Kade POVI throw my shoulder into the first body that gets in my way, sending some poor bastard sprawling against the boards. The impact rattles up my arm, but I barely register it. The crowd erupts, the sound of the hit echoing through the arena, but I don’t stop to soak it in. I’m already chasing the puck.Ben takes possession at center ice, flicking it toward Tyler, who barely has time to react before I’m there, muscling past the defense and cutting into open space. Tyler sees it, sends a quick pass my way, and I catch it clean on my stick before snapping a shot toward the net.It hits the post with a clang, but I’m already in motion, digging in, forcing my way through the bodies in front of the crease. The rebound comes loose, and I don’t hesitate—I drive forward, my stick cutting through the chaos, and bury the puck in the back of the net.The horn blares, the arena erupts, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself feel it. The adrenaline. The rush. The weight that’s be
Rook POVThe game plays on the TV, lighting up the room in shades of blue and white, but Harlow couldn’t care less. She’s curled up in my arms, her tiny hands gripping my hoodie, sucking on her bottle like it’s the most important thing in the world.“You see that?” I murmur to her, tilting the bottle just right. “That’s a perfect zone entry. Clean, no wasted movement. Just like when you decide to impressively spit up all over me right after I change shirts. Perfect execution, great timing, just like Kade out there.”Harlow makes a small noise, uninterested in my expert hockey analysis, but I keep going anyway.“Now watch, he’s pulling coverage. He’s baiting them in, making them think he’s gonna take the shot. But nah, he’s smarter than that.” I pause, smirking as Kade cuts hard, dragging two defenders with him before flicking a perfect pass across the ice. Tyler catches it clean and fires it straight past the goalie. The lamp flashes red, the crowd goes nuts.“And boom, assist.” I gla
Rook POVI already knew my father told him. That wasn’t a surprise. But I didn’t expect this reaction. Didn’t expect him to care this much.I smirk slightly, tilting my head. “Didn’t do it for free, Mercer. Figured you’d be unbearable if you had to sit out any longer.”Kade huffs a quiet laugh, but there’s something different in his eyes, something softer, something I’m not sure he even realizes is showing.“Still,” he says, his voice quieter now. “You didn’t have to.”I shrug, acting like it was nothing, but the truth is, I would’ve. Even if it had come to that, even if I had to sit out just to get him back on the ice, I would’ve done it. Because Kade needs hockey. It’s not just a game for him, it’s who he is.And tonight, watching him play like he finally felt free? Watching him move without anything weighing him down?It made it worth it.Kade must see something in my expression because he exhales again, finally loosening his grip on my hoodie, but only to shift his hands, sliding
Rook POVI shift, adjusting my stance, keeping my voice even. “So what? You think moving in makes that harder?”Kade shakes his head, but he’s still frowning. “No. Just means I need to be sure. If this is where I’m staying, then it’s not just me anymore. It’s her, too.”I snort, nudging his side. “You act like that’s new information. Harlow’s already here. Has been since you decided to stick around.”Kade huffs out a short laugh, but there’s something else in his expression, something quieter.“Yeah, well,” he mutters, rubbing his jaw. “Guess I just hadn’t said it out loud before now.”I smirk, leaning against the counter. “And? Feel better getting it off your chest, Daddy Mercer?”He groans, shaking his head. “Never call me that again.”“Not making any promises,” I shoot back.Kade sighs, but there’s no real frustration behind it. He just looks at me, his expression steady now. “So… you’re really good with this? Me staying?”I roll my eyes. “Mercer, you’ve been here. At this point, I
Kade POVHarlow is fussing. Ever since Rook left the room, she hasn’t settled unless I’m holding her. It’s like she knows I’m not the one she wants and is determined to make me suffer for it.I shift her slightly, rocking her gently, but she lets out another little whimper, her tiny fists curling into my hoodie like that alone might summon him back.“Come on, kid,” I mutter, adjusting my hold. “I’m not that bad, am I?”She doesn’t answer, obviously, just fidgets more.Moving in here—to Rook—is easy. Too easy. I agreed, but I haven’t really thought about it. Not the way I probably should. There’s still something holding me back, something I haven’t put words to yet.The sofa dips beside me, and I turn to see him settling in, stretching out like he owns the place. Because, well, he does.“She not settling?” he asks, glancing toward Harlow.I sigh. “She doesn’t like me.”Rook snorts, full of amusement. “Bullshit, Mercer. She can sense your unease. Relax, you’re tense.”Before I can argue
Kade POVRook watches me, his expression unreadable for a moment before he finally asks, “What are you scared of, Mercer?”I open my mouth, then close it, my jaw clenching as I glance down at Harlow. She’s peaceful now, finally settled against me like she trusts me, and that only makes it worse.I exhale sharply. ”Everything. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing, Rook. I’m lost, man. It’s only been a week, a week, and I’m already in over my head. What if I fuck this up? What if I can’t do this?”Rook is quiet for a second before he leans in, pressing his shoulder into mine again. “You’re not alone, Kade,” he says simply. “I’m here. My dad’s here. No one’s leaving you to figure this out by yourself.”I close my eyes for a second, exhaling through my nose. “It’s not a sure thing.”Rook tilts his head. “What isn’t?”“This. Any of this.” My voice drops slightly, rough around the edges. “Anything could happen. I could end up not here. We could end up breaking up, and then what? You think
RookKade’s apartment is a fucking disaster.Boxes, clothes, and gear are everywhere, and yet, somehow, he’s still standing there like he doesn’t know where to start. I shake my head, grabbing a pile of his old hockey shit and tossing it onto the bed.“Jesus, Mercer, you hoard more than I thought,” I mutter, pulling a random training shirt from one of the piles. The fabric is worn, the AHL logo faded but still there. “Didn’t realize you were sentimental.”Kade snorts, glancing up from where he’s shoving a pile of jerseys into a duffel bag. “I’m not.”I hold the shirt up, inspecting it with exaggerated interest. “Oh, really? Then why the hell do you still have this? What, you missing your glory days?”His lips twitch like he’s trying not to laugh. “Shut up, Volkov.”Ignoring him, I dig a little deeper and pull out an old training camp hoodie from his KHL stint. Holding it up, I let out a low whistle. “Now this is a relic. Bet you thought you were hot shit when you got this.”Kade final
Rook POVKade mutters under his breath, rubbing his jaw like he’s still recovering from the revelation. “Not everyone just knows for sure they’re gay without checking, Volkov.”That’s it. That’s all it takes for me to lose it. Laughter bursts out of me, loud and shameless, because this is gold. “Ohhh, I remember,” I say, grinning. “And from what I heard back then, you were really enjoying trying to figure that out.”Kade glares at me, but it only makes me laugh harder.“Women, men, women, women, women, men, men.” I tick them off on my fingers as I go, smirking at him. “Oh, and then back to women.”Kade groans, rubbing his face. “Jesus, Rook. Grow up.”Still laughing, I shake my head. “Nah, not when I finally get to drag you for this. You were so dedicated to the research. Really committed to the cause.”“You’re insufferable,” he grumbles.“And yet, here you are, moving into my house,” I shoot back.Kade just shakes his head, muttering something under his breath, but I catch the way hi
Rook POVThe last few days have been good. Kade has barely worked, giving himself real time to heal. I’ve purposely gone to train, making sure he has time alone with Harlow.He needs it. So every now and then, I fake that I have to train and head to the rink. Sure, I train, but not every single day. This is about giving him time with her, time they both need.“Have you decided?” My dad walks in, looking between us.“Does it really make a difference?” I ask. To me, it doesn’t matter whether Kade and I arrive together or not.“You’ve got to consider it. Are you going there together, as partners? Or are you showing up separately, like the rivals you’ve always been?”Kade smirks. “Maybe separate cars. Something tells me Rook won’t handle losing well.”He has no fucking idea.“Plus, I’m not sure I’ll want to sit in a car
Kade POVRook walks beside me, his hands are shoved in his pockets, and he has that smug little smirk still on his face. “You really thought they wouldn’t bring up our marriage?” he teases.I huff. “I don’t know why they care so much. It’s not like you’re some fucking trophy wife.”He gasps dramatically. “Excuse you, I am a fucking prize.”I roll my eyes, but I don’t fight the grin tugging at my lips.As we reach the doors leading to the ice rink, I hear the sound of skates carving into the ice. Laughter echoes, followed by Rose’s voice giving encouragement. I step inside, and my eyes immediately find Harlow.She’s on the ice, her tiny form skating with ease, stick in hand, guiding the puck forward.I stop walking.Rook keeps going, not noticing until he glances back at me. “What?”I gesture toward the rink. “She’s... ac
Kade POVI walk into the stadium, Rook right beside me. We brought Harlow along, and she and Rose are going to skate for a bit. It gives her something to do, and afterward, we can join her as well.“So, no punching people, right?” Rook glances at me.“You are telling me?” I scoff. “I am pretty sure you would be the one to punch a reporter, not me.”His head tilts slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. “I don’t know. You have always hated them, but now you can punch them, and it doesn’t even matter. You’re quitting, what are they going to do? Force you to play more as punishment?”Rolling my eyes, I shove him, but he barely moves. Instead, he wraps his arms around me, pulling me in tight.“I’m offended, Mercer. Look at you, shoving me,” he teases, his grip tightening. “You should be glad the cameras didn’t catch it... Abuse. Damn,
Rook POVI lean back, pulling him with me until we’re both lying down, my arm wrapped around him, his head resting against my chest.“She doesn’t deserve you,” I whisper.“I know,” he murmurs.“But you still won’t let her die alone. You love her, she's your mom, that doesn't change.”He doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t have to. I already know.The sound of muffled giggling pulls me from sleep, followed by the unmistakable rustling of movement on the bed. I blink my eyes open, groggy and disoriented, only to find two pairs of eyes staring right at me, one mischievous, the other excited.Harlow is sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed, balancing a plate on her lap, while Kade leans back against the pillows with a tray in front of him, looking way too pleased with himself for this early in the morning.I glance between them, rubbing a hand over my face. “W
Rook POVI don’t say anything, I just reach for his wrist and guide him toward our room. He doesn’t fight me or try to pull away. His breathing is steady, but I can feel the tension in the way he moves, in the way his fingers flex like he’s trying to keep control of himself.The second we step inside, I shut the door behind us, locking out the rest of the world. Kade stands there for a moment, staring at nothing, clearly lost in his own head.I walk over to him and place my hands on his shoulders. He still doesn’t move, so I squeeze lightly, grounding him. “You did the right thing,” I say quietly.He lets out a breath, a slow, shaky one that tells me just how much this is weighing on him. “I don’t know if it was the right thing,” he mutters. “I just know sending her away wouldn’t have changed anything.”Nodding, I step closer. “That’s the right thin
Kade POVI let out a sharp laugh. “What’s there to deal with? She didn't care, she used me for money and tried to gain more. She made her choices. She doesn’t get to come back now just because she’s running out of time.”“You don’t have to forgive her,” he says, leaning forward against the desk. “But you’re going to regret it if you don’t talk to her before it’s too late.”I scoff, shaking my head. “No, I won’t.”“You will.”The certainty in his tone pisses me off more than anything else. “You don’t know that.”“I do, because I’ve seen it before,” he counters, voice sharp now. “I’ve watched men in this life lose people they swore they didn’t care about, and then I’ve watched them drown in the weight of it after they were gone.”I shake my head, refusing to listen.
Kade POVHarlow is relentless. She’s covering me in pink plasters, wrapping me in bandages, and holding ice directly against my skin. Not an ice pack, not wrapped in a towel, literal chunks of ice.Rook, of course, is grinning like this is the best thing he’s ever seen.I don’t complain, though. At least I get to see her, spend time with her, even if it means enduring her questionable medical care. She sticks another plaster onto my arm, nowhere near the actual injuries, and I can’t help but wonder why.“Daddy Rook,” she nudges him, her little voice full of authority. “Daddy Mercer needs ice cream.”Oh, this is good. I lean back more, smirking. “Yeah, Daddy Rook, I need ice cream.”Rook glares at me before turning back to her. “We don’t have any, princess. You finished it before we left.”She gasps dramatically. “No! Not our ice cream, Gelato Heave
Rook POVFacing her, I decide to ease into it. “So, I spoke to Daddy Mercer,” I say, watching as her eyes light up instantly.“Is he having fun with Aunt Amelia?” she asks, tilting her head.“He was,” I say, dragging out the word before shaking my head like I’m disappointed.Her little brows furrow. “What did Daddy Mercer do now?” she exclaims, throwing her hands up like she already knows it’s going to be something ridiculous.I sigh dramatically. “Well, he went to play hockey.”She blinks at me. “That’s not stupid. Daddy Mercer does stupid stuff.”Snorting, I nod. “True, but him trying to check someone and instead tripping over his own feet, slamming into the ice, and smashing his face definitely was.”She gasps before bursting into laughter, her giggles so loud even the soldiers and capo glance over. She clutches her stomach, barely able to catch her breath. “He fell?” she wheezes between laughs.“Flat on his
Rook POVWhen I wake, I’m still in bed with Rook wrapped around me. My eyes fall on the ring, and I’m glad I gave it to him. Even if the whole thing was hard. We need something so that I don’t have to stay locked in this bedroom, avoiding Harlow.If I’m going to be home resting, I should get to spend time with her. But I also know I have no idea my mom is still here. Courtesy of my father. Not today. For today, I can stay in the bedroom, and Rook will figure out something to tell Harlow to explain the bruises and broken fingers.Sliding out of bed, I go downstairs, and she’s already in the kitchen with Rose.“Let me guess, pancakes?”“No!” Harlow smiles at me.“Wait, no? You can’t go changing the routine, I want pancakes!” I joke, and she laughs.“She’s discovered the waffle maker.”Oh... “Well, I’m on board with waffles as well.”Standing here, we make waffles, and she talks away. After, I grab a plate and take them up