All Chapters of 12 Days of Christmas with My Brother’s Rival: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

ANAHERAThe winter outside the venue chips at my exposed skin but inside, it feels like I’ve stepped into a furnace of ego and expensive cologne. There is enough body heat to melt the polar ice at this point. “You okay, Ana?” Dominik asks, adjusting his tie for the hundredth time. He looks like a million bucks, I’ll give him that. My big brother usually looks like he’s been through a meat grinder after a game, but tonight?Tonight is the Winter Anniversary. “I’m fine, Dom. Stop hovering and go have fun.” I swat his hand away from my shoulder. “Go be the star. I’m just here for the free champagne and to make sure you don’t do anything stupid before the big game.”He gives me that lopsided, boyish grin that has half the city swooning. “No promises.”I watch as he scans the room. This isn’t an official league party. It is the commemorative bash before the final showdown of the year. The calm before the bloodbath on the ice. Everyone is here. From teammates to rivals and coaches who

ANAHERA I stare at the dashboard. My reflection in the rearview mirror looks terrified. My hair has been pulled back into a severe, no-nonsense bun that says, ‘I am a professional, do not mess with me,’ but my eyes are too wide and frantic.Oh my God, I’m going to throw up at whats-his-name’s feet.My watch says 8:58am. That’s enough delaying the inevitable. If I arrive late, that would give him ammunition against me. Being late means being flustered and I refuse to be flustered. Grabbing my bag, I exit the car and march toward the entrance of the Obsidian Tower. It is one of those places where the doorman looks better dressed than I am. I give my name at the desk.“Penthouse B. The elevator needs a key card which I have activated for you.”Of course it has to be the penthouse. Because why would Noel Rautio live on a normal floor like a normal human being?The elevator ride is swift and silent, unlike my heart which is currently performing a drum solo against my ribs. When the doors

NOELI should be at home sitting in my chamber and icing my wounded thigh, pretending that my career isn’t hanging by a thread the width of a piece of dental floss. Instead, I am sitting in the darkest corner of a wound down bar. In my hands is a glass of whiskey that cost less than my socks. Somewhere to my right, is the sister of my arch nemesis who is busy assassinating my character to a guy that looks like he hasn’t showered in decades. “There is no loophole for being a bitch!” Anahera yells, her voice cutting through the hum of the bar. I take a slow sip of the burning liquid. Bitch. Nice. Now add that to the list of pompous, ugly, arrogant. She’s really quite the resume for me. I watch her over the rim of my glass as she vibrates. Her hands are flying around, punctuating her sentences with enough force to send her partner flying.She looks frantic and beautiful and completely unhinged. Would I be mad if I say how much I like it?I shouldn’t be here. I came to take the edge

ANAHERAThe taste of fried eggs still lingers on my tongue, mostly dominated by the forbidden taste of Noel. I try to shake my head to rid myself of those negative thoughts. “You can’t have it around you, Hera.” I’d beg for a stake to be put through my head before the feelings would begin to fester.Distracted by pesky thoughts, I almost cause a collision that could send my car to the impound. Thankfully, that’s not the case and soon, I continue on my way home. My heart pounds with a collision of guilt, confusion and fear. That whatever this is that I started with Noel needs to be nipped in the bud.What was I even thinking agreeing to work for him? If I said this to Dom in the beginning, maybe he might have found a way to convince Dr. Tiare to fix it. However, right now? I might as well be a dead woman if Dominik ever learns of this.And speaking of my brother, what’s his car doing outside my apartment?His sports car, which he likes to call his baby, is parked on the streets. If

ANAHERAMy phone buzzed against the dashboard of my electric snail, the derogatory nickname Bella branded my car yesterday, just as I pulled up to the curb of the Tower Noel lived in. There was a message from Dominik. No two. Dom: Break a leg today!Dom: Wait, not literally. Do not break the patient’s leg. That would be bad PR for us. Of course, our reputation would be ruined. I let out a snort that was supposed to come out as a laugh. As I did, I felt some of the morning anxiety disappear. At least one of us still had their humor even if I was currently walking to my execution. I grabbed my kit and smoothed down my scrubs. Today, I was going to be cool and clinical and professional. I was going to be medically indifferent to whatever Noel would do. He was just a bag of bones and muscles. A puzzle to be solved. He was no different from Mr. Henderson and his titanium hip or Mrs. Gabe and her frozen shoulder.Still, both of the previous patients I’ve mentioned didn’t look like the