Chapter 80 Lincoln
LINCOLN
By the time we get in the car after dealing with everything, Parker can barely keep her eyes open.
I want to demand she fight it. I saw her go down. I saw her hit her head. She could have a concussion. I know it’s unlikely. The hit wasn’t that hard, but still, concern for her floods through me as I drive.
The moment I stepped around the corner and heard what that cunt said to her will live with me forever. I’m pretty sure I can speak for the others when I say it’ll be the same for them.
Handsy, Killer and I ran into the room so fucking fast, and fuck, am I glad I did.
Rage shoots through me, my grip on the wheel tightening enough to have my knuckles splitting open again.
I want to say that he was the only man I threw a punch at tonight, but that would be a lie.
Granted, he may have been the only asshole to deserve my wrath, but that’s beside the point. My adrenaline was pumping, and getting in one of my opponent’s faces was the only way I was going to expel some of it.
Fuck, it felt good as well.
“Almost home, pretty girl,” I say, despite the fact she can’t hear me.
Only a few minutes later, I pull into our underground parking garage, find my space next to her car, and kill the engine.
I turn to her, watching her rest just like I do every morning.
Parker isn’t wrong; it has turned into some kind of obsession.
I can’t help it, though. I wake up every morning thinking the whole thing has been a dream.
But no, she’s there, lying naked beside me.
Knowing she’s mine is the best feeling in the fucking world.
Reaching over, I gently drag my knuckle down her cheek. “Wakey wakey, sleepy head,” I muse.
She stirs instantly, and only a few seconds later, she turns my way and opens her eyes.
“Sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“It’s okay. It’s been a long night. Stay there,” I instruct as I throw my door open and climb out.
Miraculously, she does as she’s told and remains in her seat, allowing me to open the door and help her out.
“I am okay, you know,” she muses.
“It doesn’t matter; I’m still going to take care of you,” I tell her as I tuck her into my side and guide her toward the elevator.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
She remains quiet as we rise through the building, and the second we're inside, I dump my bag and lead her to my room.
She’s still silent as I undress her and tug one of my T-shirts over her head and then lead her to the living room to get her settled on the couch, one of the blankets from the other night over her.
“Where are you going?” she asks when I take a step back.
“I’m going to change, then I’m going to make you some food.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You don’t have to eat it. But I’m making it regardless.”
She lets me go, but I don’t make it very far before she asks, “What are you making?”
I smile to myself. I knew she was hungry.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” I tease before ducking into my room for another quick shower to hopefully wash away the final traces of tonight’s game before I get to snuggle with my girl.
Only a few months ago, I’d have been out celebrating our win with the guys.
We’d always start at the Fractured Compass before moving on to a club.
Every time, the bunnies would find us and would be more than willing to take the party back to their place or a hotel room.
Now, though, I can’t think of anything worse.
The only place I want to be is home with my girl.
When I make it back to the living area, I find Parker watching a reality TV program, although she quickly abandons it in favor of watching me in the kitchen.
Her eyes burn into my skin, ensuring that my blood is just below boiling point.
“Are you going to tell me what you’re making yet?” she asks as I whisk my batter.
“Can’t you guess?”
“Well, it’s not ragu, I know that.”
“Close.” I laugh as I pull the waffle maker from the cupboard
“Grilled cheese?”
I continue to laugh as she throws out other ridiculous suggestions as I slice up some fruit and get a tub of ice cream out of the freezer to soften.
“Aren’t you meant to be watching TV?” I shoot over my shoulder and find that she’s completely turned her back on it now.
“I prefer watching you in those sweatpants.”
I wiggle my ass at her, and she laughs. I wish I could bottle the sweet sound to listen to forever.
After loading up the waffles, I drizzle everything with caramel sauce and carry it over.
Parker’s eyes go wide as she takes it all in.
“That looks incredible.” She’s practically drooling.
“Shame you don’t want anything,” I tease, lowering the plate to my lap.
“I’m sure I could eat a little bit,” she says, shuffling closer. She sits on her knees beside me and gazes at the two spoons in my hand.
“Oh, did you want one of these?”
“It’s a good thing you’re so hot because you’re not remotely funny.”
“Lies.” I laugh as I hand a spoon over.
Parker drags her spoon through everything before closing her mouth around it. She groans, and my cock jerks in response.
Down, boy. There’s gonna be none of that tonight. We’re taking care of our girl.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you’d put in a complaint against him?” I ask. I hate to bring that asshole back up again, but I can’t deny that hearing it hurt.
“Linc.” She sighs. “I know you want to fight every battle for me, but sometimes you’re going to have to let me do it myself.”
I huff, filling my mouth with waffle and ice cream to stop me from saying something she won’t like.
“Just because we’re together, and just because we work together, doesn’t mean that we have to do everything together.
You’ll have your issues, and I’ll have mine.
That’s okay. I didn’t want you getting involved because you have your own stresses and demands.
Plus, I knew you’d go in with your fists,” she says, raising a brow and glancing at my bloody knuckles.
“Well, sometimes it’s the way things need resolving.”
“And if he presses charges?”
“He won’t,” I say confidently.
“But what if he does?”
“Then I’ll take the punishment. I don’t give a fuck, Parker. The only thing I care about is you, and there was no fucking way that asshole was getting away with it.”
A fresh wave of anger surges through me as I think about those few moments again.
“I’m sorry I—”
“No. Fuck that, Parker. You have nothing to apologize for. You did nothing but your job. All of this is on him.”
“I know that. I just…I hate that you got dragged into it.”
“Literally my job,” I mutter before having another spoonful.
I don’t want to toot my own horn or anything, but these waffles are amazing.
“Can we talk about something else? We’ve wasted enough energy on him tonight.”
“Sure. What do you want to talk about?”
“Uhh…”
“Maybe about what kind of incredible sexy dress I’m going to buy you for the Valentine’s gala?”
“Linc, I already said, I don’t need—”
“And I already said I’m buying you whatever you want. Non-negotiable.”
“You really are stubborn, aren’t you?”
“I thought you’d learned that years ago, babe,” I tease.
Together, we demolish the entire stack of waffles before slumping back on the couch with full bellies.
“I can’t imagine that was on your diet plan.” Parker laughs.
“Pretty sure I burned off enough calories tonight,” I say, smacking my abs.
“Pilates in the morning?”
“That depends on whether you’re my instructor or not.”
“Not this time. We’re going to a class.”
I groan as if I’d forgotten, but I haven’t. Not even close. I’ve been looking forward to watching her work out in those leggings since our last time.
“Do you need anything before we go to bed?” Parker asks, her eyes tracking over my body. “Anything feeling tight or—”
“I’m meant to be looking after you, remember?”
“I’m fine. I’ll take some more painkillers before we sleep, and tomorrow it’ll be like nothing happened.”
“I’m fine too. If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll let you rub me down tomorrow after Pilates.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Uhh…what the hell is this?” Parker asks as we walk into her usual Pilates class the next morning. Only, there’s a slight difference. There is no instructor in sight, and the people waiting for class to start…well, we know them all.
“About time,” Fletch calls, where he’s standing with Reese. Kodie and Casey are here too, with Freya, ready to get to work, along with the guys—Handsy, Killer, Brit, and Monroe. Brooke, Hailee, and Leah have joined with a few other girls from the front office. Even Coach has made an appearance.
Parker spins to me with confusion, twisting up her face. “What is happening right now?”
“Oh, didn’t I mention? You’re teaching the Pilates class this morning. And these,” I say, gesturing to everyone in the room, “are your students. They are here to be tortured as you see fit.”
“Uh…I didn’t sign up for torturing,” Killer barks.
“Well, tough,” Reese teases. “You just don’t want to be upstaged by us girls.”
They all giggle.
“She’s right,” I announce. “This is hard as shit.”
“We’re all professional athletes. How hard can it be?” Handsy asks innocently.
“Oh, just you wait,” I tease, walking Parker to the front of the room and passing her a headset that will connect her to the sound system.
“How and why have you organized this?”
“One, because you love hurting us. And two, because I thought you’d love it. I wanted to prove to you how much the guys love and value you. One mention of you running this class, and they all showed up. For you.”
“Linc,” she breathes, her eyes getting all glassy.
“You’re up for it, right?”
“I mean, yeah. But a little warning would have been nice.”
“You’ve got this, babe. Just pretend it’s me in our home gym and you want to make me suffer.”
She looks around the room, and a smile tugs at her lips while her eyes twinkle with something wicked.
“Those guys aren’t going to know what’s hit them,” she announces.
“That’s my girl,” I say, kissing her forehead and walking back toward the reformer they’ve left for me at the front.
I’ve already warned the guys not to spend the entire class staring at my girl’s ass. That is for me and me alone.
I watch with pride as Parker pulls the headset on.
“Right, is everyone ready?”
“Is it too late to change our minds?” Killer asks.
“Yes,” everyone shouts back at the same time.
“Whoever gives up first is buying lunch,” Parker warns before syncing her cell to the Bluetooth speaker and starting the music.
“Killer, I hope you brought your wallet,” Handsy shouts.
“Fuck you. I’ll wipe the floor with the lot of you,” he says way too confidently.
For an hour, Parker puts us through our paces. Coach taps out after thirty minutes, claiming that he is, in fact, too old for this shit.
Of course, we all rib him for it, but seeing as he’s responsible for making us run drills, we let him off lightly compared to Handsy and Killer, who complain through the entire thing.
In the end, it’s Handsy who ends up on the floor, claiming that he’s dying, and a couple of hours later, he takes one for the team and picks up our lunch bill.
With a few days off ahead of us, everyone is in good spirits despite how much all our muscles hurt. We spend the afternoon laughing, drinking, and eating good food like a completely dysfunctional family.
With my fingers entwined with Parker’s, I glance at those around us and can’t help but feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by such amazing friends and colleagues.
There’s just one person missing.
All our lives, Rett and I dreamed of playing in the NHL. We might have made it, but we’re on opposing teams. Maybe one day that’ll change, and I’ll have everyone I love close by to keep an eye on.
But for now, this will have to do.
“Let’s make a toast,” I blurt, reaching for my beer and lifting it into the air.
“To the best goddamn hockey team this league has ever seen.”
“Hear, hear,” everyone shouts.
“And to the friends and loved ones we find alone the way.”
We all clink glasses, but before Parker can take a sip of her drink, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and tug her in to kiss me.
“I love you, pretty girl. Thank you for coming back to me.”