Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Sebastian
I keep my girl nice and close as we step out of the limo in front of Van Morgan’s giant mansion. A group of paparazzi are hanging around with cameras and vulturous looks on their faces. Their eyes light up when they see me.
“Watch it,” I warn in a growl as they come swarming over, shoving lights and cameras in our faces. I don’t care if they take pictures of me, but I don’t want them near my girl. I’m used to the craziness of fame, but Alina didn’t sign up for this.
I pull her behind me as a microphone is thrust into my face.
“Sebastian, is this your fiancée?” the reporter with the cardboard hair asks.
My hands squeeze into fists when I see them trying to get Alina on camera. Every protective instinct in my body awakens like an enraged beast. She’s mine .
I push a cameraman away and he falls on his ass. That will probably cost me fifty grand, but I don’t care. I’m ready for more.
I whip my head around, glaring at the next guy rushing over to take his place. I’m going to smash my knuckles into his jaw if he points that camera at my girl.
“It’s okay,” Alina says in a soft voice.
My teeth are gritted as I look down at her. My muscles are flexed. My body tense. Livid heat is ripping through me like a firestorm.
Alina gently touches my arm and smiles up at me. “It’s all good, Sebastian,” she whispers to me. “I know what I signed up for and I don’t mind.”
I’m still breathing heavily as she steps forward with a radiant smile. “I’m Alina Hoover,” she says to the nosy reporter. “It’s so nice to meet you all.”
“Are you engaged to Sebastian Kemp?” the reporter asks with that damn microphone in her face.
“I sure am,” she says as she shoots me a smile over her shoulder.
My fists are still clenched and I’m taking deep heavy breaths, but I’m starting to calm down. I have to realize that my girl can take care of herself. She’s done it without me for years.
“How did you two meet?”
“Well, I was in grade two,” she says with a laugh.
There are about ten cameras on her, but she doesn’t seem flustered at all.
She’s amazing. “I went over to my friend’s house to play Barbies and I saw him for the first time.
He was sitting on the couch, playing video games.
He had these blue shorts on that were too short for him—he was always growing so fast—and an X-Men T-shirt.
His hair was all messy and sticking up in the back.
As soon as I saw him, I fell in love. I knew he was the one for me. ”
I’m rocked as she turns around with a shy smile.
She remembers that? I thought I was the only one.
I remember seeing her walk into my living room with her brown hair in a ponytail, tied back with about four different color scrunchies. She was so cute. For the first time ever, I realized what it was like to have a crush.
I spent the afternoon pretending like I didn’t notice her, but I did. I kept glancing at her out of the corner of my eyes, wondering why I couldn’t stop.
She answers a few more questions and then they turn to me.
“Sebastian, are you signing with The Hyenas?” one of them asks.
“No comment,” I grunt.
“Wouldn’t it be exciting to have the great Sebastian Kemp playing in San Antonio?” Alina asks with a grin, hyping me up. “I’m sure the amazing people of San Antonio would love to have the Stoney Cup brought to their lovely city for the first time ever, don’t you think?”
“So, does that mean he’s signing with The Hyenas?” the reporter asks, turning his microphone to her.
“We’ll see,” she says with a knowing grin. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
I hook her arm with mine and push through the crowd. They try to follow us up the path, but the warning look I give them makes them fall back.
“You don’t have to talk to them,” I whisper once we’re alone.
“I know,” she says with a bubbly smile. “It’s fun. Wait until the whole city is talking about you joining The Hyenas. You’ll get an extra zero added to your contract.”
I shake my head and laugh as I look at her. This woman doesn’t stop surprising me. “You’re amazing.”
“About time you noticed,” she says with a grin.
Is it too soon to be in love? How can everything move at a glacial pace for years and then suddenly rocket forward at lightning speed?
I guess love can be goofy like that sometimes.
Two giant bouncers are waiting at the massive doors. They’re about to open them for us when I remember something and stop.
“Hold on,” I say as I reach into my coat and pull out my grandmother’s old wedding ring.
Alina’s eyes light up when she sees it and I’m suddenly wishing that I was giving it to her for real.
“For the show,” I say as I take her hand.
“Right,” she says like she’s snapping out of some alternate reality. “The show.”
I hate that we’re doing this. I want this to be real. I want this to be a real engagement ring. I want her to be pledged to me.
A shiver ripples through my body as I slide the antique ring on her finger. It’s an antique, but it’s beautiful. A giant diamond with a platinum band. She can’t seem to take her eyes off it.
“Is this your grandmother’s?” she asks.
“How did you know that?”
“This is not the first time this ring has been on my finger,” she says, smiling as she looks up at me. “Marie and I used to play dress-up in your mom’s room. This ring was always my favorite.”
One day, I’ll give it to her for real.
“I’m afraid that Marie already beat you to the punch,” she says with a grin. “We used to pretend we were getting married. I might still technically be engaged to her. I’m not sure, I’ll have to check.”
“My sister is going to have to fight me for you.”
“My money is on Marie,” she says with a laugh. “Your sister fights dirty.”
She keeps looking at the ring as we walk up the remaining steps. She heads straight to the bouncers with a confidence that I find so attractive.
“Mr. Sebastian Kemp and his beautiful fiancée, Alina Hoover,” she says, showing them the ring as if it’s two tickets to the event.
They both recognize me and open the doors with a nod. “Enjoy your night,” one of them says as we head in. “Party is in the back.”
The place is spectacular. The house I grew up in could fit in this lobby with room to spare.
Alina wraps her arm around mine as we head deeper into the house toward the noise. I’ve never felt so proud to have a woman on my arm. She’s radiant. She’s a goddess in this red dress. I’m the luckiest man in the world.
Warring thoughts are battling it out inside of me. I want everyone to see who I’m with, but I also want to keep her all to myself. I’ve never been so flustered like this. My obsession with this beauty is getting stronger every second I’m with her.
Heads turn and the whispering starts when we step into the backyard. It’s dark out, but the backyard is lit up by the gorgeous in-ground pool and all of the glowing lanterns hanging in the trees. It’s like a magical fairytale out here.
“Do you know all these people?” Alina whispers as she holds my arm a little tighter.
“Some,” I say as I nod to Dustin Reese, star defenseman of The Quebec City Spears. “Some I know, some I know of.”
The crowd suddenly parts and a huge ugly brute charges out.
“Oh shit,” I gasp under my breath when I see Tucker McKinstry barreling toward me with a nasty look on his face.
He’s the toughest fucker in the league. I think he only plays hockey so he can legally punch people in the face. And he’s good at it. The punching part. At hockey, he’s only slightly above mediocre.
“Who’s that?” Alina asks with a bit of unsureness in her tone. She steps back as McKinstry comes marching right up to me.
“The thing of nightmares,” I whisper to myself as I stare back at those crazy eyes. The last time I saw this man was when he slammed me into the boards so hard I thought my ribcage shattered. He skated away from me so carefree like it was just another day at the office.
I gulp as he steps right up to me. “Sebastian Kemp,” he says in his deep growly voice.
“Hi, Tucker.”
He thrusts his big hand in mine and I nearly whimper when I feel the strength of his grip. “I hear we’re both Hyenas now.”
“Not yet,” I say, trying to get my hand away from his. It’s clamped down hard. I’m not going anywhere until he releases me. “I’m signing the contract tonight. Hopefully.”
“Good,” he says with a fierce nod. “I’ll destroy anyone who touches you.”
I can feel the intensity radiating off him. He’s a monster. A monster I’m really glad is on my side.
“Great,” I say with a nervous laugh.
He stares me down for another long second, then lets go of my hand and stomps away. People jump out of his path as he heads to the bar.
“Who the heck was that?” Alina asks as she watches him go.
“Tucker McKinstry,” I say as I watch him down a glass of scotch like it’s water.
“He’s… intense.”
“You can say that again. He’s the toughest guy in the league.”
“I’m going to feel better if he’s on the ice watching your back,” Alina says.
I swallow hard and exhale the breath I’ve been holding in. “Me too, baby. Me too.”
We mingle a bit with some of the players, but all I want to do is pull my girl into some dark room where we can be alone. The only person I’m interested in here is her.
Harris Sutton comes over and introduces himself. I know who he is. I used to have his jersey when I was a tween. He’s been the only good player on The Hyenas, but he’s well past his prime. But even at thirty-six, Harris Sutton is still a force to be reckoned with on the ice.
“Tell me the contract is signed,” he says with a smile. “Tell me that Sebastian Kemp is joining the dog pack this season.”
I smile as I look at the eagerness on his face. This man could have been a legend if he was in a semi-competent organization with some decent players around him. Instead, he got The Hyenas, which means he’s never reached his true potential.
But this year? Who knows? If I join the team along with Tucker McKinstry, the star rookie Austin Gambill, the goalie Nolan Barlowe, the Swede, and Coach Moss… Who knows how far we can go? Maybe he isn’t past his prime yet. Maybe Harris Sutton will have his best season ever.
“He’s joining the team,” Alina says as she looks up at me with a warm smile. “We just have to get that pesky contract signed.”
“The big man is over there,” Harris says, pointing to another bar set up on the opposite side of the lawn.
I spot the new billionaire owner, Brantley Van Morgan. He has about twelve people around him, hanging on his every word.
“Get that ink on that contract,” Harris says as he slaps my shoulder. “We’ll start something special.”
I can feel the fire roaring in my chest. I want this.
This is where I belong. I can sense it. I want a new start. New city. New team. New girl.
My life is finally falling into place.
This is my destiny. This is where I’ll become a legend.
And with Alina by my side, it will be a fairytale too.
“Should we go say hi?” Alina asks as she looks up at me.
I grip her hand and nod. “Let’s get this done.”