Page 93 of Dirty Play

“Baby, why are you crying?” he asks, tilting my face to look at me. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I wanted to make you happy. I’m so sorry, baby.”

“No, Rowan.” I shake my head fiercely, my heart racing as I look into his eyes. “This…this is the best thing anyone’s ever done for me.” I sniff, my hands coming up to wrap around his.

“I’m sorry, Livia,” he murmurs, pulling me closer. “You’re the most brilliant person I’ve ever met, and my idiot brain didn’t know how to handle you.”

I let out a laugh between sniffs, feeling his hands wrap me tighter.

“But I know now. And my heart? It’s always known,” he says before kissing my temple. “Please forgive me.”

I look up at him just in time for him to take my hand and place it over his heart. It beats rapidly under my palm as he looks at me.

“This is only for you,” he whispers as his heart beats rapidly against my palm.

There’s nothing to say, no words fit for what I’m feeling in this moment. So, I take my other hand and wrap it against his, lifting it to my chest.

I see the change in his expression immediately. It lights up, like I just told him he’s won the Stanley Cup. His left hand leaves mine and wipes my tears away with his thumb, a gesture so sweet and tender that I turn to place a gentle kiss on his wrist.

The cheers echo around us, distant and excited. This isn’t just lip service; it’s action. The guys are here, standing together, ready to fight for me.

My heart swells with gratitude, and I let out a shaky breath. I’ve spent so long feeling like an outsider, and now, in this moment, I finally feel like I belong. Like I’m not just a cog but a vital part of something big.

“Rowan,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “I forgive you.” It’s not just words; it’s a release of everything that’s been weighing on me for the past week.

“You do?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper, but I can see the flicker of hope in his eyes.

“I do,” I reply, my heart racing under his palm.

Rowan shifts closer, and the world around us fades into the background. The cheers of the guys become a distant roar, and all I can see is him. His gaze holds mine for a few beats before he cups my face. And then, in front of the entire team, he leans in and presses his lips against mine. He’s gentle at first, his mouth moving slowly against mine, but it grows more frantic with each second, more desperate.

I kiss him back, promising forgiveness, understanding, and a fresh start. Applause erupts around us, cheers mingling with deep yells and whistling from the ice.

I melt into him, my hands finding their way to his hair, pulling him closer. This is right. This is where I belong.

As we pull away, breathless and grinning, I catch my teammates' eyes, all smiling back at us, their support wrapping around me like a warm blanket.

Rowan grins, his usual cocky charm shining through, but there’s something deeper in his gaze now.

“Come on, baby,” he murmurs. “Let’s go show everyone that Livia Moody is back.”

I find myself laughing as Rowan pulls me to my feet, feeling lighter than I ever have before. I’m wanted here. I belong here. With these guys, with Rowan. And for the first time in a very long time, I can say it with certainty.

I’m home.

Epilogue

~ROWAN~

Two months later

The elevator ride up is a blur of Livia laughing, her body pressed against mine, her warmth seeping into my skin. She’s tipsy and happy, wearing that little smirk she gets when she knows she’s got me wrapped around her fucking finger. And she does. She always has.

I slide my keycard into the suite’s door, and she stumbles in ahead of me, kicking off her heels with a sigh that sounds almost pornographic.

I shut the door behind us and lock it. Not because I think anyone’s coming after us, but because I don’t want a single goddamn thing interfering with this moment.

Livia spins around, eyes still bright from the night, from the champagne, from watching the Panthers pull off a win against one of the best in the NHL. It was tough and bloody, but we fucking did it.

“Okay, I know I said I’d pace myself tonight, but I lied.” She drags her hands down her face dramatically. “I amsodrunk.”

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