NOT FIGHTING WAS MORE challenging than I thought it would be. Players were used to me being scrappy, and no one seemed to know what to do when I skated away from even the worst offenses.
Players from all teams seemed determined to pick a fight with me, but no matter how much they goaded me, I refused to engage. I even made it into the highlight reel: a succession of moments when players shoved, hooked, tripped and trash-talked me while I managed to skate away.
Eventually the Buffalo coach pulled me aside. “Everything okay?”
“Yup.”
He nodded, chewing on his words. “You know, you can defend yourself out there.”
“I know.”
He waited. “You’re like a born-again pacifist.”
“I’d rather focus on scoring than hitting.”
He thought about that. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
He nodded again. “Good talk.”
IT TOOK five weeks of games before Buffalo headed back to Vancouver. We went straight from the airport to the rink to run a practice. We were just gearing up when one of the assistant coaches stuck his head in the door.
“Ziegler, someone’s here to speak to you.”
“Who?”
He shrugged.
I found Krista standing in the hallway. With my skates on, I towered over her.
She stared at me, but for a moment we didn’t speak.
“You don’t answer your phone nearly enough,” I finally said.
“I’ve been busy.”
I thought about how I was working my ass off to get back to Vancouver, and sometimes I wasn’t even sure she wanted me back. “We still have a deal for September?”
“Yes.”
Her smile was so sweet I looked up and down the hallway, debating how I could get her naked in the next minute.
She interrupted my thoughts. “I came down to tell you that something is going to break in the news, and I wanted you to hear it from me first.”
I had a hate-hate relationship with the media, so her statement made me wary. “What?”
“Spears has been arrested.”
That was not what I expected her to say. “For what?”
“They found enough evidence that he broke into your hotel. They determined that the video of our wedding night was released by him. He’s also been charged with fraud.”
“How did the police find out about Spears?”
She shrugged and looked at the floor. “I had a hunch, and I had some help.”
“You did this?”
She shifted on her feet. “You know, Viktor has proven to be remarkably useful. He can be extremely persuasive at times.”
“How persuasive?”
“You would have been happy.”
That made me smile. “I still want to hurt Spears.”
She looked up at me, and her beauty made my heart skip. “Harrod Buchnard is about to release a public statement on behalf of the IRC, clearing Mark Ashford and the Wolves of any wrongdoing.”
I stared at her, scarcely breathing. “Are you serious?”
“That doesn’t mean Mark wants you back.” Her eyes traveled over my face.
My mind raced. This was my chance to get back to the one place that felt like home. “Leave Mark to me.”
She started to back away. “I should go. I have a lot to do.”
I grabbed her wrist. “Are you going to be at the game tonight?”
She didn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
My heart felt suspiciously tight. I nodded. “Can I see you after the game?”
She started to back away. “I think that can be arranged.”
WE WERE ONLY two minutes into our game against Vancouver when the first fight broke out. Things just went downhill from there. The crowd was riled up from the energy on the ice, and they were thirsting for blood as much as the players were.
Brody came at me with everything he had, checking me hard against the boards. Then he deliberately shoved me after the whistle blew, trying to engage with me.
“Not going to happen, Brody,” I stood toe to toe with him.
“Not like you to run scared, Ziegler.”
The crowd, anticipating a fight, started to boo when I skated away from Brody.
I looked up to the boxes and found Mark Ashford standing and watching with his arms crossed. Beside him, Krista also watched, looking less relaxed.
I wouldn’t fight tonight, no matter what happened. My future with Krista depended on it.
As if bolstered by the crowds thirsty for blood, Brody stepped up his game to antagonize me.
He hustled as hard as I did, but most of his plays were questionable, skimming a fine line between being legal and being dirty. He shoved, hooked, tripped and trash-talked me nonstop.
Each time, I skated away.
The game was close, and we were tied three-all when things got rough on the blue line. Another two players were fighting, and the refs were busy managing that fight when Brody skated up to me.
“You can’t avoid me all night,” he told me as he tossed his gloves to the ice.
“I’m a lover, not a fighter,” I taunted. I stood my ground, but I didn’t drop my gloves.
“What happens if I do this?” Brody swung. The force of his blow snapped my head to the side, nearly taking me off my skates.
The Vancouver crowd, anticipating a decent fight, started to blow their horns and cheer.
“Tickling other players is a penalty,” I tasted blood on my lip.
He responded by hitting me again, only this time I managed to put up one gloved hand to ward off his blow.
I had forgotten how good a fighter Brody was. It took a lot of willpower to not hit him back. Instead, I went into defense mode, protecting myself as best I could. But he got in several decent hits that left me cut and bleeding.
Other players circled around us, watching, ready to step in.
I refused to engage. “Leave us,” I said to my team.
“Hit me back.” Brody grabbed me by my jersey and swung me around, nearly pulling me down.
“Screw you.” I shoved him off me.
His fists hailed down like hammers, and I grunted as he found the soft spots under my ribs. “Why won’t you fight me?”
“It wouldn’t be fair to you,” I taunted.
His next hit found my chin, making me bite my tongue and nearly knocking me off my skates.
Around us, the crowd booed.
I slowly regained my footing and tasted blood as I jeered at Brody. “You really should learn to hit like you mean it.”
He obliged, and his blow to my face made me see stars. I fell onto my ass and wondered for a second if I should just stay down.
My eyes found Mark in the box. He stood, silent and watchful. Beside him, Krista had her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and scared.
It was one thing to not fight, but I couldn’t bear the thought of not getting back onto my feet. The booing stopped, and the entire stadium fell silent as I struggled to get back on my skates.
Brody circled around me, his eyes filled with rage. “You haven’t had enough?”
“Just want to make sure the world sees you for who you really are,” I gasped as pain punctured between my ribs.
Brody paused and then became aware of the disgust of the crowd around us. Hockey fans love a good fight, but only if it’s fair. Now they stood, silently judging Brody for his repeated assault against me.
“Screw you,” he muttered before picking up his gloves and skating to the penalty box.
My eyes found Mark Ashford up in the stands. When he nodded at me, I knew I had passed his test. Krista was no longer standing next to him.
The Buffalo coach motioned for me to exit the game. “You’re done for the night.”
Thank fuck. Still, I protested. “Coach.”
“I want a full health checkup before you leave.”
I SWUNG OPEN my hotel room door and found Krista standing in the hallway.
“What did I tell you about letting people hit you in your face?” She looked pissed.
I knew my face was a mess. Brody had done a number on me, and now every inch of my face hurt. “It looks worse than it is.”
“Bullshit.”
I held the door open, and she stepped into my arms. I kicked the door shut and swung her around until she was pinned against the wall.
She pushed against my grasp. “You need to hear what I have to say.”
I captured her mouth in a hot kiss as my hand traveled beneath her skirt. With delight, I realized she wasn’t wearing any panties. “We can talk later.”
She laughed and pushed against my chest. “I came here to talk.”
“Your lack of underwear says otherwise.” I savored the taste of her as my mouth traveled down her neck. “Later.”
Her hands pushed down my sweats, and I grunted when her fingers wrapped around my hard cock.
“Now we’re communicating,” I added.
She sounded breathless. “Why didn’t you hit Brody back?”
I hauled her up higher, and she wrapped her legs around me. None too gently, I held her by the hips and positioned myself at her entrance. All I could think about was sinking myself deep inside her. I kissed her on the mouth. “I was demonstrating restraint.”
She pulled back so her eyes could search my face. “You got hurt.”
I pushed forward with my hips and hissed as my dick slowly penetrated her wet depths. I worked to keep my eyes open and on her face. “Trust me. This makes me feel better.”
Her eyes looked glazed as my cock pulsated inside of her. “I thought it would be good for us to be apart for a while, so I’ve been trying to keep things casual.”
I fought the urge to buck up into her with abandon and found a sliver of control. “You’re just now realizing the error of your ways?”
She shifted her hips, pulling me deeper inside her. “I thought you might change your mind.”
I felt like someone had drugged me. The pain from the fight had been replaced with an addictive sensation that felt both sinful and pure. “I’m not an idiot.”
She held my gaze. “When you were getting hit tonight, repeatedly, I knew you were doing it so you could come back here. To be with me.”
“My plan hasn’t changed.” Enough talking. I moved my mouth over her neck, making her squirm in my arms.
She continued to talk. “The point is, I’ve changed my mind.”
I froze and lifted my head so I could look her in the eyes. “Do I want to hear this?”
She looked up at me, vulnerability and trust painted on her face. “I think distance is stupid. If you still want me to come stay with you in Buffalo until the season is over, I would be open to doing that. I want to be with you. No matter where you play.”
My heart started to beat so hard I thought it would burst. “Are you serious?”
Her hand traced the side of my face gently. “I’m serious.”
Joy and love exploded in my chest. I looked down at her. “You’re going to need to make an honest man of me if you want all of that.”
Her smile lit up the room. “What does that mean?”
“Marry me.”
She stared back at me, her face mirroring my own hope and love. “You’re crazy.”
I began moving my hips, relishing the friction of my cock pushing deep inside her. “I mean it.”
“I’m bossy.”
I thrust into her again, loving the sound it elicited from her. “I know.”
“And my family is crazy.”
I captured her mouth with my own. “I don’t really feel like talking about your mom.”
She pulled her face back. “Yes.”
My entire body froze as I stared into her eyes. “Yes?”
Her mouth moved to capture mine. “Yes. I want to marry you.”
My brain and heart almost couldn’t process the emotions that washed over me. My entire body went still as I looked down at her, searching for the truth.
She looked so beautiful I almost couldn’t handle it.
“I’m done talking,” she added cheekily.
I started to move my hips, driving myself into her with deep, long thrusts. “I’m not.”
Her head fell back and her eyes drifted shut. A gasp sounded from her lips. “Don’t stop.”
She felt so magnificent riding my cock I almost lost my head. “I love you.”
“Levi,” she shamelessly cried out as I worked to drive her towards her release.
“Say it,” I demanded.
She worked to focus her gaze on my face. “I love you.”
I lost all control at that point. I fucked her until she screamed my name, and then I carried her to the bed so I could bury my face between her legs until she convulsed on my face.
I only stopped when she squirmed, pushing my face away and gasping. “Levi!”
I stood up and yanked her legs to the end of the bed. I pushed them open and looked down at her open, pink pussy. I positioned myself again at her core, knowing I was about to lose my ability to speak. “You mean it?”
She sounded breathless. “Yes.”
Her entire body quivered as I buried my cock in her sweet, hot core. Her sobbing gasp shifted my focus, and I concentrated on fucking her into oblivion. She came once more before I lost control completely.
I came so hard I saw stars, and then I collapsed on the bed, rolling her over so she lay on top of me. My arms wrapped around her, holding her tight, as I worked to catch my breath.
Finally, I could speak. “I want to help plan the wedding.”
She lifted her head and rested her chin on my chest. “I’m not even sure we’re divorced.”
“A big wedding, Krista,” I told her.
Her smile cracked my heart open wide. “Okay.”
I stared down at the woman who had become my entire world. I didn’t know how I had gotten so lucky, but I wasn’t going to squander another second. “You’re willing to take a chance on me?”
She pretended to debate. “You’re high-risk, but I don’t think I have any choice in the matter. I’m in too deep.”
I drowned in her gaze. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
She leaned forward and planted a hot kiss on my lips. “You already have.”
