All Chapters of Owned on the Ice M/M Romance: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

The bus rumbled to life, the low hum of the engine vibrating up through the worn leather seats.Milo sank into the corner of a row halfway down, trying to appear casual as he stared out the window. His duffel bag was wedged against his leg, but the real weight was the one sitting deep inside him.The plug.Every bump in the road, every subtle shift of the seat reminded him it was there. He bit the inside of his cheek, shifting slightly to find some kind of relief but every movement just sent another pulse of heat through his core.Ethan, of course, looked completely relaxed across the aisle. He was sprawled with one long arm draped over the back of his seat, dark eyes occasionally flicking toward Milo with that infuriating, knowing glint.Milo forced himself to pull out his phone, scrolling through nothing on the team group chat, pretending like his skin wasn’t on fire. Someone cracked a joke a few rows up, and laughter rippled through the bus.He couldn’t even smile. He could barely

The bus ride to the arena was quieter than usual. Conversations were muted, every player’s focus sharpened to a fine point.The air hummed with tension, not the kind that made tempers snap, but the kind that pulled everyone inward, steeling themselves for what was coming.Milo sat toward the back, the hum of the engine underfoot and the low murmur of voices around him. Despite the tension, no one was singling him out, no sidelong glares or muttered digs. Not anymore.Lukas would be meeting them at the arena, still benched from the last time they’d faced the Reapers and everyone wanted to show him a win. He hadn’t been cleared yet, though he kept assuring the group chat he’d be fine by playoffs.A few rows up, Noah was getting told off for the third time in ten minutes for picking at the stitches the Reapers gave him. He grinned sheepishly at Jensen’s scolding, but the moment the coach turned away, his hand drifted back toward them.Most of the team were still carrying bruises from tha

Jess’s voice cracked like a whip through the silence. “Let go of him. Now.”Milo blinked, startled, twisting toward her. “Jess, wait—” he started, his voice still hoarse from crying.She strode in and grabbed Milo’s arm, tugging him behind her protectively.“Don’t you dare touch him again!" In her other hand she waved a pen like it was a weapon, pointing it at Ethan with surprising ferocity. "How could you Ethan? Taking advantage of a vulnerable rookie, you made him cry!”Ethan’s jaw ticked, the muscle there tight with tension.Milo blurted, “It’s not like that Jess, we’re... uh… we’re…” He faltered, his tongue tripping over what to call them, heat rushing up his neck.Before he could stumble further, Ethan cut in firmly, steady and sure: “We’re dating.”Milo froze.Dating?He blinked up at Ethan, stunned. His chest felt tight, torn between embarrassment, a jolt of fear, and the secret thrill that Ethan had said it out loud. He wanted to hide his face, but at the same time, the words

Noah had caught them right in the middle of a date. First Jess, now this. Two in one night. Really? Milo’s stomach flipped. They were definitely going to have to be more discreet if they wanted to keep any of this secret.Still, he pasted on what he hoped was a casual smile. “Oh, hi Noah. We, uh, had some errands to run in the same area and then we got hungry, so…” His words trailed off weakly.Noah cocked a brow, smirk tugging at his mouth. “Really? I don’t think so... I think this looks like… a date.”Milo fumbled, opening his mouth, but no sound came out. His pulse was pounding so loud he could barely think.Noah waved him off. “No need to lie to me. I told you—I’m seeing a guy.”Ethan straightened in his seat, still calm, his voice smooth as ever. He and Milo exchanged a quick glance before Ethan said, “Sure, but Noah, what you’re suggesting—we work together, so it’s—”He didn’t get to finish. Noah’s attention shifted, his head turning toward the way he’d just come. Milo followed

The walk back to the hotel blurred around Milo. Streetlights smeared into streaks, the hum of the city muffled beneath the thunder of his pulse. Ethan’s hand was wrapped firmly around his, and every step felt charged, urgent, like they were both teetering on the edge of something neither of them could wait for anymore.Milo tried to focus on the sidewalk, on breathing, but his nerves had other plans. Somewhere between the restaurant and the hotel, his thumb was flying over his phone screen. By the time they crossed the lobby, he had a dating app downloaded, its neon logo glaring back at him accusingly.Up in the elevator, Milo held the phone against his chest like it might burn him. Ethan noticed, of course. His sharp gaze dropped to Milo’s fumbling hands and arched a brow. “What’s that?”Milo swallowed. His voice cracked. “Just—uh, just checking something.” He unlocked it, fingers shaky, and thrust the phone toward Ethan. Profiles glowed on the screen, men’s faces stacked one after t