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"I don’t plan on having anything to do with her," I murmur.
"Hmm." She turns to Knight. A look passes between them, then she bends and kisses his cheek. "Time I get Bianca to say goodbye to everyone."
"I’ll be right behind you, baby." He wraps his hand about the nape of her neck and pulls her back for a thorough kiss. By the time Penny straightens, she’s flushed and blushing, and her eyes are sparkling. With a giggle, she bends and puts her arm about Bianca’s shoulder. "Come along, honey. Let’s say our goodbyes to everyone."
"Do I have to say goodbye to Tiny?" The little girl pouts.
"You’ll see him again soon," I point out.
"Promise?" She holds out her palm.
"Promise." I place my much larger palm over hers and squeeze gently. She seems satisfied. Enough to pull her hand from mine, and with a last hug for Tiny, she allows her ma to lead her toward the others.
Knight turns to me. "Right, then, I do need to go as well. But first, I need to point out that hockey is your first love. Not a day went by in the army when you didn’t follow news of the sport from around the world. You’re the only man I know who tunes in regardless of who is playing."
"So?" I raise a shoulder.
"So, I don’t know of anyone else who lives and breathes the game as much as you. You’re perfect to take the team into the League."
The League is the European equivalent of the Cup in the U.S. Competition is fierce. The very fact that he thinks I… The man who hasn’t competed professionally in well over five years, stands a chance of playing, let alone leading the team to victory, shows how deluded this man is.
I open my mouth to tell him so, but he shakes his head. "You know that’s the only reason you were on the military’s ice hockey team."
"It was the best way of working out." I raise a shoulder.
"Bull-fucking-shit," Knight and Cade say at the same time.
I chuckle. "Fine, so it’s also because I did like playing on ice. That doesn’t mean I want to compete on a professional level again."
Knight scans my features. "Think about it. Think what you really want, mofo. After all these years of doing what is expected of you, do the thing you really want to do in here—" He slaps his palm into the space over my heart, and I hesitate.
"Where is this coming from?" I crack my neck. "And how do you know I’m not doing what I want right now?"
"You mean babysitting Hollywood stars—"
"It’s called being a bodyguard," I snap.
"And not that I don’t love our resident silver screen icons,"—He nods to where Solene, the biggest popstar since Taylor Swift and her fiancé Declan, the leading superstar of Hollywood, are currently sucking face in an armchair across the room—"but you have to admit, it doesn’t hold a candle up to the feeling you get when you mow down the opposition and you swing the puck home."
Images of the last time I was on ice at the final of the Cup, as the centerman of my team, controlling the pace of the game, impacting the offensive and defensive positions, helping the players on my team, winning face-offs, leading breakouts, throwing that final puck towards the goal… Then, walking off the ice and never looking back. What happened that day is something I don’t like to revisit. It’s the reason I’ve avoided the ice since. Am I ready to go back and face the ghost of what happened that day? I’m not sure, to be honest.
I open my mouth, but Knight claps my shoulder. "Don’t answer yet. Also, there’s one more thing you should know—" He breaks off to look over my shoulder. "Giorgina, you’re just in time."
Giorgina
"In time for what?" I strut over to them—because that’s the only way I can walk in these heels, which seemed to be a good idea when I spent half a month’s salary on them, but which I’m now wondering was a good idea, but I have them on, so might as well as make the most of them, right? "What are you gentleman conferring about?"
Cade flashes me a smile. "Heard so much about you from Abby, but we’ve never been formally introduced. I’m Cade."
"Giorgina." I hold out my hand. "You can call me—"
"—Giorgina," Rick snaps.
I shoot him a shocked glance. What’s wrong with the man? He’s more angry than usual.
"Gio, is it?" Cade’s grin widens. He reaches for my hand, but Rick snaps his fingers, and the Great Dane lumbers to his feet and steps between me and Cade.
"What the—?" I gape.
