Chapter 29
Chapter
Lennon
I’d always known that Vivi and I together would be earth-shattering. My orgasm went on and on. Heat had spread from my lower back into my limbs and torso. My breath was more ragged than when I did hundreds of sprints.
And yet I was content as I collapsed next to her on my bed. I drew her closer, my hand on her soft, flushed skin. “That was amazing.”
She smiled at me, a bit shyly. “I think I might like being in control.”
I chuckled. “You being in control makes me lose mine.”
The smile turned impish. “That’s why I like it.”
I inhaled as I stared into her eyes. “I love you, Vivian Lee. I love you so much. Being with you, like this, is fucking fantastic, and I definitely want to do that again, but I just love being with you.”
Her eyes glazed. “That is the sweetest thing you’ve ever said. Thank you, Lennon.”
She kissed me. I happily molded my lips to hers and showed her how much I meant what I’d said. She snuggled in closer, her cheek against my chest, and let out a deep, soft sigh.
The high of being with Vivian lasted throughout the next few weeks. We were near the end of March now, and my mother was about to begin her third round of chemotherapy.
I spent most of my nights at Mom’s house, in Vivian’s room. Both she and I had worried that would be weird, but Vivian refused to leave my mother alone at night, and I couldn’t stay away. We made it work, and my relationship with Vivi was a lot less awkward in front of my mother than I’d thought it would be.
Now the Wildcatters were in the last week of games before the playoffs, and the intensity of everything had spiked. Tonight we were playing our biggest conference rivals, and the game had been faster and dirtier than most.
I slammed Medvedev into the boards with a roar. “Don’t touch my team.”
“Or what, old man? What are you going to do about it?”
I dropped my gloved hand and, in one smooth motion, plowed my fist into his jaw. “Or I’ll break you,” I snarled.
My teammates and his grappled between us, trying to break us apart. But there was nothing to break up. I’d stunned the kid, and he glared as he spit a glob of blood at my skate. With a smirk, I pushed back so it missed.
“He’s a loose cannon,” Stolly muttered in my right ear as Cormac said into my left, “We’ll watch your back, Cruz. He’s going to be gunning for you.”
“No. That’s my job. I watch your backs.” I shrugged off their hold. That’s what I’d been doing for years. First I’d played this role to be like my older brother. Then I’d taken it on as penance for his death. Vivi had helped me see that. But now, I was the team enforcer because no one—and I meant no one—fucked with my family. Ever.
These guys were my family. We’d been through so many things—them falling in love and starting families and being incredibly hard-headed, emotionally stunted fools along the way. They were the ones who’d clasped my shoulder and stood silent as I struggled to process my mother’s cancer diagnosis. And they’d been there to step up and make sure my mom had the best cancer nurse available—Vivian. They’d verbally kicked my ass when I was dragging my feet with her, unsure how much to push to get the results I needed. I was so, so blessed to have these guys, their families, and Vivian in my life.
I’d never take any of them for granted.
The third period slid away, and we eked out the two-one win. Medvedev refused to tap my hand as I skated past, proving himself to be a self-absorbed prima donna.
I put him out of my mind as I showered, dressed, and headed off to find my beautiful woman. When I cleared the corner of the locker room, Vivian was there, her smile wide and the light in her gray eyes gleaming just for me.
I stepped forward and snagged her around the waist, pulling her against my chest. “How did I ever manage to stay away from you for so long?”
“Willpower.” She kissed my chin. “You have it in spades.”
“Mmm... I think you mean idiocy.” I tipped my head down to look into her gleaming, silvery eyes. “I love you so very, very much.”
Her smile dazzled me, and her eyes heated to molten. She rose on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear, “I’m going to need you to show me how much.”
I chuckled. “Definitely not a hardship.”
She linked our fingers and raised our hands, kissing my battered knuckles. “I love you, Lennon. Just so we’re clear on that.”
“I’m so glad, Vivi. So glad. Let’s get you home so I can show you how much you mean to me.”
She shivered as she tipped her head back. “I like the sound of that.”
Then we both frowned. Neither of us was comfortable having sex under my mom’s roof, so we often went back to my place first, though that came with its own issues, especially with Mom ready for more cancer treatments. Vivi took her duties as a live-in nurse very seriously.
I sighed, then kissed her.
“There may be a home going up for sale in Cormac’s neighborhood,” I said. “It has a pool house—about twelve hundred square feet. I was thinking we might like the house, and the pool house might be perfect for my mom to live in.”
Vivian kissed me. “I like the sound of that. I think your mom might, too. She wants to be independent, but the chemo’s taken a lot out of her. Having her nearby would be good.”
“You wouldn’t mind that?” I asked.
Vivian shook her head. “I’d like her close. You’re so lucky, Lennon, to still have her.” She bit her lip, and I knew she was thinking of her own mother’s slow, painful passing. “I guess we’re just getting older, seeing our parents age and sicken. I’m happy to get the opportunity to know your mother.”
I squeezed her hand. “You really are the best.”
She laughed. “I have my moments.”
My phone rang just as I helped Vivian into my truck. My shoulders tensed when I noted the name. “Hello, Detective,” I answered.
Vivian’s gaze shot to mine, her lips pressed flat.
“We got them, Lennon,” Detective Ahmed said quietly.
I relayed the message to Vivian. Her gaze was steady. “We’ll come up there to identify them in person,” I told him immediately.
Vivian gave a single sharp nod of agreement.