LOGINKIERAN’S POVThe steam from the locker room showers had barely dissipated into the cool evening air by the time we reached the asphalt parking lot. The sun had dipped completely below the horizon, leaving a deep indigo sky cut by the sharp red tail lights of departing cars. The autumn air bit hard against my skin, sending an instant shiver down my spine, but inside my torso, my chest felt like a quiet furnace. Every single stride toward Mason’s truck sent a low, resonant thrumming straight through the mark on my collarbone. My thigh muscles still quivered with every step a deep, heavy fatigue from two solid hours of high-tempo drills, but the raw agitation that used to accompany that physical drain had completely vanished.Mason didn't speak until we were both safely inside the cab with the heavy doors shut tight, sealing off the wind.He didn't start the engine right away. Instead, he turned sideways in his seat, his broad frame casting a heavy shadow across the center console. His d
KIERAN’S POVThe post-practice stretch on the cold locker room bench felt fundamentally different.The heavy, suffocating cloud that had hung over our heads for weeks had burned off entirely, leaving behind a clean, focused intensity that vibrated straight through the marrow of my bones. My body was completely spent—thick, heavy drops of sweat dripping rhythmically off the tip of my chin, my shoulder muscles humming with a deep, throbbing ache, and my thighs quivering violently as I sat doubled over on the wooden bench trying to unlace my skates. But the physical exhaustion was pure, entirely unburdened by the terrifying weight of secret night break-ins, fraudulent medical petitions, or impending athletic board interrogations."Line One is looking lethal, Captain," Leo said, leaning his back against his locker frame as he wrapped a dry towel around his neck, his own chest heaving in deep, ragged cycles. "That blind pass from Mason on the second breakout? Cleanest cross-ice delivery I’
KIERAN’S POVThe weak morning light crept through the horizontal slats of the bedroom blinds, painting thin, pale stripes across the dark gray duvet.I woke up slowly, my mind floating up from the deepest, most undisturbed sleep I had experienced in months. Every muscle in my body felt heavy, completely relaxed, and entirely devoid of the violent tension that had consumed me for the past forty-eight hours. My skin was hot—almost burning—and as I shifted slightly against the mattress, my knees trembling with a sudden surge of lingering fatigue, the reason became immediately obvious.Mason’s broad frame was wrapped completely around mine.His right arm was locked around my torso like an iron band, his large, heavy palm resting flat against my stomach beneath the hem of his oversized black hoodie. His broad chest was pressed flush against my spine, his deep, rhythmic breathing sending a steady, heavy rise and fall through both of our bodies that made my ribcage press tightly against his.
KIERAN’S POVThe drive to Mason’s apartment was bathed in the quiet, golden-amber glow of streetlights cutting through the autumn darkness.Inside the truck, the heater hummed softly, blowing warm air over my freezing fingers. Mason kept his right hand resting firmly on the center console, his broad palm turned upward. My fingers remained locked with his, my thumb absently tracing the heavy, raised calluses on his knuckles as a nervous tremor kept running up my forearms. Every time his truck hit a slight bump in the road, his grip tightened around mine with a heavy, grounding pressure that sent an electric jolt straight to my collarbone, keeping the quiet shakes in my knees at bay.When we arrived, Mason parked in his designated stall beneath the apartment complex. We stepped out into the crisp night air, my wet sneakers squeaking against the slick concrete floor of the underground garage as we walked toward the elevator.The moment the elevator doors slid shut, enclosing us in the sm
KIERAN’S POVThe heavy double doors of the arena closed behind us with a muffled *thud*, cutting off the sound of the autumn wind sweeping across the parking lot. Inside, the facility was completely empty. The main overhead lights were turned down to a dim, amber glow, casting long, dramatic shadows across the empty bleachers and the vast expanse of the ice sheet.The air was wonderfully cold, smelling of fresh ice shavings, ozone, and clean rubber.I stood near the team gate, unzipping my jacket as the chill washed over my skin. My body was still recovering from the exhaustion of yesterday's game and the intense psychological strain of the board confrontation, but standing here now, in the quiet sanctuary of the rink with Mason, my energy felt entirely renewed. A light, euphoric hum radiated from the mark on my collarbone, steady and warm against my chest.Mason walked over to the skate rental counter, his heavy boots clicking against the concrete floor. He grabbed two pairs of skate
KIERAN’S POVThe heavy double doors of the locker room clicked shut behind us, cutting off the lingering chill of the confrontation. The administrative hallway of the athletic complex was completely deserted at this hour, illuminated only by the pale, humming fluorescent strips overhead. My sneakers made a soft, dragging sound against the rubber floorboards as I walked, my body feeling as though it were carved out of lead.Every single joint ached. The adrenaline that had carried me through the final minutes of the game and the terrifying interrogation by the athletic board had completely vanished, leaving behind a hollow, shivering exhaustion that settled deep into my bones.Mason walked right beside me. His shoulder brushed against mine with every stride, a solid, grounding presence in the quiet hallway. He didn't speak, but his right hand was locked securely around my wrist, his thumb rubbing slow, deliberate circles against my pulse point. The steady warmth radiating from his skin







