Page 88 of My Pucking Crush

I’m outnumbered, and compliance is my only option. I didn’t do anything wrong except escape his assassination attempt. And take Eli’s remains.He was my damn son. I had the right to bury him anywhere I wanted.

“Daniil,” Belova’s rough voice hisses. “Vermont? Of all the fucking places.”

“Hey,” I snap. “My son is buried here. This is holy ground. Watch your mouth.”

“Your accent is gone?”

“Everything you knew about me is gone.”

A smile ghosts his lips. “Yet we once again have something in common.”

“If you mean hockey...”

“Da.”

“Why? Why buy a hockey team?”

“Diversification. Legitimacy. And the fu...” He censors himself. “The profits are unbelievable. If you include the illegal gambling.”

I lower my head. “I’m sorry I asked.”

If he instructed his coaches to have playerspurposely attack stars like Max Ryan, he’s probably fixing games and cleaning up from the odds.

“Why Richmond?”

“Low salary market.” He rubs his fingers together. “Good players, though. They always sell out. Tickets and concessions make ten times bank every game.”

“You do realize that your team made it into the playoffs and now those players will be asking for more money.”

He shrugs lazily. “Then I get rid of them.”

I roll my eyes thinking he means kill them. “I know it was you who sent that woman and those goons to hurt Max Ryan,” I say with a little too much emotion in my voice.

Something Ivan sees right through. “You’re not enjoying babysitting him?”

“I work security for the team.” I stick to what I’m sure he knows.

“I’m pulling strings to make sure Richmond plays Stamford in the next round.” Ivan stands up.

“Have at it.” Now I shrug. “They won’t make it to the finals. There’s only so much your players can do on the ice.”

“Your boy is going down Game One. Without him, Stamford can’t win a postseason game. Check the stats.”

I freeze, not believing I just heard a direct threat. Why would he say that? None of this makes sense. Not responding to the Max comment, I shove my hands into my pockets. “Aren’t you more interested that I’m standing right here even though you tried to kill me?”

Ivan shakes his head. “I was devastated.”

I grab his suit jacket and ignore the gun hammers clicking around me. “You? I lostmy son.”

“You can have another son.I won’t have another sister,”he roars.

“That’s not my fault. She knew what I was. I told her not to marry me. To go to you and ask to be freed of the obligation.”

“She loved you,” he says from the same brokenhearted place I live in.

And he’s right. I can have another child. Doesn’t look very likely now.

“Come home, Daniil,” Ivan whispers. “You can’t like living in that crappy houseboat with one eye over your shoulder.”

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