Page 55 of Ice Block

Her eyes go wide as she tilts her head to the side, fighting a teasing grin. “Wait a minute…my pantiesare-”

“My good luck charm,” I mumble, placing my hand completely over my face. But she grabs my arm, pulling it toward her chest and placing both our hands against her skin. Over her rapidly beating heart.

“In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined I’d be lying in bed watching Vladimir Volkov blush as he confesses that my panties are his good luck charm.” She snorts, a wicked smile on her face. “I have alotof questions.”

I let out a growling laugh as she rapid fires her curiosities at me faster than pucks come at me during warmups. I go on to explain to her the uniqueness of this good luck charm and the precautions I feel compelled to take. I inform her that they don’t go anywhere near my gear bag, which she claims probably smells like ‘death and armpit’, and that they are safely tucked in my toiletry bag, inside another black silk bag I purchased specifically to transport them.And that the rest of the team does not, and will not, ever know about my superstition.Ever.They can keep thinking it’s Bougie sitting next to me on the plane, although my superstitions also won’t let me change that routine up either.

“I’m happy to know our night had that effect on you. I felt the same way. But the way you left, the way you didn’t talk to me afterward, I assumed I did something wrong,” the corners of her lips falling flat as her voice trails off.

“Magdalina, you did nothing wrong. After I left, I assumed you didn’t want to talk to me either. You hated me.”

Her face softens, a spark of something in her eyes hinting at forgiveness. “I don’t hate you, Wolfie.”

“You did.”

She shakes her head. “I neverreallyhated you. Was I pissed? Yes. Did I want to kick you in the shins without your goalie pads on? Absolutely. At first, I wanted to kick you in the balls, but I decided I would kick you in the shins instead because you would beexpectingme to kick you in the balls, so…surprise! Now you have shin splints,” she says as she pretends to karate chop me. I can’t help but let out another laugh.God, this woman makes me laugh.A warmth fills my lungs—relief knowing she didn’tactuallydespise me.“But I never hated you. I just thought that night was…” She pauses, trying to find the words I know she’s about to say.

I know because I feel it too.

“It felt like more than sex.”

She closes her eyes as she nods slowly, her lips pursed together.

“Lisichka, look at me.” I whisper, as I pull her chin up to face me fully. A pit forms in my stomach, locking my jaw before I can tell this woman I want her to be mine forever. Before I can confess the darkness of why I can’t be with her. Before I can admit she is all I want. The tightness in my chest is back, stealing my breath as the edges of the room dim. I’m not enough for her. I can’t bear to loseher, but I fear I’m going to anyway. Sucking in a ragged breath, I finally let the only words I have spill out.

“It was.”

I lean in to kiss her, the warmth of her body, her heart, her everything, melting into me once more.

“Then why…”

Our phones both buzz on the nightstands on either side of our bed, pulling us out of the lazy morning. The group text for the weekend is now in full swing, messages coming in faster than I can keep up with.I don’t know why Bougie insists on saying good morning every day.I also have a string of texts from Larsy asking me what the hell happened last night, and I’m sure Maggie has the same from Olivia. My jaw clenches at the thought of our friends seeing the scene we caused last night.Goddammit.

“Holy shit, that is a lot of texts from Liv,” she says, swiping her phone furiously. “Looks like they want us all to meet for breakfast soon. Soooo…what the hell are we going to tell everyone?”

35

maggie

Walking into the restaurant, Vladi and I are the last to arrive. Ever the gentleman, he holds the door open for me, and we stroll in with our heads held high and an air of confidence. Warmth sparks across my skin from the brief touch of his hand on my back to lead me across the threshold. I bite the inside of my cheek, wishing I had a direct link into his thoughts. Is he worried about us walking in together? Is he going to ignore me the rest of the trip?But I don’t have time to spiral, so I shove my feelings down, as usual, and focus on the task at hand. Not letting our friends see a damn thing.

We decided we will not speak a word about what happened last night to anyone. Unlike my best friend, I am a vault with information. We won’t lie, but that doesn’t mean we need to tell them exactly what went down. Of course, our nosy as hell friends are already trying to make this a thing, having left only two open seats right next to each other in the center of the long table. I sit down next to Olivia, with Hayes seated on her other side. Vladi sits between me and Zack. And, to no one’s surprise, all eyes are on us.

“So, how did everyone sleep last night?” Bougie asks, sitting directly across from us. Of course, he would be the one to break the silence first. He wasn’t even at the bar during my outburst last night, but I know word travels fast through the Riders gossip circuit.

Vladi glares like he’s literally going to strangle him, but I nudge his knee with mine to remind him we are not going to give this group any ammo or even hint at what happened. Although, to be fair, Vladi being annoyed at Bougie isn’t really out of the ordinary. Still, I repeat our conversation in my head, hoping somehow Vladi can hear me reminding him as well.Poker faces. Don’t give too many details. Hide your tells…no biting my cheek, no cracking your knuckles. No one needs to know our business.

“I slept great. How about you, Vladi? You sleep well?” I rush to respond.

He doesn’t take his lethal stare off Bougie. “Slept like a baby,” he says, taking a drink from the water glass in front of him.So far, so good.

The rest of the table shifts their gaze to Jordan Boucher, who is currently scanning us up and down, looking for any sign of weakness.He won’t find it.Not in me and definitely not in the stone-faced Russian next to me, who is famously known for keeping his words as brief as possible. Still, I don’t love the direction this breakfast is going.I feel like we are in the midst of a lie detector test. Like Vladi actually murdered Captain Carlos yesterday and we’re about to go on trial. Although to this group, it might be better to actually admit to murder than the sins we committed last night. The sins we committedmultipletimes last night.

Bougie puts his hand on his chin, stroking his invisible beard while pondering his next question, trying to ask the exact thing that will make us break.

“You two sleep in the same bed?”

“Yes,” Vladi replies with a flat tone and his usual stoic face.

---