Page 24 of Silent Girl

I unlock my car and climb into the driver’s seat, waiting for Liam as he puts his bag in the back and then hops in next to me. I maneuver us out of his garage. “What happened this morning?” I ask him.

“What do you mean?”

“At morning skate. What happened?”

“Weskated, discussed plays, nothing out of the ordinary,” he says, looking out the windshield.

“Are the guys treating you okay? I can talk to Gray…”

“Do not do that. I’m fine, Aliyah. The last thing I need is for you to talk your brother into being nice to me. Honestly, it’s just teething issues. Nothing I didn’t expect and certainly nothing I can’t handle.”

“Okay, but I can tell him to be nicer. Just saying.”

Liam groans and shakes his head. “You are really taking this whole babysitting gig to the next level. I’m not an actual child, babe.”

“I’m aware,” I mumble to myself. This man is just that, all man. Trust me, I know. I’ve had hismanhood pressed up against me. His long, thick, hard manhood. My thighs squeeze together at the thought of feeling that piece of meat in other places. Places like my vagina.

Shit… I can’t let him get to me. I do not need complications like Liam King in my life. Also, I don’t date hockey players. Although sleeping with him isn’t really dating. I wonder if that can be my loophole?

Then there’s the wholemy father painting the ice with Liam’s bloodthing screaming in my head. I’d like to think it was all bark, but I know better. His bite is even worse. I’ve heard the stories.

“What are we actually doing today, anyway?” Liam asks.

“It was on your schedule. If you wanted to know, you should have read it,” I tell him.

“What schedule?”

“The one I emailed you last night. You might have seen it if you didn’t break your promise and go out with your brother.”

“I called you. And between you and me, I didn’t actually want to go out.”

“Yeah, it looked like you were having the worst time of your life with that bunny tucked up on your lap,” I say.

Liam smiles at me. “She wasn’t on my lap. Are you jealous? Because if you are, I can make space for youon my lap.”

“Not even a little bit.”

“You sound jealous,” he says.

I wasn’t jealous. I was pissed off that I had to get out of bed to drag his ass home. Iwas notjealous. I’m not a jealous person.

“I’m tempted to tell my dad how much you keep offering to fuck me. That’d be my ticket off babysitting duty for sure.” I shrug.

“Why haven’t you told him then?”

“Because he just spent millions of dollars on you. He thinks you’re the answer to us winning the Cup this year. And if I tell him you want to get in my panties, then he’s going to kill youandour dream of bringing home that Cup.”

“So you do care? You don’t want me to get hurt. Aw, I’m touched.” His hand falls to his chest.

“I don’t care if you’re hurt. I care if the Knights win the Cup. They’re my inheritance, after all, and nobody wants to inherit a losing team, Liam,” I say. It’s not true. I actually love hockey, whether or not it’s part of the family business. I love the game and I love the high of winning. That feeling you get when everyone skates onto the ice. The crowd, the fans—it’s all intoxicating, really.

“The Knights will win the Cup,” he tells me.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because it was already a great team without me. But with me, it’s the greatest in the league.”

“Riiight,” I draw out while giving him the side-eye.

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