Page 170 of Power Play

“Oh. It’s right here.” I pull the chain out from under my shirt and hold up the silver band. “I’m pretty sure it’s cheap metal because it’s already disgusting.”

“This is all making so much sense now. After the season ticket holder event you all had, Maverick would not shut up about this guy Liam went after.” Emmy sits on the couch and pulls her feet under her. “He said Liam had this dude shoved up against a wall and almost killed him.”

“What? What guy?”

“Some guy named Charlie? The name sounds vaguely familiar.”

My stomach drops to my feet. My tongue is heavy in my mouth and my hands shake. “What else did Maverick say?”

“I don’t remember, to be honest. Just that he’s never seen Liam so pissed. He threw out a comment about his wife, and all hell broke loose.”

“Jesus.” Lexi whistles. “Marry that man again.”

“Stop.” I swat at her, but heat rises on my skin. I love when he calls me that. When he whispers it in my ear right before I’m about to come. It’s like our little secret, a taunt to the other man who never treated me like a husband should. “The marriage hasnoimpact on my feelings for him.”

“Yeah, but you have to admit there’s nothing hotter than a man calling you that when he’s standing up for you.” Maven grins. “Some guy hit on me at a bar once, and Dallas got allpossessive. Told him he was standing too close to his wife, and to back up before there was a problem.”

“Well, fuck me. Looks like I need a husband now,” Lexi says. “Who has a list of available athletes in the DC area?”

“What happened to that minor league baseball player you went on a date with?” I ask, grateful to get the attention off of me for a minute. “Was he cute?”

“Oh, you mean the one who spent half an hour telling me how my job will be obsolete in ten years when robots take over and can patch people up in half the time I can? Yeah. I bolted pretty quickly after that.”

“What about one of the guys on the team?”

“Never going to happen. I’m around them too much and I’ve seen their asses too many times to be attracted to them. I’m not touching a hockey boy with a ten-foot pole.” Lexi glances at Emmy. “Unless any of the guys on your team are cute.”

“Hard pass.”

“Oh! Liam’s sister designed a dating app where the women are in control of the conversations. It’s called Steady.”

“Noway. I love that one.” Lexi pulls out her phone and shows me her profile. “I won’t use anything else. Small world.”

“Hey.” Maven taps my knee. “Everything is going to be okay.

“I know it is.” I smile at my friends, encouraged for the first time all day. “Thanks for letting me vent.”

We talk about the rest of the season and how the standings are looking for the last two months of games before the playoffs. April is already creeping up, and soon we’ll be deep in the hunt for the Stanley Cup.

My phone vibrates under the pillow next to me and I grab it, fighting back a smile at Liam’s name on the screen.

Liam

*Attachment: 1 Image*

Pico misses you.

I didn’t say it earlier, but I miss you too.

Me

See you soon, Sully.

Liam

Can’t wait, Pipsqueak.

FORTY-FIVE

---