Page 66 of Misconducts & Temptation

The raw honesty in her voice did something to me, but I shoved it aside. I focused on the way her hands moved to unbuckle my chest protector with careful precision.

"You don't need to lie," I said, more gruffly than intended. "I just need to know."

"I'm not lying," she insisted, meeting my gaze head-on this time. Her eyes burned with a quiet fire that made my jealousy seem petty and small.

I watched her for a moment longer, then nodded slightly. "Fine."

She resumed her task, fingers working quickly to undo the straps and laces holding my gear together. As she peeled away each piece of armor, the tension between us shifted into something more complicated—something neither of us knew how to name yet.

She moved on to my shoulder pads, fingers fumbling with the straps. Her touch was tentative, almost reverent. For a moment, I let myself relax under her hands.

She swallowed hard but continued, unfastening my pads and setting them aside. Finally, she reached for my jersey, lifting it over my head. Our eyes met again, and something unspoken passed between us—a challenge, a question.

Her fingers shook as she pulled off the straps of my shoulder pads, then my neck protector. When she reached my elbow pads, I saw the concentration in her eyes, her brow furrowing slightly as she worked the straps free. She hesitated when her fingers touched the waistband of my shorts. I could feel her uncertainty radiating off her in waves.

"Watch," I told her, my voice low but commanding. I loosened the shorts myself, letting them fall to the floor with a soft thud.

I sat down on the bench and looked up at her. "Unlace my skates."

Her eyes flashed with something—defiance, maybe. She didn't like being bossed around. It made me smirk, just a little.

She knelt in front of me and reached for my laces. Her hands fumbled at first, struggling to find the right grip. The frustration in her eyes was clear as day.

"You need to unlace them all the way down," I said, leaning forward slightly to show her. "Like this."

I demonstrated with one skate, loosening each lace from top to bottom with practiced ease. Her sharp eyes followed my movements intently.

She took over again, this time more sure of herself. Even so, it took longer than it should have, and I could see the determination etched into every line of her face.

Finally, she got both skates unlaced and pulled them off my feet, careful not to cut herself on the blades. The socks were next, peeling off the hockey tape before stripping them down. And then, finally, the shin guards.

As she stood up, I caught a glimpse of something more than just frustration or defiance in her expression—something deeper that made me pause for just a moment before brushing it aside.

"Good," I said simply, standing up and stepping out of what remained of my gear. "Now get out."

Her mouth dropped open, eyes wide.

"Unless you want to suck my dick before I've showered?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

She blushed furiously, ducking her head and turning away. Without another word, she hurried out of the locker room; the door swinging shut behind her.

For a moment, I just sat there, the echo of her footsteps fading into silence. The reality of it all hit me then—I was married. It was a strange feeling, a mix of responsibility and something else I couldn’t quite name. Somehow, just the fact of being married entwined Elodie's wellbeing with mine. I felt responsible for her in a way that was new and unsettling.

Would this have been the same with Lola? Doubtful. Lola and I had history, but it was tainted with betrayal and manipulation. There was no genuine care there, only obligation and resentment.

I wondered if I’d fucked everything up by marrying Elodie. She was innocent in all this, dragged into my mess because I needed an escape from my father’s plans. Was it fair to her? Probably not.

But it was too late to worry about that now. What was done was done.

I stood up and made my way to the showers. The water pounded against my skin, washing away the sweat and grime from the game. As the steam rose around me, I tried to clear my head. This marriage might have been a hasty decision, but I couldn’t change it now. All I could do was move forward.

After drying off and getting dressed, I headed out of the locker room, my mind still tangled with conflicting thoughts about Elodie and what our future held.

I needed to figure this out. For both our sakes.

I walked down the corridor, my mind still tangled. As I turned a corner, I saw her near the vending machines, surrounded by two girls from the academy. The tension in the air was palpable.

"…know you were supposed to marry William," the one with buck teeth insisted, her voice dripping with contempt.

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