual: a hand on her arm, an intentional brush of our shoulders. Every once in a while, I even dared to brush my hand against hers. Each brief moment of contact was like a jolt of electricity running through me, and I wondered if this was how other people felt, if this was the feeling that made people risk breaking their hearts over.

I hadn’t felt it before, not to this extent, and I doubted I ever would again.

looked lost in thought when I looked over at her.

“What?” I asked, desperate to hear whatever thoughts were spinning around in her head.

“You’re not drinking,” noticed, staring down at the untouched drink in front of me. Apparently, she was just as aware of me as I’d been of her.

“Don’t need to.” I shrugged. “I’m having enough fun with you without it.”

She smiled at that softly, as if she were trying not to.

I laughed, “What’s that smile for?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I just like that.”

She was so easy to please. I couldn’t understand how Dave had screwed it up with her so badly when the things that made her happy were easier to give her than breathing.

“What the hell, Brynn?” One of my teammates’ voices sounded. “You bring a beautiful woman around and don’t bother to introduce her to us?”

I turned to see three of the guys standing there expectantly, all dressed in fitted suits. A drastic change from how I usually saw them in their hockey gear.

“This is ,” I answered curtly, watching out of the corner of my eye as she waved at them.

“My best friend!” Maggie raised her hand as she sipped her champagne.

, I noticed, sipped on water, a glass of champagne untouched in front of her.

“And you are?” Shane West asked.

“My date!” Brody beamed proudly, draping an arm around her chair.

Weird to see.

“Also, my sister,” I added to ensure they didn’t have any intention of making comments about her after they walked away.

Guys’ dates were usually up for discussion, but they faithfully steered clear of any talk about sisters.

All of them except Brody. But his hard work and delusions had paid off because now my sister was sitting beside him, staring at him with a smile she granted to few.

“Well, we just wanted to come over here and thank you for clearing up the competition.” Ryan Dawson smiled cheekily.

“What?” I asked.

“Apparently, you’re off the market now.” He winked at , causing me to stiffen. “For the auction at least, right?”

“What’s it matter to you?” I asked.

“Now that everyone won’t be fighting to the death over you, it gives the rest of us a fair chance with ladies.”

“You do know it’s usually middle-aged women using their husband’s money on these auctions, right?” I responded tightly.

“Age is but a number, Brynn.” He shrugged, looking around the ballroom. “Everyone here looks pretty good to me.” He laughed. “Though I have to admit, not quite as good as the lovely ladies at this table.”

“Watch it,” I warned, jaw clenched.

“Relax, Brynn.” His hands went up in defense. “It was a compliment.”

But Maggie was staring at me with a knowing look.

“Coach is going to be pissed, though,” one of the other guys added. “Apparently, you were supposed to be the big money maker of the night.”

I cringed, finding the whole idea of a date auction totally bizarre.

“Maybe if they didn’t pick the weirdest fucking fundraiser they could think of—” I started, hands balling into fists.

“We would’ve made less money,” Shane added. “And gotten less press about it. I mean, have you seen how many people showed up for this?”

“Not like we need the extra press,” I added.

“But seriously, props to you, Liam, for going against Coach like this after he already put you in the line of fire.” Ryan laughed. “No one can say you don’t have balls.”

“I would not want to be you when he gets a hold of you,” Shane added with a wince.

“What do you mean under the line of fire?” Maggie asked, nosey as ever,

“Coach basically threatened his spot on the team if he didn’t start generating better press around his image.” Ryan laughed as if it were a joke and not my career on the line.

tensed beside me.

“Liam!” Maggie said, “Couldn’t you have sucked it up for one night if it was this big of a deal?”

Why was everyone at my fucking throat all the time?

“I—” I started, preparing to spew out some response that would honestly probably get me in deeper shit than I was already in.

“It’s not his fault,” suddenly interjected. “Don’t blame Liam. I had to beg him not to participate, even though he kept telling me how important it was.” She gushed, sounding sincere. I gave her a double take at the note of sincerity in her voice, but she kept going, “I hope your Coach isn’t too upset. I just get really jealous when it comes to this guy.”

Her arm was around my chair, her hand resting on my shoulder in a possessive display. I raised my brows at her, but her eyes remained focused on my teammates.

“I’m sure you guys understand. I just couldn’t handle the thought of every woman in Boston fighting each other over the chance to spend a night with my boyfriend.”

Boyfriend.

The word hit me like I’d gotten cross-checked on the ice.

It’s what we’d agreed on when we talked about tonight. I just hadn’t expected to hear her say it out loud. I thought just the sight of us together would be enough insinuation.

A chorus of laughter from the guys sounded, and suddenly they were all around me, throwing light punches on my arm as if I just announced my fucking engagement.

“What the fuck, man. Did Liam Brynn finally commit to a full-on relationship?” Ryan grabbed my shoulders and shook them in what I thought might be congratulations.

“Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Maybe you haven’t,” Brody tossed across the table, knowing the whole thing was for show.

Maggie hit him, but luckily, they were beyond the guy’s notice.

was blushing as if she hadn’t expected such a reaction from my teammates.

And who could blame her?

For most guys, getting into a relationship was just another part of life—something that happened, something that wasn’t a big deal.

But for me? It was unheard of.

I wasn’t the guy people expected to settle down. I wasn’t the guy who let someone in.

But here was.

The first. Maybe the only.

The only girl who’d ever called me that in public. The only girl I could picture ever letting.

Even if it wasn’t real.

“Well, we’ll leave all you little love birds alone.” Ryan snickered. “Who knows? Maybe after tonight, half the Harbor Wolves will be paired off, and we can all take cutesy trips together to the mountains or some shit.”

Jesus Christ.

The team was close, but sometimes they were unbearable. I just didn’t have the energy half the time to deal with their back-and-forth banter.

Or maybe I just couldn’t handle all the conversations about my fake relationship when half of me was over the moon that people thought it could be true while the other half of me was torn to shreds, knowing it wasn’t.

’s hand left my arm as soon as they disappeared.

“You didn’t tell me what a big deal this was,” she said. “Am I going to be the Yoko Ono of the night?”

I arched a brow, laughing at the comment. “What band are you breaking up tonight?”

She groaned. “I just mean, is everyone going to hate me for taking the most eligible bachelor off the market?”

“I’m definitely not the most eligible,” I said dryly.

“Yeah!” she exclaimed. “Not now that I’ve crept in and stole you away from the mass of women who are going to want to murder me!”

“I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I frowned at the thought. “I promise.”

She sank lower into her seat. “I just hate when people are mad at me.”

“No one’s going to be mad at you, Cass.” I tucked my head down to be level with her as she crouched down. “And if they are, I’ll beat them up. Okay?”

She laughed, not knowing how true my words were.

“Can I tell you something?” she asked.

“Anything,” I said.

“I’m a little intimidated being here with you,” she said, making my heart sink. “I didn’t realize how big of a deal you were at first, and I feel like I still don’t have the whole picture of it.

“I’m not.” I shook my head, trying to deny it.

Trying to not let that aspect of my career that I’d always despised ruin whatever precarious thing there was between us.

“You are.” She nodded. “I mean, people I work with actually talk about you in the break room. That’s crazy, right? Everyone in this state knows who you are.”

“You know me, ” I assured her.

“I feel like I do,” she agreed. “Sometimes.”

Sometimes.

I wanted her to know me. Really, deeply know me. But I played a part in that, and I knew, despite everything, there were still parts of myself I was keeping guarded. Things I tried to shove away, even from myself.

But if I wanted her to know me, to let her in all the way, I had to own up to everything I was keeping buried. And I guess part of that was admitting how I felt about her.

“, I—”

“Brynn!” Coach’s voice interrupted, and the both of us sprang apart, apparently unaware of how close our faces had leaned in toward each other.

His voice yanked me back as surely as if he’d grabbed me by the hair and pulled.

I exhaled, turning to face him.

“Coach,” I said by way of greeting.

“What the hell is this I hear about you not doing the auction tonight?” His face was contorted in the signature angry scowl that only I drew out of him.

“Didn’t you hear, Coach?” Brody interjected with a grin. “Liam’s got himself a girlfriend. Pretty serious, too, by the looks of it. He promised I could be his best man.”

shifted beside me, choking on the water she was sipping.

I shot Brody a glare, promising I’d pay him back for that one later.

“Then why is this the first I’m hearing of the girl if it’s so serious?”

“Liam’s private,” Brody offered with a shrug.

“He is. Annoyingly so,” Maggie agreed.

“Yeah, right, Hayes.” Coach glared at Brody. “Because you’d never cover up for him.”

“No, it’s true,” Brody reassured him. “They’re living together and everything.”

At that, Coach did a double take, finally taking in for the first time.

“Hm,” he said, watching both of us with scrutinizing eyes.

’s chair scraped against the floor as she shifted closer to me,

“Sir, I’m so sorry I inconvenienced you tonight. But it really is true. We’ve been living together for almost a month now. And even though I know it would be good for the team, I just can’t stand the thought of him being with another woman, even if it is for charity.”

At that point, her head came down to rest against my shoulder, and I fucking lost it.

I could smell the lavender scent from her hair as it brushed against my skin. My hand moved up of its own accord to hold her against me as if I could keep her there forever if only I didn’t let go.

“Please don’t be mad at Liam because of me.”

Her hand reached up to cup my cheek while she stared Coach down with those big fucking blue eyes that I knew had to power to melt even the strongest of men.

She was going above and beyond to sell this performance, and all the while, I was sitting there like an idiot who couldn’t form a single fucking sentence while she was touching me like that.

“Please don’t bid him off on me,” she begged, fluttering her eyes at Coach while she cuddled up against me, her hand now tracing circles on my chest.

Coach stared dumbfounded, as if he, too, couldn’t process the luck I was having with this beautiful girl beside me.

“All right, fine,” He relented at last, tearing his eyes off and back to me. “Brynn, you’re off the hook. And you would’ve made a damn fortune too, so the only reason is because this is the only time you’ve ever brought a lady with you to anything in your career, so I have to give you the benefit of the doubt here.”

“Thank you, Sir.” jumped to her feet, an enthusiastic smile overtaking her. “You don’t know how much it means to me.”

She reached her hand out to shake his while introducing herself to him formally. In a daze, he shook her hand back, insisting that she call him Teddy.

I stared in awe at the interaction, watching as one of the most hardened men I knew turned into putty in front of .

I laughed to myself. Even fucking Coach wasn’t immune to ’s charms. It was like she was one of those mermaids who sank ships with just the sound of her voice. Only she was wide-eyed and innocent and probably hadn’t the slightest clue about the effect she had on people. It was just her.

He went off on his way, and sat down sheepishly, face flaming when she finally looked at me.

“I’m so sorry about that,” she said, wincing.

“ Sorry? ” I asked aghast. “You just saved me. What the hell are you sorry for?”

“I was way up in your space, and I know you hate stuff like that,” she said. “I just didn’t think he’d buy it otherwise.”

Was she serious?

And what could I say back?

Don’t apologize for touching me? I fucking loved it. Please, touch me more?

Anything I wanted to say, like any of the million thoughts that were rapidly filling my head, would’ve made me sound like an absolute creep.

“You just did me the biggest favor in the world,” I told her honestly. “And you got me out of a world of shit with Coach. You have nothing to apologize for.”

But I was scared of her refusing to touch me for the rest of the night because of the totally unwarranted fear that I somehow didn’t want it, so I told her, “Besides, we’re supposed to look like a couple tonight.” I cringed internally at how desperate I sounded, “So the touching is… good.”

“It’s good?” She scrunched her nose, still looking bashful and adorable as hell at the same time.

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“Well, if the touching is okay with you—”

More than fucking okay.

“Do you think we could maybe…” She fiddled her fingers nervously. “Dance?”

And then she looked longingly toward the dance floor, where dozens of couples were already swaying with their partners.

“You want to dance?” I asked, feeling my hands go clammy.

“Only if you do,” she said nervously.

I hadn’t slow danced since the senior prom back in high school, and even then, I’d only been on the floor for a few minutes before choosing to sit the rest of the night out.

But somehow, staring at , who had just done more for me than anyone else ever had, looking like the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my entire life, I knew I’d stand out there all fucking night if she wanted me to.

“Yeah, .” I laughed softly, holding out my hand for her. “We can dance.”