Kade POV
I walk towards Tyler. He’s sitting at a table near the back, his drink half-empty in front of him, watching everything but not really part of it. He looks up at me as I walk towards him.
It’s been a long time since we’ve really talked. Since that night. Since the mess that followed. Since he ripped the fucking ground out from under me and made me see what I was about to lose.
Tyler raises a brow as I sit across from him, setting my drink down on the table. “You avoiding me, Mercer?” he asks, taking a slow sip of his drink.
I let out a breath. Yeah okay I've not sat alone with him since all the shit. I barely spoke to him before the game or during it. “Figured it was the other way around.”
He watches me for a moment, then shrugs. “I was giving you space. Figured you’d either want to talk or knock my teeth out.”
“Not gonna lie, I thought about it.”
Kade POVThe bass from the music vibrates through the floor beneath my feet, the heat of so many bodies pressing into me from every direction. The club is electric, alive with the high that comes after a championship win. Most of the noise is coming from people who are shouting, then there's drinks getting spilt, as I walk through hands grab at me, pulling me deeper into the chaos.I should be celebrating. I should be drunk off my ass, soaking up the attention, riding this high for as long as it lasts, but instead, I can’t stop looking up. Sure I'm drunk, but not enough, yet.“Mercer!”A hard slap lands between my shoulder blades, making me stumble forward. Turning, I see Tyler grinning at me, his blond hair damp with sweat, his eyes already glazed over from too many shots. He's wasted already.“Come on, man! We fucking won! You should be wasted by now,” he shouts over the music, shaking his drink at me like I’m supposed to grab it.Forcing a smirk, I look at him. “I’m working on it
Kade POVHis hand presses firmer against my thigh. “How do you usually celebrate a win, Mercer?”I swallow, my throat feels dry, which is impossible considering how much I've drank. I push down the nerves and respond anyway. “That depends.”“On?”My gaze flickers up and I focus on him. “On how far you’re willing to take it.” My shoulder shrugs slightly, purely to try and make it seem like I'm indifferent right now when I'm not.Darren watches me for a long moment, then exhales slowly. He leans back, his hand moves off my leg and I watch as he reaches into his jacket pocket. A second later, he presses a key card into my hand.“Room 714,” he says. “Give me five minutes.”My eyes go down, and I stare at the card, my skin tingles where his fingers brush against mine. I don't say anything else, I just stand and leave while clutching the card.The night air is sharp as I step out of the club, but it does nothing to clear my head. I move quickly, weaving through the crowd outside, gripping t
Kade POVI don't know why I'm hesitating, I came here because I wanted this. Pushing away the doubts, I reach up, grabbing the back of his neck and dragging him down until our mouths meet, and the second my lips crash against his, Darren takes control, his hand fists into my shirt. He yanks me closer, his body heat pressing into mine. The whiskey on his breath mixes with mine, and the taste of it is sharp between us. I expect him to ease into it, to test the waters, but he doesn’t, he isn't waiting around for any other sign of confirmation, he has everything he wants.He devours me. His teeth scrape my bottom lip, tugging just enough to make my breath stutter my body reacts instantly and his tongue flicks against mine, demanding more and consuming me.I don’t hesitate, I meet him with the same intensity. My body pushes his back against the bar while my hands grip the front of his shirt, dragging him closer to me.Darren exhales a quiet chuckle against my mouth, like he’s amused by my
Kade POVI'm too drunk to move quickly and blood is rushing in my ears, my body still too wired to process the shift from pleasure to panic.“What the hell are you doing here?” My voice is hoarse and breathless, and I hate how wrecked I sound right now.Nikolai tilts his head, pocketing his phone with an infuriating ease. “Just checking in on one of our rising stars.”“Checking in,” Darren repeats, voice sharp. “By breaking into my fucking hotel room?”Finally, Nikolai looks at Darren and whatever Darren sees in that looks has him falter, his expression goes from angry to worried. My mind finally forces me to move, and I yank the sheet up around my waist as I try to push up on my elbows, the room spins slightly, and my pulse is still hammering in my ears. The panic is clawing it's way through my skull now that the reality of this entire situation is hitting full force. What the fuck have I done? This isn't just bad, this is career-ending. "You don't want to do this," I say, trying
Kade's POVI can feel the sunlight against my eyelids, warm and bright, and I stretch against the sheets. My body is sore, but in a way that feels good. It's a dull ache in my muscles, but deeper than that is the hum of satisfaction, it's the the kind of feeling that only comes after a night of drinking and celebrating because we won. Yeah, we won again, and the thought settles deep in my chest, and it pulls a lazy smirk from me. My mind replays it all, the game, the crowd, the moment I lifted that trophy above my head, it's all still fresh, still running through my veins. Other than that, I don't remember much from last night, but I don't need to. The details are a blur, twisting together. Booze, laughter, and the feel of hands dragging me deeper into the club as bodies pressed too close. I remember the heavy bass shaking the floor beneath my feet. Exhaling, I drag a hand over my face. I feel good, no, I feel better than good. The weight of responsibility, the constant pressure an
Kade POVI ignore everyone, I ignore the talk of the reporter, I ignore it all, at least I try, that is until across the table, Alex’s phone buzzes. I watch as he glances at the screen and frowns. “What the fuck?” He tilts his phone toward Tyler. “Why is Mercer dropping in the draft rankings?”My grip on the glass tightens, no, fucking no, that better be a joke. I don't move, I just watch as Tyler grabs his phone.He begins scrolling fast, his brows pulling together. “Holy shit. You dropped two spots.”Ben snorts at his words, his eyes flick to me briefly. “Yeah, that makes no sense. You just won us the fucking championship.”A few of the other guys begin to pull out their phones, they are all murmuring to each other. Someone curses under their breath and my ears start ringing because this isn't just some minor slip. It’s noticeable, players don’t just drop after a game like the one I just played. Not unless something behind the scenes is scaring teams off. This isn’t a coincidence,
Kade’s POVThe Regent Hotel seems to almost come alive today under the afternoon sun, its glass reflects the bright sky, making it look even more expensive and high end than it already is.Standing outside for a moment, I adjust my jacket, inhaling slowly. I should walk away, I should turn around, go anywhere but here. But I don’t.Instead, I push through the revolving doors, stepping into the cool, perfectly controlled lobby of the hotel.The lobby is everything I expected from a place like this. It has high ceilings, polished marble floors, and there's the quiet hum of wealth mixed into every inch of the place. Staff move efficiently behind the front desk, while the guests linger in expensive suits and designer dresses, but I don’t stop. I already know where I’m going.A woman in a black dress steps into my path, smiling in that professional way that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. "Sir, may I assist you?”I meet her gaze, keeping my voice steady. I didn't need someone to help me, thi
Kade POVI hate this.“I want you to throw your next game,” he says finally. “A very specific game. Against my son’s team.”Rook.The name alone is enough to send a spark of rage through me. We’ve spent years going at each other on the ice, tearing into every game like it’s war. We fight. We push each other. He pisses me off more than any other player in the league, and I live for every second of it. And now, Nikolai wants me to lose to him.A bitter laugh slips from my throat before I can stop it. “You want me to throw a game against Rook?” I shake my head. “You think I’m gonna let that asshole win without a fight?”“You won’t be letting him win,” Nikolai corrects smoothly. “You’ll be making sure he wins. There’s a difference.”I clench my jaw so hard it hurts. Every instinct in me screams to tell him to fuck off. But I don’t because I can’t.I exhale sharply, rubbing a hand over my face before dropping it back to my lap. “And if I agree?” My voice is sharp, biting. “That’s it? You d
Kade POVI walk towards Tyler. He’s sitting at a table near the back, his drink half-empty in front of him, watching everything but not really part of it. He looks up at me as I walk towards him.It’s been a long time since we’ve really talked. Since that night. Since the mess that followed. Since he ripped the fucking ground out from under me and made me see what I was about to lose.Tyler raises a brow as I sit across from him, setting my drink down on the table. “You avoiding me, Mercer?” he asks, taking a slow sip of his drink.I let out a breath. Yeah okay I've not sat alone with him since all the shit. I barely spoke to him before the game or during it. “Figured it was the other way around.”He watches me for a moment, then shrugs. “I was giving you space. Figured you’d either want to talk or knock my teeth out.”“Not gonna lie, I thought about it.”
Kade POVThe night is loud, chaotic, and a little surreal. I’ve lost count of the number of times someone’s handed me a drink, slapped my back, or said some shit about my legacy on the ice. It should feel like a weight off my shoulders, like the closing of a chapter I was ready to walk away from. And yet, there’s this strange feeling sitting in my chest, like I don’t know what comes next. I do, I just never thought I would be in a place to give up hockey.I watch Rook across the bar, laughing at something one of his teammates said. He looks at home here, like he belongs in this world, like he always did. Maybe that’s what feels so weird, I spent my whole life believing I belonged here too. But now, after everything, I’m not so sure anymore.“Mercer, you look like you’re thinking way too hard for a guy who just won his last game,” Wes says, dropping onto the barstool beside me.I roll m
Rook POVAs we step out of the arena, the noise from inside fades behind us. The night air is crisp, the kind that bites at your skin but feels good after being on the ice. Kade walks beside me, his hands shoved into his pockets, his expression still caught somewhere between pissed off and thinking too hard.I nudge him as we head toward the car. “You ready for this?”He shoots me a look. “For what?”“The part where everyone gets drunk in your honor,” I smirk. “You should feel special.”“Right, because I’m sure that’s exactly why they’re drinking,” he mutters. “Not because they’re thrilled I’m finally out of their way.”I shrug. “A little of both, probably.”He huffs out a breath, shaking his head, but I catch the flicker of amusement in his eyes. He’s still brooding about the game, about how I let
Rook POVI get myself sorted, half expecting to get outside and find Kade gone, only he’s leaning against the wall, his arms crossed like he’s sulking.Nudging him, I smile. “Alright, you want the fucking truth you moody asshole?”“You and the truth?” He laughs shaking his head like that’s crazy.“I don’t lie, you know that.” Moving, I stand in front of him, my hands pressing against the wall beside his head. “Harlow is watching, she knows it’s your last fucking game.”He looks at me, confused. “Right, so what?”Rolling my eyes, I step closer. “She idolises you, and the fact you’re the best hockey player. She gets to see you how she believes you, as the best at hockey, at fucking everything.”He just stares at me, so I keep going.“She gets to see her dad winning, Kade,” I say, my voice quieter now. “Not
Kade POVI let out a frustrated groan, gripping his jersey tighter. “You tripped over your own fucking skates! I swear to god, Rook, it wasn’t even convincing!”“It was fast! People will think I hit a rough patch of ice or something.”“There was no rough patch! We play on pro-maintained ice!”“Well, then I guess I’m just that clumsy,” he deadpans.I stare at him, my entire body vibrating with frustration. “You are so fucking lucky I love you, because I swear to god—”He smirks again. “Oh, I know.”I groan again, pressing my forehead against his chest for a moment before shoving myself off him. “Unbelievable,” I mutter as I pull him up with me.“You’re welcome,” he says, still grinning, and I glare at him.“You are never pulling that shit again.”“Well this was the last game, so
Kade POVMy body aches, exhaustion creeping in with every shift. Rook wasn’t wrong, I’m not as good as I used to be. And somehow, he’s gotten better. No matter how much I push, how hard I skate, he’s always a step ahead, like he’s been waiting for this exact moment to turn the tables on me.Now I get how he fucking felt all those years.I glance across the ice at him. He’s muttering something under his breath, probably chirping me from the penalty box. I can’t hear him over the crowd, but I know it’s about me slacking off. Maybe because I winked at him, knowing it would throw him off just enough to make him lose his focus.Except he didn’t lose it.We’re not winning this.I was so sure I could beat Rook like I always did, so sure I could just show up and still take him down. I didn’t even try to train these past few days. That was my mistake.The whistl
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,