Not what I meant at all, but the least I could do was not hurt his feelings by telling him that I neededto get the fuck away from him. That I couldn’t be around him like this ever again.
He didn’t protest when I scrambled back into the passenger seat and began to feel around for my things. Everything was still in its place, and when I opened the door, I heard him do the same.
“I can walk you.”
I almost said no, but I also had no idea where the fuck I was, and I probably looked like a fucked-out mess, so calling someone to fetch me was out of the question.
“Just to the elevators,” I told him.
“Yes, okay.” No protest, no argument, no attempting to guilt me into more.
He just offered me his arm and kept his steps careful and practiced as he guided me to the front of the hotel and into the lobby. It was late, so it was quiet, something I appreciated because god forbid anyone see us together like this.
Vanya stopped in front of the elevators, and I heard the little tap as he pushed the button, and that’s when another wave of panic hit me.
“We just…in the parking lot,” I said.
He hummed. “Is big problem?”
“Cameras,” I gasped.
He laughed and lifted my hand by the wrist, pressing a fucking devastating kiss to my palm. “No, no. No problem. Alexio have his windows tinted too dark to see anything.”
“Are…are you sure?”
“Mm, yes. He get at least ten tickets every yearfrom police for windows too dark. Can’t see anything. He just pay them and never change it. You are safe.”
I was safe?
Yes, I wassafe. Because I was with him.
Before I could do something foolish like leap into his arms, kiss him until I was senseless, then invite him to my room for the night, the elevator doors dinged open.
I shoved my cane forward until the tip passed the entrance, and then I turned to him as I let go. “Um. Thank you.”
“Strange, pretty little goalie,” he said softly.
I had no idea what to do with that, so instead of asking him to explain himself, I walked into the elevator, found the button for the sixth floor, then let the door close between us.
It was over.
And it had to stay over.
This could never happen again.
CHAPTER THREE
VANYA
I tappeda drumbeat on the steering wheel, trying not to let my anxiety get to me. I wasn’t normally an anxious guy. Well…I suppose that wasn’t always true, but things were better here.
I liked being in Canada more than Boston, but Boston was close. And it was a good compromise. I loved my team, I loved the guys I’d met on the PPHL teams, and the people around me had started to feel like family.
Which was great because they also got along with my blood family. My stepmother flew back and forth all the time from her flat in London to stay at a rental in Boston she and my father loved, and most of my brothers were around.
And my sister was staying with me, though for the moment, she was in Las Vegas working on contracts for her new company selling…something. Beauty things?
I had no idea. She talked, and I pretended to listen, and as long as I hummed and nodded every couple of minutes, Katya was happy.
