Page 96 of Captain's Claim

Warm arms slide around my waist, and that familiar vanilla scent that drives me insane wraps around me.

"Hey, sweetheart," I say, leaning back into my girls warmth.

"Hey, you," she says, gripping my chin and turning me around to kiss me.

Cameras flash from somewhere, but for just a second, I don't care.

I pull away from the kiss, letting my hands fall to clutch hers as I take in her outfit - a cream cashmere sweater dress that hugs every curve, paired with knee-high brown leather boots. Her blonde hair falls in waves around her shoulders, looking too damn good to be out here in the cold.

"Careful, sweetheart," I growl, looking her up and down like a wild animal. "You're gonna distract my impressionable boys with that stunning rack."

"Blake Maddox!" She gasps, swatting my arm hard enough to sting.

My grin deepens as I rub the spot. "What? It's a fact. Your tits are fantastic."

Rolling her eyes at me, Sophia slides beside me at the boards, her eyes tracking the action on the ice, a face of pure stubbornness set on ignoring my heart-felt compliments.

"How's the team doing?"

"Good. Better than good. Look at them." I gesture to where Mikey's setting up another play, his passes crisp and confident. Lei swoops in to receive it, looking up for the next pass.

She watches for a moment, then turns that soft smile on me. "You built this, you know."

I don't answer right away, my throat tight as I watch these kids, my kids, play their hearts out.

Because yeah, I did build this.

Built it from nothing but hope and determination and the memory of what it felt like to be that angry kid with nowhere to go after my world fell apart.

Until Eli opened this door for me.

More flashes catch my eye from the parking lot. A small crowd of photographers has gathered, their long lenses pointed our way. My jaw clenches, but I force myself to stay focused on the ice.

"Ignore them," Sophia whispers, squeezing my hand. "They're just doing their jobs."

I grunt, watching the team set up another play from behind our goal. The cameras keep clicking, and my shoulders tense with each flash.

But Sophia's right - this is part of the deal now. I need to get used to it.

As long as they stay away from my kids, I can handle being their golden boy. Golden couple. Whatever.

Still, I pull Sophia closer, shielding her from their view with my body. Some things I want to keep just for us, despite the board at Icehawk HQ constantly breathing down Sophia's neck for 'more content'.

The final whistle blows, and my team erupts in cheers. Green jerseys pile together at center ice, sticks raised high. Pride swells in my chest as I watch them celebrate their 5-0 victory.

"Told you they'd kill it," I say, turning to Sophia with a grin.

But she's not watching the celebration.

Her eyes are fixed on her phone screen, thumb frozen mid-scroll. The color has drained from her face.

"What?" My stomach drops at her expression.

She blinks rapidly, shoving her phone into her pocket. "Nothing. Just a... notification."

But I know better now. Know the way her teeth catch her bottom lip when she's worried. How her fingers fidget with the hem of her sweater. In these past months, I've memorized every tell, every micro-expression of this incredible woman.

This isn't nothing.

---