Saving Forever (Pucks & Penalties #3)

Prologue

Viktor

Three Weeks Ago

Weddings are not my favorite.

In fact, after being left at the altar last summer, this is the last place I want to be.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I really like the two people getting married and one of them happens to be my roommate.

Not to mention, the wedding is at the home we live in, so unless I want to disappear for a day, and hurt my friends’ feelings in the process, I have no choice.

Luckily, West and Serena planned something elegant but casual, expensive while also low-key.

The backyard is filled with people and music and laughter, as well as good food, unlimited drinks, and a place to dance.

I know most of the people here, so it’s not uncomfortable for me, but as a native Russian, I struggle with the English language. Even after a decade in North America.

West and Serena are dancing now, bodies close, whispering to each other, and for some reason, I force myself to look away.

Love is an emotion that makes me uncomfortable.

I don’t think I’ve ever been in love. Not really.

Sure, I had girlfriends while I was in school but that was teenage romance and all I cared about as a teen was hockey.

As an adult, I can’t think of anyone I’ve ever gotten that close to. Not even the woman I almost married.

If I’m honest, she did me a favor by not showing up for the wedding. Even though it was humiliating to be standing there in front of my extended family and for her to simply not show up.

My mother manipulated the whole thing, a modern-day arranged marriage because I’m apparently too busy and too shy to find a woman myself.

That’s what she likes to think. In reality, I have no trouble finding women to spend time with.

It’s the emotional connection where I struggle.

I’m only twenty-seven, so I don’t understand what the rush is, but I suspect my mother is doing everything in her power to guarantee I’ll move home to Russia when I retire from hockey.

And I will never put myself in a situation where I’m embarrassed like that ever again. Even if it means hurting my mother’s feelings. She’ll get over it—the memories of my humiliation will probably be with me forever.

I walk back inside the house to find an empty bathroom and just as I get up the stairs, I hear a soft, panicked voice.

“…please. I’m sorry… I just need a few more days… I’ll have the money by Friday, okay? Yes, you have my word.” I freeze in the hallway, watching Serena’s friend Holly stuff the phone in her purse and then press her forehead to the wall. Like it’s the only thing holding her up.

Her shoulders begin to shake a little, and I realize—oh fuck.

She’s crying.

Whomever she was on the phone with must have really upset her.

And as much as people tell me I’m stoic and introverted, my one weakness is seeing a woman cry. Especially a beautiful one. I’ve always been a sucker for that.

“Holly?” I take a couple of steps toward her but stop when her head snaps up and she quickly dabs at her eyes with the tissue that’s clutched in her hand. “You are…okay?”

“No.” She manages a soft, watery smile.

“I can help?”

“Not unless you have a quarter of a million dollars lying around you can lend me.”

“Quarter million…” I frown. “You are in trouble?”

“You could say that.” She closes her eyes and pulls in a shaky breath. “A lot of trouble. And I’m going to have to do the one thing I never wanted to do.”

I cock my head, waiting.

“I’m going to have to admit everything to my father.

” She’s not really looking at me, instead, staring at some imaginary point in the distance.

“I’ll have to tell him about the money Nathan stole.

My entire trust fund.” Her face tightens.

“About the money I’m bleeding to keep the bird sanctuary running. And then the loan shark I visited.”

My thoughts are spinning. Partly because of the language barrier but also because of the words I do understand.

Stolen money.

Trust fund.

Loan shark?

Put together, those things aren’t good.

“You borrow money from shark?” I ask.

She laughs but there’s no humor in it and her eyes reflect something akin to terror. “Oh, yeah. I fucked up royally.”

“And Friday?” I ask carefully.

“On Friday, I have to pay back the money or…”

“Or?”

“I don’t know,” she whispers, letting her chin hit her chest. “I think they…hurt people who don’t pay them back.”

I’ve met Holly three or four times over the last couple of weeks, during the wedding planning, so this shouldn’t involve me. It’s none of my business. Not my circus, not my monkey, as my roommates would say.

But staring into her pretty face and tear-filled eyes, I can’t bring myself to just walk away. She looks genuinely afraid, and what kind of man would I be if I didn’t at least try to help an acquaintance?.?

“Maybe Serena and West—” I start to say but she shakes her head.

“I’m already living in Serena’s old apartment for free. I can’t ask for money too.”

And as I’m standing there, staring at her worriedly, an idea starts to take root. I can’t explain where it came from, but the second it hits me, I realize it’s a solution for both of us. It’s crazy but it might work.

If she’s on board.

If she’s willing to hear me out.

“I have…idea,” I say carefully.

“I’m open to just about anything,” she says, staring at me.

“Keep the open mind, yes?”

She nods. “I don’t have a choice.”

“I have problem also. My mother…” I think about how to explain. “Is complicated. My mother arranges marriage for me. I don’t want this.” I pause again, trying to articulate as best I can with my broken English. “If I already have wife, she cannot arrange anything.”

Holly blinks. “I don’t think I understand.”

“We get married,” I suggest slowly. “And I give you one million dollars.”

Her brows knit together. “A million…dollars? To marry you. What are you talking about?” She looks more confused than anything else.

“Two million,” I say impulsively, almost desperate to convince her that I haven’t completely lost my mind. “One million now, so you can pay shark, and another million in one year, when we divorce.”

Her mouth falls open and then she snaps it shut. “You’re fucking with me, right?”

I shake my head. “No. My mother…” I put a hand on the wall and look at her. “We can talk downstairs? My friend Kelly, she can translate because my English is not so good.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Very serious. Come. Kelly will explain. After, you can decide.” I motion with my arm for her to walk ahead of me.

She hesitates again but then makes her way to the stairs with me behind her.

I see Kelly standing by the bar, laughing with Derek Quinn, one of my team’s assistant coaches. They seem to be chatting like old friends, which is nice, because though she won’t admit it, I think she’s lonely.

“Kelly.” I hate interrupting but this is important. “I need you to translate, please.” I nod at Coach Quinn apologetically.

He nods back and smiles. “I’ll see you later, Kelly.”

He goes off in the other direction, and Kelly turns to me. “What’s up?”

I explain what I just proposed to Holly in Russian and Kelly just stares at me.

“Viktor, this is absolutely ludicrous!” She looks at me like I’m nuts.

“It’s not,” I say patiently.

Kelly is a good friend. Technically old enough to be my mother but more like a big sister.

We bonded because she’s the only person I know here in Atlanta who speaks Russian and she’s been helping me improve my English.

Her friendship is important to me, and I know she means well, but nothing is going to change my mind.

“Kelly.” I try to remain patient. “I know it’s unconventional, but this is important. I can’t have this hanging over my head all the time. Worrying about the next bride my mother is going to show up with. I have to focus on hockey, and it’s become a distraction.”

“Can’t you just talk to her?” she demands.

I chuckle. “Obviously, you have not met my mother. And the answer is no. I’ve talked nonstop since the wedding disaster, and she won’t budge. She thinks the best course of action is for me to just find another woman—that she chooses.”

“Well, that’s what you’re doing, isn’t it?”

“Is not the same,” I say quietly. “This is a business arrangement. We get married and then there’s nothing for my mother to do but accept it.”

“You’re paying someone to marry you.” The disapproval in her eyes is unmistakable and I sigh.

“I don’t want to argue,” I say finally. “Holly is on her way over and we’re going to discuss the logistics. Please be nice.”

Her lips flatten into a thin line of displeasure.

“I already have a mother I disappoint regularly,” I say quietly. “I don’t need another person in my life that falls into that category.”

Her expression softens and she just shakes her head. “You’re such a great guy—why would you do this to yourself? You’re giving her two million dollars! That’s a life-changing amount of money.”

“So is losing a year of your life pretending to be in love with a man you don’t have feelings for. No dating, no sex, no nothing.”

That’s something to think about another day. Right now, I have to talk Holly into doing something mutually beneficial, no matter how unconventional it may seem from the outside looking in.

“Hey.” Holly joins us looking serious, but the fear has now been replaced with what I sense is determination.

“Hello, Holly.” Kelly’s greeting isn’t exactly warm but it’s not icy either. I guess I should be grateful.

“Kelly will explain my idea with the details,” I say quietly, looking to Kelly. She gives me a look that tells me she’s not happy but will do as I ask anyway.

“I’m not sure I understand,” Holly admits. “You want to give me money to marry you?”

Kelly starts talking, and though I understand most of what she says, I’m glad it’s her talking and not me because I would stumble over some of it. And with each passing moment I can see the changes in Holly.

First, it’s disbelief.

Then suspicion.

Once she realizes I’m serious about the two million dollars, it changes to curiosity.

And finally, acceptance.

She’s going to say yes.

Holy fucking shit.

We’re going to get married.