Page 251 of Power Play

“I do!” Her voice cracked through the apartment. “I care, Ryan. They are my parents.”

“And I’m your man, mamacita. Figure out what the fuck you want.”

“I want you.”

“Then stop asking me to wait until everybody else gets comfortable with it.”

“I’m trying.”

“I know.” My voice dropped. “That’s why this fucking hurts.”

Charm stopped moving. I stared at her for a long moment before telling her the thing I had been waiting to share since I got home.

“I have a game the Saturday after Thanksgiving.”

Her brow furrowed. “I know.”

“You know I have a game. You don’t know what game.”

She went still.

“There are scouts coming.”

Her eyes widened. “Ryan.”

“Real scouts, Charm. People who can change my life and hand me everything I have fought to achieve.”

“That’s huge.”

“It’s a big fucking deal.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I wanted enough time to actually be here with you when I did.” A humorless laugh left me as I gestured around the apartment. “Then Easton blew shit up, Aura needed you, everybody needed something, and I kept thinking I would wait another day.”

My voice roughened. “I want everyone there.”

Charm kept her eyes on mine.

“Briggs, Rider, Cade, Bliss, Easton, and Aura if they get their fucking shit together.” I paused. “I want you there.”

Her lower lip trembled.

“I want you in the stands as my girl. My girlfriend. I want every person in that arena to know exactly who I’m looking for when I come off the ice.”

“Ryan—”

“I want us to tell people. I want to walk into that arena knowing everybody understands that I chose you and you chose me.”

“And now you think I won’t?”

“I’m fucking scared to ask.”

The confession silenced her.

I hated saying it, but I made myself finish. “I don’t know whether your father gets to decide if you’re still mine by Thanksgiving.”

“He doesn’t.”