Page 110 of Shattered Obsession

ZOE

Players shoot out one by one like marbles, the sound of skates scratching ice mixing in perfectly with the rest of the commotion in the arena. The crowd goes wild as the players immediately move into some sort of drill, with stretching, mini sprints, and skating around and around. There is a lot going on, and I try to spot Dominik, but I can’t find him.

The Slashers are wearing their red-and-black uniforms, with detailing at the edges and bold letters spelling out SLASHERS underneath their hockey mask symbol on the front. Aaron and I are wearing the same jersey, but ours are white. Apparently, they circulate colors based on which team they’re playing against so each side is easily distinguishable during the game. See, I did somewhat listen when Aaron was covering the basics earlier.

It’s hard to spot anyone at the speed they are skating, especially sitting this close to the ice. The other team also started trickling out, although they didn’t get a spotlight like the home team did, and now all the players are skating around, sharing the space as the song comes to an end.

Nervous energy rushes through me, not because I’m sitting here as a complete sham, but because I’m excited to be part of something.

A minute later, three men dressed in suits appear behind the player’s bench. One of them is bald, and his head is very shiny, the red lights from above flashing on top of his scalp. Aaron elbows me, stealing my attention back to the ice as my eye catches on a tall player skating close to the wall where we’re sitting. The room seems to grow still as my gaze locks onto his gold and blue orbs. Dominik’s stare is piercing even from here, with the low lighting and distance between us, even with the crowd spread out all around us.

It all fades away one by one, and amidst the chaos, he gives me the most breathtaking smile that eclipses everything and everyone.

Is he smiling at me?

I glance over my shoulder, intrigued by whoever has earned the unfamiliar smile on Dominik Lewis’ face. As I return my gaze, his eyes remain fixed on me, causing a surge of heat to rise to my cheeks. It becomes clear to me why the women who have crossed paths with him are left in awe, knowing they may never experience his presence again. He exudes a captivating aura, and I can’t help but feel completely inadequate, even if this is all for show.

Unsure of what my face is doing, I take a second to collect myself as he skates away, flashing across the ice to the other side of the rink.

“Solid start.” Aaron’s voice snaps me back to reality.

“Huh?”

“You two really made it look like you are smitten with one another. And your face—didn’t know you could blush that hard on demand.”

Oh, right. The performance.

He’s putting on his charm in front of everyone to prove how much he’s into you. He would never actually like you. Just look at him and look at you.

As the music dies down, players from both teams line up parallel to one another on their sides of the rink. They all remove their helmets. Some pin them under their arms while others hold them with their free hands.

But I’m watching Dominik. Taking in the way his black hair shines against the red-and-white lights. He is mesmerizing, and that body is completely out of this world, even under all that gear. Actually, I think the gear accentuates his muscular form.

How can someone be so hot in bulky hockey gear? Wait…am I attracted to this?

Day one, and I’m already distracted by his good looks. But it’s fine, it’ll make playing the smitten girlfriend role that much easier. If I actually want to fuck him, it won’t be so hard to pretend. Now I’m thinking about what Dominik is like in bed. Is he the gentle lover, or the hair-pulling type?

It would be a shame if he were vanilla. He could easily throw someone around and roughhouse with his build and height. Not to mention, he gives off big dick energy, and a few people commented about the size of it on the online forums.

What are you doing?

Jesus, what am I doing? This is unproductive, considering we’re never going to have any sexual relations.

The Canadian national anthem begins playing, and my eyes trace over the players on the other team as Aaron and I stand. Most of the crowd follows, standing for the duration of both the Canadian and American national anthems. The Gladiators look good. Dressed in all-white hockey jerseys with a gladiator cartoon sketch wearing a hockey helmet on the front.

They’re all built to perfection. It’s easy to tell, even under all that thick, heavy gear.

How am I just now realizing how hot hockey players are?

Maybe once all this fake dating stuff with Dom and me is over, I can find a hot hockey player willing to keep a secret or two with me.

My eyes travel across the ice to the team lined up across from the Gladiators, our home team.

Taking my time and tuning out the anthems, I study each face and body standing on the ice. A couple of the guys catch my glare, one even nods toward Aaron, and my brother tilts his chin. Do they know I’m his sister? I doubt it. Aaron doesn’t talk about me much…at least as far as I know. He’s always been extra protective of me, thanks to my neglectful parents.

When I reach Dominik, his eyes are already fixed on me. His gaze penetrates through the plexiglass barrier, so intense that every hair on my body stands on end.

There’s something strikingly different about him tonight—the way he captures my attention. It’s as if he’s seeing me for the first time, allowing himself to truly take me in. Despite the cold air around us, my skin flushes with heat. His presence is magnetic, and although I want to avert my eyes, I’m caged in this intense moment of silent connection between us. It feels like an eternity before he finally breaks our gaze, securing his helmet over his head with a wink directed at me.

---