Marry Me

Viola

When I woke up the next morning, I felt like a thousand boulders had smashed my skull. The light filtering through the curtains hurt my eyes. I groaned and covered them with my forearm.

After a while, I pushed myself up and was horrified to realize I wasn’t in my room. The bedroom was twice the size of mine, with cream walls, tall windows, and thick gray curtains. Silk sheets covered the enormous bed. A soft rug stretched beneath it, while a leather armchair stood beside the window. Even the bedside lamps looked expensive. Everything was spotless, elegant, and strangely unfamiliar.

On the nightstand sat a glass of orange juice and an Advil. Beside them was a note: Take the pill with this.

I struggled to remember last night. Things returned in fragments. Wolves Den, a tall man, his strong arms, and then nothing.

“Shit,” I rasped, checking myself. My clothes were still on, and nothing felt wrong apart from my head.

Where was I? Whose house was this?

The smell of coffee drifted in from outside. Tempting, but I needed a bathroom first.

When I saw myself in the mirror, I gasped. I looked like a ghost. My golden brown curls resembled a pigeon’s nest, and my blue eyes were red, and lips were swollen. I washed up, fixed my hair, and left the room, planning to thank whoever had helped me before figuring out what to do with my miserable life. 

As I walked through the house, I realized how grand it was. I used to think Andy’s house was luxurious, but this was in a different league. Silk drapes, marble statues, expensive chandeliers, and paintings that looked like they belonged in a museum. Was that a Picasso?

Who exactly had brought me here?

I found him in a huge kitchen filled with equipment I didn’t know existed.

Wearing low-slung pajamas, he stood at the counter, frowning at the coffee machine. My eyes slid down his V-shaped back. Tattoos covered his back and shoulders, running down his arms to his knuckles.

My mouth went dry.

Without looking at me, he said, “You’re awake.” His deep, smooth voice broke my trance.

I licked my lips. “I-I’m so sorry. And thank you. I’m Viola—”

“I know who you are.”

He turned with two cups of coffee, and my eyes widened in pure surprise.

“Luke Colston!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Glad you recognize me. You couldn’t last night.”

My cheeks warmed. Luke Colston, captain of the Boston Wolves, was intimidating enough in his hockey gear. Standing shirtless in front of me, he was worse. Taller and broader than Andy, with muscles I couldn’t stop noticing.

The Wolves were the Knights’ sworn enemies.

Their captains were complete opposites. Andy was the charmer on the ice. Luke was brutal, cold, efficient, and unfriendly. I had heard he didn’t do girlfriends. Just one night stands.

If anyone discovered I was here, in his house, it would be nothing less than a disaster. Like a treason. 

Both teams were fighting for the championship this year. The Manchester Knights led the standings, with the Wolves only a few points behind.

Luke and Andy’s rivalry was legendary. Sports channels replayed their clashes, and reporters never missed a chance to bring them up. Every game between their teams turned personal.

And I had somehow ended up sleeping in Luke’s house?

He looked at me coldly, handed me a cup, and walked into the living room. I followed, sipping my morning fuel to get my brain working.

We sat on opposite sofas. He leaned back, his storm-gray eyes fixed on me, while I sat like a deer caught in headlights.

“I won’t sugarcoat this,” he began, his voice controlled. “I heard everything you said last night.”

“I….” I lowered my head, embarrassed.

“Viola?”

The way my name rolled off his tongue made a shiver run down my spine.

“Can I call you Viola?”

I blinked. “Viola is fine.” I shook my head. “I had too much to drink. I’m not usually like that.”

“I know.”

I looked up in surprise.

“Our team has been looking for a physical therapist for a while, and we know you’re the best. We’ve been keeping an eye on your work, but I’d given up hope of recruiting you. Now…” He met my eyes. “Would you like to join us?”

My fingers stopped against the mug. The Boston Wolves wanted me? I hesitated. This wasn’t as easy as he was saying. But I had heard that the Wolves were looking for a good physical therapist. 

“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head. “Andy and Horace are going to—”

“I know what goes on in this league, Viola. Sandra and Andy fooled you. They have been having an affair for three months. And I know what Horace can do.”

“You knew?” 

“Yes, we keep a watch on everything.”

Dread plummeted in my stomach. Had everyone known except me? My lips trembled, but I held back the tears. I wouldn’t cry over those two again. Not here. My anger returned. 

“Cut to the chase, Mr. Colston. I’d love to join your team, and I want to do it as soon as possible. I could need your team’s protection. But the moment you try to hire me, Andy will lose his mind. And Horace— don’t even get me started.” 

“I know what they’ll do.” Luke set his mug on the table. “That’s why I have a solution Horace won’t be able to counter.”

“And what’s that?” I asked suspiciously.

He got up, disappeared into another room, and returned two minutes later with a red velvet box. He placed it on the table between us.

I looked from the box to him. “Wh-what is that?” I asked, dreading it. 

He sat opposite to me, his cold demeanor back in place. Suddenly, the room felt too small.

“There’s one way to get Horace off your back,” he said. “To stop him from threatening to ruin you.”

He opened the box. Inside sat a three-carat diamond ring, with rubies and emeralds arranged around it in a wolf-like pattern. It looked regal. Like something passed down through generations of a wealthy family. An heirloom. 

Nothing like the fourteen-karat gold band Andy had given me.

My breath caught as Luke lifted the ring from the box and said, “Marry me.”