Chapter One #3
Avoiding the media, news reports, and anything to do with his trade had been easy enough until Luka had boarded the plane that had taken him across the country.
He’d been running around, trying to do so much before his flight that Luka had pushed the hurt down.
Until there was nothing else to do during the six-hour flight but think.
Once again, Luka’s career was out of his hands.
Trades happened, yes, and some guys spent every year having to go to a new team. Luka hadn’t thought it would happen to him.
Six years. For six years Luka had given his blood, sweat, and tears to the Seattle Harbor Seals organization.
Luka had helped build the team to what it was currently.
In the early days of the PAHL forming, the owners of the team had more love for the game than knowledge.
With Luka’s prior experience in the NHL, he’d taken on more than just a player role.
Because he loved the game just as much as everyone else.
Growing up, he’d spent all his time on the frozen lake with his brothers as they attempted to outmaneuver one another.
His entire household, including his parents, had been huge hockey fans.
And unlike his father and brothers, Luka had been good enough to get drafted into the NHL.
It might have been the only time that Luka’s father had been proud of him.
Even though it had been the paranormal council that had decided to announce their presence to the human world ten years ago and the NHL had removed all paranormal players, Luka’s father had blamed him.
Luka had been happy to play hockey and mind his own business.
He had no interest in politics or getting involved in paranormal and human interactions.
A list circulated, outing the paranormal players along with their species, with a call for them to be removed.
The NHL had suspended every single paranormal player.
Three years later, the Paranormal American Hockey League was being formed. One year after that, Luke played for the first time for the Seattle Harbor Seals. And six years later, Luka was going to be suiting up in a new uniform.
The apartment was furnished, luxurious, and big.
It was not his home though.
Strolling across the living room, Luka reached the glass balcony doors and pulled them open. He stepped outside to peer out at the city he would be calling home for the immediate future.
The Boston Beans were on the wrong side of the numbers to make the PAHL playoffs, but it was still a possibility.
The season would either end in a month if they didn’t make it or up to another month if they did.
Luka would return to Seattle whenever the season did end to deal with his house and everything else that came with moving across the country.
His cell began to ring and Luka already knew who was calling before he pulled his phone from his pocket. He hit Accept as he brought his cell up to his ear.
“Hey, Mama,” Luka greeted. She was the only call that he’d made to talk about the trade.
“Luka Ty, baby, did you arrive safely?” she asked.
At her voice, Luka slammed his eyes closed to hold back the tears.
His mother was a good woman. She’d worked her fingers down to the bone to afford to send Luka to hockey camps and for him to play when he was younger.
Luka’s father had refused to pay anything, stating that Luka would never make it professionally.
Just because he hadn’t. His father’s failure haunted Luka like it was his own.
Luka’s mom had paid for everything, and she was the reason he put up with how the rest of his family treated him. Like a bank and nothing more.
Luka had returned the favor and bought his parents the house of his mother’s dreams with his first NHL contract. As the child of immigrants, Luka knew that very few families ended up being as lucky as them. Luka had still been an infant when the entire moved from Russia to America.
The American dream. That was what his parents had been after. Luka was proud that he could at least take care of his mom with his hockey ability. The dream for him was different. Much different but that wasn’t something that Luka wanted to think about. Focusing on his mother was much easier.
His mother had been able to retire from the housekeeping agency and hotel she worked for.
Hell, even his father had retired to live off the money that Luka gave to them.
Which came to the problem at hand. His father was worried the money would stop.
Even with a new contract in Luka’s hand, Luka’s father wanted more. Always more.
“I just got to the apartment,” Luka informed his mom.
“Is it nice?” she questioned.
“It is very nice,” he replied honestly. “Needs a mom’s touch.”
“I’ll be down as soon as I can work it out. Your father’s arthritis is acting up.”
More likely, his father didn’t want to allow his mom a few days to see her son. Luka knew better than sharing his true thoughts. He didn’t want to upset her. “That would be great. Just let me know when and I’ll book your flight.”
“Thank you, baby,” she said. “Don’t you worry about that right now. You have a game tonight, right?”
“Yes. I just wanted to grab the keys to the apartment and drop my bags off. I’ll head into the arena early so I can meet the staff and make sure all my gear arrived earlier.”
“I’ll be watching tonight. We all will,” his mom said. “And I’ll be rooting for you. Even if you are wearing a Boston sweater.”
Luka barked out a laugh. As a true New York fan, it would probably give his mom a rash to root for their biggest rivals, but she would do it for him.
Luka didn’t expect the same from the rest of his family.
Even if Luka’s new contract would keep them all in the lifestyle that Luka provided for them. “Appreciate it.”
“Just take care of yourself,” she replied. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Love you,” Luka said.
“I love you too, baby,” she replied before the phone disconnected.
Staring down at the phone, Luka spotted the notification from an hour earlier when he’d been on the plane. His fingers shook as he pressed it.
The message opened.
‘Are you okay?’
No, no Luka was not okay. He wanted, no, he needed, to talk to his master but was too afraid to request a phone call. He had big news to share but Luka was aware that his trade changed things for him more than just professionally.
What had started as one night at his local exclusive club during a masquerade event had turned into an online 24/7 D/s relationship. Luka had been in the lifestyle for decades and had never felt a connection like the one between him and his mysterious Dom.
A Dom that had messaged Luka three days in a row even without a response from Luka.
The Dom that made Luka stare into the mirror and repeat daily affirmations that made Luka feel ridiculous and better once they were done.
The man that Luka was in love with.
And the person that Luka now lived in the same city as.
Out of all the teams that could have picked up Luka, it had been Boston.
Boston, where Luka’s fantasy man resided.
Luka had no idea how to share the news of his move or if he even would. Ever since Christmas Luka had felt like their relationship was on the edge of a tightrope and could fall either way. He’d come to town once in that time to play against Boston where he and his Dom had met up at the club.
The scene had been more intense than any that they’d ever shared before.
Now most of their interactions were online but even those provided Luka with what he needed.
With very few interactions in person due to their distance, Luka had been taken by surprise by how intense it had felt to be under his master’s control.
He could have that all the time now. If Luka confessed to who he really was.
And that he had moved to the city. Luka would have to trust someone else with his secret.
Rely on his master to keep their relationship private and not try to extort him for money once he knew Luka’s identity. A mistake Luka had only ever made once.
That was the true reason that Luka closed the message instead of responding like he wanted to do.
Luka didn’t know if he was ready to reveal who he was to the man that he’d fallen in love with.
How fucked-up was that? Luka’s master knew him better than anyone else in Luka’s life.
Luka didn’t have to hide what he wanted, his thoughts, his dreams from his master.
Luka could share his desires, fetishes, and fantasies with his master but couldn’t share his name or occupation.
Turning on his heel, Luka stomped back inside.
He should really have gone straight to the arena. There would be paperwork, meetings, and media to deal with. It would be a long night and that didn’t count the hockey game that Luka needed to play.
Instead of heading directly to the front door, Luka walked through the apartment and into the master suite. The bed looked comfortable but he would try that out later. Once he was home for the night.
He flipped on the light in the attached bathroom. A nice spacious room with a large Jacuzzi tub in the corner, a big standing shower, and vanity with two sinks. Luka stood in front of the mirror to stare at himself.
“I am strong, both physically and mentally.”
Luka lifted his chin.
“I am resilient and can overcome any challenge. I can handle tough situations. I stand tall in my beliefs and values. I don’t have to be perfect to be valuable. I am enough just as I am.”
When his master had first made Luka repeat these daily affirmations, Luka had felt like an idiot. Now he couldn’t start his day without them.
“I honor my feelings and emotions, and I allow myself to experience them fully. It’s okay to ask for help when I need it. My vulnerability is a strength.”
Luka rolled his shoulders as if he was rolling the stress away.
It was time to prove to everyone, his new team, his parents, and himself that Luka wasn’t past his prime. That Luka could play as hard as he ever had. Luka was a fucking awesome hockey player and it was time that people remembered who he was.
He was Luka fucking Kotov.