Chapter 72
LINCOLN
My thoughts are fully on Parker as I shove the locker room door open and step inside. My face might ache, but I’m more than used to living with aches and pains. And a black eye isn’t anything out of the ordinary.
But the second the guys spot me, that all changes.
“Fucking hell,” Killer announces. “I know Parker is strong, but damn, that’s a mean right hook she’s got on her.”
“Ha, ha, you’re funny,” I state as I move closer to my stall, ready to get dressed for practice. “It wasn’t Parker.”
“But you went home after leaving us last night, didn’t you?” Handsy asks, trying to piece it all together.
“Oh shit,” Kodie gasps. “You’ve seen Rett already.”
I drop to my stall and rest back with my face tipped up to the ceiling. Suddenly, my eye and nose ache more than they did when I first walked in here.
“Yeah,” I groan. “I’ve seen Rett.”
“I didn’t think they were flying in until this morning,” Killer says.
“Rett came alone to surprise us.”
“How’d that work out for you?” Handsy asks with a smirk.
“Wonderful,” I mutter.
“Is he going to be a problem for us tonight?” Fletch asks.
Kodie snorts. “When isn’t Donnelly a problem for us?”
“Fair,” Fletch muses. “But if he’s pissed at Linc, tonight could be a bloodbath.”
“Looks like it’s already started,” Monroe adds, clearly listening to our conversation.
“I can handle Rett,” I state.
“So, does he look as bad as you right now?” Kodie asks, a knowing glint in his eyes.
“Uh…”
He shakes his head. “Oh yeah, you’re going to handle it.”
“I think I already caused enough damage,” I mutter. “He was well within his rights to hit me. But he’s done that now, so we can just focus on the game.”
“Wow, I know you can be a lot of things, Storm, but I never had you down as delusional,” Handsy muses.
“It’s going to be fine. We all know how to handle Rett Donnelly.
And if he’s distracted by what this asshole has been doing to his sister, then all for the better.
The Bandits are having their worst season for years.
With their best D man on his own personal mission, we could secure an incredible W tonight. ”
“They’ve still got Westly and Petrov,” Monroe points out.
“Maybe so. But do you know what they don’t have?”
Monroe shakes his head. “All of us.”
“Fuck yeah,” Killer shouts. “And we’re motherfucking winners.”
Those who weren’t involved in our conversation finally look over, and as his enthusiasm ripples through the room, they all join in chanting.
By the time we’re all dressed and heading out of the locker room to warm up for morning practice, adrenaline pumps through my veins.
I might be in the wrong when it comes to Rett, but all my teammates see is an opportunity to increase our points and our position at the top of the division.
The second I step onto the ice, my eyes scan the space, looking for my girl. But she’s not there.
Despite me telling her a million times that everything would be okay, I knew she didn’t believe me.
A laugh tumbles from my lips as I think about what Esme will have said to her.
“You good, man?” Fletch asks, skating up next to me.
“Yeah,” I say, a wide smile spreading across my lips. “I’m really fucking good.”
His smile grows to match mine. “It’s all worth it, isn’t it, when you find the right one?” Just as he says the words, there’s movement over his shoulder, and when I look up, there she is.
Fuck, she’s so beautiful.
The second she notices my attention, she shakes her head, but there’s a grin playing on her lips.
“Yeah,” I muse, barely aware that Fletch is still standing there. “So fucking worth it.”
I take off with my sights set on only one person.
Fuck, it’s been that way for years; I just didn’t know what it all meant.
It doesn’t matter how long I’ve known her, how many years have passed. If she’s in the same room, I always seek her out. If she’s close, I always gravitate to her.
She’s…she’s my home. I just had no idea.
Having turned around to organize some paperwork, Parker startles when I crash against the board in front of her.
But the second she looks over her shoulder and I catch a close-up of her dazzling smile, it’s like everything falls away.
We’re not standing here in the arena surrounded by people; it’s just the two of us.
“Hey, pretty girl,” I shout, probably loud enough for people to hear, but I'm done caring.
She ducks her head, her smile turning coy.
“What did you do, Lincoln Storm?”
It’s rhetorical. She knows exactly what I did all those weeks ago when I went to Esme.
Was I being presumptuous? Massively.
But was I also a hopeless fool with a teenage dream I was hoping might finally become a reality? Also yes.
But I figured, what was the harm?
If nothing happened, Esme would be discreet about it. And if it did? Well, I was already armed with everything I needed to ensure we both had long futures here with the Vipers.
Should I have told her before now to stop her worrying?
Maybe. But it would have been too soon. She needed to be ready to take the next step herself.
I knew she’d get there. Just like I know she’ll tell me she loves me when she’s ready.
I know she does. I’m pretty sure, like me, she always has.
I feel it in her touch, see it in her eyes.
“You’re mine, Parker Donnelly. Nothing is going to get in the way of that.”
I cringe as a whistle blows. “Storm, get your ass over here,” Coach bellows.
Parker laughs, and it’s like music to my ears. “Go,” she encourages, waving me off.
I blow her a kiss before pushing backward and skating toward where everyone else is waiting.
“Fucking hell,” Coach groans when he sees the state of my face. “Anything I should be worried about?”
“Nah, Coach. I’ve got this all under control.”
“Have you heard anything from him?” I ask Parker the second she joins me in the car later that afternoon.
“Nope,” she says, popping the P. “And I didn’t go looking for him, either. I figure he needs to focus. Me turning up during their practice time wouldn’t have gone down well.”
“Pfft, what does he have to focus on? He already knows he’s losing tonight.”
“Linc,” Parker warns.
Reaching over, I take her hand in mine and twist our fingers together.
“I know, babe. I know. Rett’s gonna figure this all out, you’ll see.”
“I hope so. I just hate knowing he’s hurting.”
“Same, but I refuse to put our happiness on the line because of it.”
“I can’t believe you told Esme we were together weeks ago.”
I smirk as I take the next left, pressing my foot to the gas to get her home as fast as possible. “I was feeling optimistic.”
“You’re something else, you know that?”
“Well, when I want something…”
“What if this had never happened?” she muses.
“Then I guess I’d have had to admit defeat and get Esme to take it out of our files. But I wouldn’t have given up without a fight. This might have been years in the making, pretty girl, but it was inevitable eventually.”
“You really are sure of yourself.”
“Sometimes, you’ve just got to back your chances with the things you want most in life. And Parker, you’ve always been at the very top of my list.”
“I thought that was hockey,” she counters.
“It takes a solid second place, but it will never, ever come above you.”
“So what happens next?”
“We beat the Bandits’ asses, and then we celebrate the fuck out of it.”
“What about after that? Esme said that I can still treat you as long as we keep it professional.”
“What?” I ask.
“You didn’t know that?”
“No. I mean, the fact that I was still assigned to you even after she knew gave me a clue, but she never said anything about it. So I don’t have to go to Mitchell?”
“Apparently not. I mean, as long as you don’t feel me up on the table.”
I can’t help but laugh. She has no idea how long I’ve had to hold myself back from doing just that over the years. “Me? What about you? You know you’re going to be too distracted by my dick to focus on your job.”
She scoffs. “As if. I doubt it’s worth the hype.”
My brows lift. “There’s hype surrounding my dick?”
“Don’t be obtuse, Linc. You know full well that there are a million and one stories out there spouting praise for it.”
“I might be aware of such stories. I’m intrigued to know that you’re aware, though. Have you been reading them?”
When I glance over, I find red staining her cheeks.
“Hell, no. I didn’t want anything to do with your dick or the bunnies you were sticking it in.”
“And what about now?”
“Fuck the bunnies.” I can’t help but snort at the disgust in her tone.
“Jealous, babe?”
“No,” she mutters. It’s cute as hell because she’s lying through her teeth.
“Good. You have no reason to be. I’m over every single other woman on the planet, bunny or not. You’re the only one I see, and you’re the only one who’s going to benefit from my magical dick.”
“I never said it was magical.”
“It’s been six years; you’ve probably forgotten.” She laughs. “But don’t worry, babe. I have every intention of reminding you very, very soon.”
“How soon?” she asks quickly.
“Oh, babe. Are you feeling a little desperate?” I tease, releasing her hand and sliding my palm up her thigh. My pinkie finger grazes over the fabric covering her pussy.
“No,” she states. “Just wanted to know for planning purposes.”
“Sure you do,” I muse as I pull into our underground parking garage.
The second I kill the engine, I turn to her.
“I love taking this slow with you, Parker. I love learning all the things I didn’t know about you.
But don’t mistake my speed for lack of wanting.
” Tugging her hand over the center console, I press it against my hard dick. “You’re all I can think about.”
She gasps, her fingers curling around my length.
“I want everything to be perfect. I want to be worthy of you and give you everything you deserve.”
“It is, you are, and you already do,” she says, her eyes glassy with tears.
“Do you trust me?”
She nods, and I swear my chest expands to double its previous size.
“Good, now are you going to help me nap before our game tonight?”
“Nap?” she asks in surprise. “That isn’t where I thought that was leading.”
“We only have a couple of hours. When the time comes, we’re going to need so much more than that.”
“Whoa, that’s a big promise.”
“You know I’m good for it,” I say as I kill the engine and climb out. “Come on, babe. We’ve got a game to prepare for.”
“I’m scared,” Parker admits as we walk into the elevator.
“I know. I’m worried about him too. But he will figure this out. I have faith.”
“As much as you had in us when I first moved in?”
“Almost,” I agree, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “This is still Rett Donnelly we’re talking about. He’s a wild card.”
“And what am I?” she counters, gazing up at me with her large, golden eyes.
“Mine. All fucking mine.”