All Chapters of Playing Pretend With The Mafia Hockey Star : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

​KIERAN POV​"Kieran, you need to get down to the front entrance right now," Alaric’s voice came through the speaker, fast and hurried. "Talia is trying to leave the estate. She’s already at the main security gate with her driver."​I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, resting my forehead against Yara’s cool, damp skin. My chest was rising and falling in harsh, uneven breaths, every nerve in my body still buzzing from the taste of her lips against mine. Breaking away from her felt physically painful, but the cold reality of the night hit me like a slap to the face.​"Did you secure the footage?" I asked, my voice dark, my arm still hooked firmly around Yara's waist as she leaned against the marble wall, catching her breath.​"Every single angle of the pool deck," Alaric confirmed. "The camera mounted on the west terrace caught her shoving Yara straight into the water. It’s crystal clear. The local police chief is already at the gate…If you give the word, he’s ready to process the ass

​YARA POV ​By the time six oclock rolled around, the guests had boarded the estate's massive three deck yacht for the sunset party. ​The ship glided smoothly over the waters of the ocean, the sky turning dark shades of burnt orange. Music played softly from the outdoor speakers, guests drank expensive champagne, and laughter filled the main deck. ​I stood near the railing at the back of the upper deck, completely away from the crowd. The wind whipped my dress around my legs, my hands gripping the cool metal bar as I stared out at the setting sun. I felt isolated, quiet, and completely detached from the high society world around me…I miss Tessa..she always knows what to say to comfort me in times like this, but I can't even tell her the whole truth.. ​Below, near the outdoor bar, Kieran was standing with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Mr Mikhail was nearby, talking with two executives, occasionally casting a glance toward Kieran. All day, Kieran had pulled back. He had been cold.

​YARA POV ​I woke up to the soft, golden light of the early morning creeping through the curtains. ​The first thing I felt was the intense, suffocating warmth surrounding me. A heavy, solid weight was over my waist, and when I shifted slightly, my back pressed right against a hard, wall like chest. ​I turned my head slowly on the pillow. ​Kieran was lying right beside me, propped up slightly on his elbow. He was still completely shirtless, his broad shoulders bare in the morning light, his hair slightly messy. He wasn't asleep. He was watching me. ​His icy blue eyes, usually so sharp and guarded, held a quiet, soft intensity that made my stomach do a gentle flip. There was no coldness, no distant mask, no corporate athlete persona. Just Kieran. ​"Morning," he said softly, his voice thick with sleep. ​"Morning," I murmured, a shy smile pulling at my lips as I pulled the sheet up to cover my chest. "How long have you been awake?" ​"A little while," he replied, his hand shifting

​YARA POV ​The applause from the ballroom was still ringing in my ears when Kieran guided me off the dance floor. ​We didn't stay down there much longer. The rest of the evening felt like a blur of polite nods, quick drinks, and snobbish socialites trying to get close. But through all of it, Kieran’s hand never left mine. When we finally slipped away from the crowd and took the private elevator back up to our suite, the quiet air inside felt like a massive relief. Immediately we entered the room, I walked over toward the vanity mirror, letting out a long, tired breath as I reached behind my ears to unhook my earrings. ​I heard Kieran’s footsteps behind me. I met his eyes in the reflection. ​He had already unbuttoned his collar and pulled his black bow tie loose, letting it hang untied around his neck. ​He didn't say anything at first. He just stood a few feet behind me, his eyes fixed on my reflection. Then, his gaze dropped slowly to my bare chest and collarbone. ​A quiet, t

​YARA POV ​I stared down at those brutal words under the video clip, reading them over and over until my vision blurred. Did you really think deleting it from your phone meant it was gone, Yara? ​Tessa. My mind raced back to months ago, when she had taken my phone, I was complaining about my full storage, and synced my gallery to a shared cloud drive so I wouldn't lose my law school notes. She didn't know about the video. She had no idea what had been backed up. But whoever hacked that drive knew. Whoever took it had just handed us a death sentence. ​"Yara?" ​Kieran’s voice cut through the silence gripping my throat. I hadn't realized I was shaking until his heavy, warm hands rested on my bare shoulders. He had just finished his call with Alaric. He took one look at my pale face and the way my lower lip was trembling, and his eyes narrowed in an instant. ​"What happened?" he asked, his voice dropping. ​Without saying a word, I turned the screen toward him. ​Kieran took the pho