Chapter Six #3
‘I would love to go to Hawaii with you. When you talked about the trip planned with your brothers and their partners. Now I know who you’re talking about. I’ve been friends with Vin and Evan for years. I’d like to get to know Aries and Nix. I’ve played against them, of course.’
The triplets had been the talk of the league when they’d been first round draft picks.
‘Aries is one of the best centers that I have ever played against. That little shit is fast.’
And Vin had his hands full keeping opposing players off Aries’s back.
‘Nix and Evan seem like an odd couple. From what I can tell, Nix is outgoing and a riot to be around. I know Evan pretty damn well. I helped drag him back into playing hockey. He’s almost as stubborn as you are.’
Luka chuckled quietly at his own joke.
‘Do they know you’re kinky?’ Luka really did wonder about that. Since he knew Vin and Evan like he did, Luka doubted his friends had changed much. Vin had been a Daddy Dom for as long as Luka had known he had a submissive side.
‘I bet they do. And I know my friends and how they like their partners. Maybe we should get our own house in Hawaii. I wouldn’t want to scare your brothers when you make me scream.’
Was Luka trying to entice Gem with a promise of a future? Absol-fucking-utely!
‘How does that sound, sir? You and me on a beach in Hawaii during the day. I’ll wear the smallest pair of speedos known to man. Then at night you can beat me until I’m screaming for you to fuck me.’
That sounded like the best plan in the universe.
‘This is all after we win the Iron Cup.’
Hopefully. Maybe. They still needed to clinch a playoff spot first. With Gem being out the next two games, it would be harder. The older goalie for Boston wasn’t as skilled as Gem. Left his five hole open for the other team to score. They really needed Gem guarding the net.
‘Tomas told me about the two-game suspension. That sucks.’
It was kind of Gem’s fault though. Gem shouldn’t get away with bullshit like hiding such a severe injury. What if he’d gotten hit again and pierced a lung or something? Gem could have bled out on the ice in front of Luka.
‘Although if you were the sub in this relationship, I would beat you bloody for a stunt like that. It was stupid, man. Real fucking stupid.’
‘Stop messaging me.’
Holy shit! Gem was reading the messages. Luka wanted to throw his arms up and cheer. Instead, he ignored Gem’s order.
‘Do you believe me now?’ Please let Gem believe him. Luka didn’t really know what else to say. Or type, more accurately.
‘No. You’ve hacked into Ty’s account. You’ve read all our previous messages.’
‘I wouldn’t do that!’ What kind of asshole did Gem think he was. ‘Why would I do that?’
‘To get some sick pleasure from fucking with me?’ Gem sent.
‘No. It’s me and I’ll prove it to you.’ A brilliant plan hit him. Luka knew exactly how to show Gem who he was.
‘How?’
At least Gem was interested. That had to count for something. Luka hadn’t been to the Boston club since his recent move. Hadn’t had time. It had only been a few fucking days but they catered to all their members’ needs.
‘Meet me at the club tonight.’
‘No.’
‘If I wasn’t who I said I was, then I wouldn’t even be able to get into the club,’ Luka pointed out. ‘Just meet me there. Please.’
‘Why?’
‘So we can recreate our first night together. I want to prove to you that I am me. Just meet me tonight. Please.’
‘Maybe.’
Luka would take maybe. He’d fucking take maybe all goddamn day. ‘Ok. If you come, wear the suit and mask.’ Looking over again, this time Gem set the phone on the empty seat beside him.
As much as Luka wanted to push Gem for a better answer, he closed out of the messaging app. Once he was back in his apartment, he would start making plans for the night.
If everything went right, Luka hoped that this would be a new start for him and Gem. For Beelz and Ty.
If everything went right, Luka might just have the man of his dreams holding him.
If everything went right, Luka’s life might be changing for the better. Finally.
The lights flickered as the captain came onto the intercom, welcoming the team home and congratulating them on last night’s win.
Home.
Boston wasn’t home to him. Not like Seattle had been.
But maybe, just maybe, home wasn’t a place.
Being in the house with his parents had never been home.
Even returning as an adult, like he’d done over Christmas break, was a chore.
Something that was required of him, not something that Luka had wanted to do.
His siblings, his parents, stood together and against him. No one had ever had Luka’s back.
Gem would. His Dom. His sir. His partner would have his back. Luka had no doubt that even though every member of his family, including the females, was taller and bigger than Gem, that Gem would fight for him.
Luka would love to see that. His fierce and protective fruit bat shifter going up against the Kotov streak.
Streak was the word most commonly used for a family of tigers.
And the Kotov streak was well known in the shifter community.
His father made sure that every other streak was well aware of who his son was.
The only time that his father spoke highly of Luka and his accomplishments was when he was bragging to others. In private, Luka didn’t do anything right in his father’s eyes.
As the teammates around him began to prepare for landing and shifting in their seats, Luka sat up.
Gem already had his seat belt off like he couldn’t wait to get off the plane. Probably more accurately, Gem couldn’t wait to get away from him.
Would Gem show up at the club?
They landed smoothly and Luka was glad when the wheels touched the ground. He tried to catch Gem’s eye, but the goalie was one of the first off the plane. By the time Luka had collected his suitcase from the overhead bin and exited the plane, there was no sign of Gem.
He pulled up the app to order a car back to the apartment.
Luka still didn’t have his own vehicle or the boxes that were being sent to him. Hopefully at least the boxes had made it while he’d been away. The concierge promised Luka that if his boxes came in, they’d be placed inside his apartment.
Luka had brought what he could and that included what he would need to wear to the club later that night. He just needed to get home and put his plan in place.