Chapter Two #2
‘He does want to taste my ass. He just told me. We’re making plans for later.’ Gem chuckled to himself as he sent that message.
Throwing-up emoji.
‘Would you like pictures?’ Gem taunted.
‘I hate you. Just make him your best friend.’
Gem couldn’t help glancing up. He caught Kotov’s eye before the defenseman looked away quickly. Gem had to press his lips together to keep from smiling. He looked back down when his phone vibrated in his hand.
‘You won’t believe what Marlin did this time.’ Nix sent.
Gem was glad that Cody Marlin had stopped being a bully to Nix and the two of them had started to become friends.
Nix needed more people watching his back and Marlin was good at having Nix’s back on ice.
Except Marlin really did need a keeper. The kid was worse than Nix at getting himself into trouble. ‘What did he do?’
Three Laughing emojis.
‘So…we have a new mascot. He’s amazing. A former ice skater. Like gold-medal good. And Marlin told this guy, his name is Angel BTW, but Marlin told Angel that he could outskate him because…and I’m quoting here… ice skating wasn’t even that hard.’
Gem wanted to shake his head. Anyone who knew about ice skating knew how hard it was.
On of their peewee coaches had even forced all of them to take ice-skating lessons after some of the guys on the team had bullied some male ice skaters.
Gem and his brothers hadn’t been involved but they had been punished with the rest of the team.
Gem had hated every minute of it. It had been hard.
Aries had loved it so much that he’d actually spent an entire season taking lessons.
That might be the reason that Aries could outskate all of them.
Not that Gem was going to tell him that.
‘What did Angel say to that?’
‘He challenged Marlin to a series of races. It is going to be epic!’ Nix replied.
‘Does Marlin have to wear ice skates?’ Gem questioned.
‘Yep!’
‘Toe pick.’
‘Exactly! I have twenty dollars on Angel.’ Nix sent.
‘Good call.’ Gem returned. He might just make the trip to Florida to see the show for himself. ‘I have to go. Game.’
‘Say hi to your new bestie!’
Gem shoved his phone back onto the shelf.
No notification from Ty. The boy must really have found someone else.
He rubbed his heart. It was fine. They’d had their fun.
It was time to move on anyway. He hadn’t done a scene in his local club since he’d first hooked up with Ty. Maybe it was time he made his return.
He loved putting a sweet sub on his knees before giving the boy the night of his life.
Having only a few in-person scenes with Ty meant everything else had been done online.
Gem hadn’t minded but it would be nice to get back into the swing of things.
By swinging his favorite flogger at a nice pink ass that he’d personally warmed up with his hand.
His cock gave a twitch of interest.
Now was not the time to have these thoughts. Gem needed to keep his head in the game. After morning practice, Gem could prepare for his next night off. First he was going to show the LA Grinders just why Gem was the starting goalie in his rookie season. Not one fucking puck was getting past him.
* * * * *
Luka
Playing in a Boston jersey in an arena that was filled with fans wearing the same and screaming his name wasn’t something that Luka thought he’d enjoy.
The Boston Beans were happy to have the addition to the team.
His teammates had gone out of their way to welcome him.
Most Luka had played against and some he’d even played with during his NHL.
Maybe this trade wasn’t the end of his career.
Luka knew that he had more to give to the sport that he loved.
He hadn’t been having the best season with Seattle and he couldn’t figure out why.
Maybe it was because he knew the tide was changing and the management had been talking about a future that didn’t include him.
Or it had been when his team had slowly filled with conceited assholes and bullies that cared more about themselves than the team.
All he knew was that he hadn’t played his best in months.
Tonight in Boston? Luka was playing like a fucking god!
Every time that Alan Crowly crowded the net, taking cheap shots at Gem while taunting him, Luka was there to put Crowly in his place. Luka had already been sent to the penalty box three times in two periods.
Spending time in the sin bin was totally worth it to see the frustration on Crowly’s face, to hear the Boston fans chanting his name, and spotting the little smirk Gem sent his way.
He sat in the penalty box for another two minutes, yanking off his helmet to squirt water over his face. Luka was having fun. How long had it been since he’d felt this energy when playing?
Luka glanced toward the ice where his goalie denied another point from the LA Grinders.
Gem was good. Better than Luka remembered and it was now Luka’s job to look out for the little goalie. Yes, the goalie on his new team was little. A fruit bat shifter according to his stats but no more than five foot two in his human form.
Truthfully, Luka was in awe of the goalie. Catching him in just a pair of tiny shorts and nothing else had been shocking. The goalie was built—muscular, with smooth chest and tattoo over his heart. Luka hadn’t been close enough to read the script but he’d been intrigued.
Guilt had flooded Luka when he realized that he’d been checking the goalie out.
He had a man that had been messaging him the past couple days that Luka too much of a coward to reply to.
His online relationship had been the only thing that had kept Luka sane for the last six months.
The issues with his family and the worry about being traded hadn’t felt so all-consuming when he’d had someone to talk to.
Now they were in the same city.
Luka could take their relationship to a whole new level. They could meet up in person more than a couple of times in six months. Hell, they could actually date. Maybe get rid of the masks and take a chance of building something together.
The question that ate at Luka was if he was ready for that?
To everyone else in the world, Luka Kotov was a big, bad shifter hockey player.
As a Siberian tiger shifter, Luka was one of the fiercest predators around.
His job as the top defenseman in hockey meant that he took on the opposing team and protecting his teammates.
Only one person knew that Luka wanted to be put on his knees and told what to do.
In his heart, Luka was a submissive and needy and craved being someone else’s responsibility. He wanted to serve but also wanted to be spoiled. He needed to be told what to do and what to say but also loved being held down and taken like an animal.
Luka shook his head hard and slammed the helmet back on.
This was about the worst possible time to get caught up in his head. With less than five minutes left in the second period and one more to go, Luka had a hockey game to win.
His skates hit the ice and, head down, Luka went for the puck. It wasn’t his job to score goals but Luka would do his part. He stole the puck right off the end of Crowly’s stick and passed it to his right winger, who took off toward the opposing goalie’s net.
Crowly plowed into Luka’s shoulder but not before the goal light went off and Luka’s teammate scored.
He threw his arms up in celebration before racing toward his teammates to join in with the hugs. Helmets taps, hugs, and then they skated off the ice to let the next shift take their place.
Luka glanced back toward his own goalie.
Gem had the front of his mask up while smiling as he banged his stick against the ice in front of him. Crowly made a point of skating by and saying something before going to his own team bench.
Whatever Crowly said wiped the smile from Gem’s face before the goalie skated out of the crease to chase after Crowly. Luckily, their teammates stopped Gem although the goalie was shouting something. Luka was too far to hear.
On the bench, Crowly was laughing while Gem was furious.
Crowly had always been an asshole, but he seemed to be taking too much pleasure in taunting Gem. Luka needed more information about what was going on between the two of them, but in the meantime, he needed to have his goalie’s back.
Gem returned to his net although he was still red-faced and appeared to be cursing. Three quick hits of water into his mouth before Gem slammed the front of his helmet back down.
“Fuck Crowly,” Tomas said under his breath.
Luka had played with Tomas, or T-Bone as he was nicknamed back in the NHL. He considered them friends although they’d lost touch when they’d been put on opposing teams when the PAHL had formed. “What’s up between the two of them?” he asked.
Tomas side-eyed him. “You know about the whole predator and prey thing.”
Luka shook his head. “What?”
“Really, dude?” Doubt laced Tomas’s words.
Now that Luka thought about it, Tomas had greeted him but hadn’t been as friendly as Luka had expected. There was something that Luka had missed. Apparently, something big. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Your teammates are some of the worst offenders,” Tomas said.
“Offenders?”
“Targeting the smaller magical beings and prey shifters during the game. Trying to make the PAHL for strong predator shifters only.” Tomas glared at him.
“Wait!” Luka held up his hands, still covered with his gloves.
“I had no idea.” How had Luka missed something so huge?
Okay, he hadn’t exactly been hanging out with his Seattle teammates since he knew the management wanted him gone and his teammates had started to act like assholes.
But targeting smaller players? Luka would never condone something like that.
Around them the crowd gasped, and Luka turned his attention back to the game happening in front of him where he should be looking.