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CHAPTER ONE
Aiden
Iscrunchthenoteleft by my roommate in my hand. With a firm arm thrust and a heavy grunt, I launch the ball of paper across the room.
Pick up his sister? His fucking sister?!
This is a new low, even by my standards. Forget the fact that I’m a senior player on the team. Forget being the leading right wing in the entire National Hockey League. My long, successful career means diddly-fucking-squat around here.
I’m officially the new team chauffeur. Not only for the players on the Vancouver Vikings, but apparently for their siblings, too.
Fuck.
My chest heaves beneath a heavy breath. I grab the keys left on the counter and make for the front door. Oh well. At least I’ll be riding in style. If there is one thing my roommate, Bailey Banner, knows how to do, it’s how to spend his money.
Me? I like to play it safe.
After all, that’s why I have a roommate. It cuts my costs in half. So what if I earn millions every year? If sponsors want to pay me squillions to endorse a product or wear their brand, I’m not going to knock them back. I’ve seen hockey stars come and go as quickly as they walk through the door. I know this career can be short, so squirrelling away every dime I can to set myself up for my future just makes sense.
The problem is, I don’t know what my future is. I’m thirty-four years old. I’ve barely held a girlfriend longer than the third period of a playoff game. It’s not through lack of trying – believe me. Ever since I was old enough to be interested in girls, I’ve dreamed of marrying my princess.
Yeah… go ahead. Laugh it up, go on. I’m used to it.
A big burly hockey player searching for love… It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve never been ashamed of who I am.
I trudge down the corridor and the elevator takes me to the garage at the base of the apartment building. I click the button and an abrupt beep echoes in the empty parking lot. Orange lights show me the way to a shiny, glossy SUV. The windows are tinted with such a dark shade that the red paint pops and shines even in the darkness of the underground parking lot.
With a shake of my head, I run a hand over the smooth, polished surface. “Bailey Banner, you really are an asshole.”
I slide in behind the wheel and the earthy scent of new leather fills my lungs. I adjust the seat and turn the key to start the engine. Vibrations rumble beneath me, and the smooth purr of the Range Rover fills the silence.
This is luxury. This is how life should be.One day.
Gripping the wheel, my eyes catch the clock and I know I’m going to need to shift the gears quick smart. Bailey’s sister will be arriving at the airport any minute now and despite never having met her, if she’s anything like her brother, she’s not one to be kept waiting.
The roads are busy, and it isn’t until I reach the freeway that I get the handle on the size of the SUV. Several cars have honked at me. I’m not sure if it’s my driving or the personalized plates drawing attention my way.
Eventually, I follow the airport signs and I’m pulling up outside the arrival’s terminal. I wait patiently, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. There are busy people dragging suitcases as they scream at their children to hurry up. Taxi’s whiz by, honking their horns right beside my window as they fail to give way to pedestrians at the crossing.
I unbuckle my belt and lean back in the seat, choosing to take this moment to lap up some luxury.
Just as my eyes start to close and my ass finds the perfect groove in the heated leather of the seat, the back door rips open and a suitcase is launched across the seat. The back door is slammed quickly, and I jolt upright in the seat.
My head collides with the roof just as the passenger’s door rips open and an ambush of floral smelling perfume engulfs the vehicle.
“Bailey, surely you could have upgraded me to first class.”
A blast of airport noise bursts from outside and I’m clutching at the painful throb now pulsing at the top of my head. Fuck. It hurts. But all I can hear is the sweetness in the woman’s voice as she slides in the seat beside me.
“You’re always going on about how much money-”
She swings her legs in and slams the door shut. When she turns, her voice cuts off as quickly as the drawl of airport ambience and her eyes snap to mine.
“You’re not Bailey.”
Her eyes are huge. Bright blue, like an ocean filled with sunshine and endless opportunity of fucking forever.
“No. I’m not.”
