War (Boston Bolts Hockey #3)

37. Tyler

THIRTY-SEVEN

TYLER

Tension vibrates between us as we travel down the highway. I’ve given my wife space for the last few days. I needed it too, while I came to terms with all the emotions overwhelming me. The last thing I want to do is scare her away with more truths I’m not sure she’s ready to hear. But tonight, when she walked down the steps in that gold dress, her red hair cascading in waves over her bare shoulders, I ate up every inch of her. From her delicate collarbones to where her dress cuts dangerously low between her breasts. I’ve never seen Ava dressed so provocatively. The tiny glimpse of her cleavage makes my mouth water, because I know precisely what she’s hiding from everyone else. The pieces of her that I want only for myself. The pieces I think may already be mine.

More than that, though, I want the organ that beats beneath that spot. I want her heart so goddamn much it makes it hard to breathe for fear of fucking it all up. Because I always fuck it up. It’s what she’s expecting. It’s what everyone expects.

For once I want to prove the world wrong. I want to sweep the girl off her feet, carry her into our house where our children sleep at night, and make love to her for the rest of my life.

If that’s where my story ended, it would be far more than I deserve.

“I have a present for you,” she says, interrupting my thoughts.

I’ve got her hand in mine, and I’ve been rolling my thumb back and forth over her smooth skin.

“Oh yeah?”

She pulls away, and I begrudgingly let her. When she pulls a small black object from her clutch, I frown, confused.

“Is this a remote?”

She licks her lips, and her lashes flutter, drawing my attention to shy green eyes swimming with nervousness. “Yes.”

Realization hits like a defenseman barreling straight into me. “Is this the remote I gave you the other day?”

With her teeth pressed into her bottom lip, she nods.

“Regifting the present I purchased for you?” I chuckle. “Where did you put the object that came with this remote?”

Fingers trembling, she grasps the hem of her dress and slowly slides it up her legs.

I snap my head up and confirm the driver isn’t watching through the rearview mirror. Fuck. It takes everything in me to cover her hand with mine and stop her movements. “Did you put it in here?” I ask, grazing a hand over her lower belly.

“Maybe.” The word is a teasing rasp that only has me growing harder.

I lean close so that my lips are at her ear. “You’re telling me the toy I bought for you is sitting inside your cunt right now?”

“Turn it on and find out.” She turns her head, her nose grazing mine. Our breaths mingle and we watch one another for a long moment. The tension thickens between us while I imagine the way her lips will part the moment I hit this button. The ways I can play with her.

“You’re going to let me use this on you all night?”

Her eyes dance. “You said you control my orgasms. So control them.”

“The contract was fake.” My words are soft, serious. “You control everything. No one owns you, no one makes choices for you, not even me.”

Ava’s lashes flutter shut, and she exhales as if she really needed to hear those words. I’d write her a sonnet about the subject if I thought I could ever get it right. “Fine. Please, husband. Make me come.”

There isn’t a scenario in which I would deny my wife after that request. There also isn’t a world where I’d let another man hear her when she does. “Can we get some music, Tom?”

Nodding, he clicks the radio on quickly. A second later, Ava jolts and lets out a groan.

“Look at my beautiful wife,” I say, lifting my thumb off the button. “The perfect woman who’s about to run a charity event while her cum drips down her thighs.”

She sucks in a surprised breath and drops her head back.

Wrapping my hand around her neck, I tug her until her lips meet mine, then I devour her, likely ruining her perfect makeup and mussing her styled hair.

Once I’ve pulled back, I bring my mouth to her ear and talk her through what I want to do to her. “You know how hot this is, Vicious? Knowing I’ll be edging you all night? While you talk to donors and my teammates, I’ll be playing between those thighs. Enjoy it while you can, talking to other men while I make you come, because this is the only time I’ll share your pleasure. After, when I take you home, you’re going to ride my face. I’m going to suck on that clit and lap up each drop until you drip down my chin. And then we’re going to do it again.”

With one hand gripped tight around my forearm, Ava gasps. I take the opportunity to suck her tongue into my mouth, and as she comes in waves, I swallow all her sounds.

“Holy fuck,” she pants, surprise dusting her cheeks pink.

Holy fuck is right. That was one of the most satisfying orgasms of my life, and it wasn’t even mine.

“Have you heard the rumor?”

Hall made a beeline for me the moment we walked in the door. My wife, sensing that he needed me, excused herself.

I’m irritated with my friend as Ava walks away, but when I slide my hands into my pockets, finding the small remote, my mood lifts. I hit the button once and watch as she stumbles a little. She turns back and glares at me, and I can’t help but chuckle. Fuck, I love when my vicious wife makes an appearance. She takes a deep, steadying breath and smooths the front of her dress, and when Beckett Langfield and his wife, Liv, wander up to her, she pastes on a smile. Back to being perfect. With a roll of my eyes, I finally give Hall my attention.

“You are so fucking gone for her,” he mutters as he nods toward the bar.

Smirking, I follow him. “That’s the rumor you heard?”

Hall lets out a sardonic laugh. “No. I have more important things to worry about than your marriage.”

Brows raised, I simply shrug. “I don’t. So if you’ll excuse me—” I spin on my heel, ready to track down my wife.

Before I can make it more than a step, he grabs my jacket and pulls me back.

When I look at him, really look at him, I notice the stress etched into his features. “What’s going on?”

“Have you heard anything about the trade deadline?” Chin lifted, he surveys the ballroom. This event is being held on the top floor of the Langfield Corp building. There are floor-to-ceiling windows in every direction, and the view of Boston from up here is incredible. The arena and Lang Field sit opposite one another, blue monsters against a starry backdrop along with the bridge lit up over the ocean.

Rather than taking in the scenery like I am, Daniel keeps scanning the people in the room, probably looking for Gavin Langfield, the Bolts’ owner and head coach.

“No. Should I have?” I wave the bartender over and order a bourbon to share with my wife.

“I heard rumblings that the front office is bringing Noah Harrison on, and since?—”

“Shit, really?” A bolt of excitement works its way through me. Noah played with Brooks and me in college, and then the two of us played together again in Minnesota. “But he’s a winger.”

That’s why Hall is freaking out. Noah Harrison has had a great career, and like me, he’ll earn a big paycheck no matter where he goes next. Wherever that turns out to be, he’ll likely play there until he retires. There’s no way he’ll go to any team that won’t play him with their star center. Yes, both the first and second line are considered the best of the best on the team. We get equal playing time, ninety seconds on and ninety seconds off the ice, but if Gavin is seriously considering bringing Noah Harrison on, he’d play him with Aiden, the star center. Which means one winger would be dropped to second line. Either Hall or me.

Having had a long, successful career myself, and being captain, I can’t imagine Gavin would move me. If Noah is coming to Boston, then Daniel is either being traded or being shifted to play with Camden Snow and Andrew Keegan.

I give Hall’s arm a squeeze. He’s young, but he’s an excellent player. He’s got a really promising career ahead of him. Gavin fought to get him here in the first place, so there’s got to be a piece of this puzzle we’re missing. Being not only the coach but the owner, Gavin has a vested interest in this team’s future.

“I’m sure it’s just a rumor. This is what happens every January. The commentators just like to hear themselves talk.”

He ducks his head and clears his throat. “It wasn’t them. A guy I played with in college is in Minnesota. He told me Harrison is in talks with the Bolts.”

My stomach sinks. Shit. That’s a bit more serious. Still, I school my expression. “I haven’t heard anything, and don’t you think if Gavin was considering bringing on one of my old teammates, he’d mention it to me? I can’t imagine he wouldn’t want my opinion, since I know the guy so well. Not to mention my position as captain.”

That may not be true, and it’s possible he already got the background info he needed from Brooks. Sometimes I wonder if I’m captain by default. He couldn’t choose Aiden or Brooks, nepotism and all that, but Gavin has known me since I was a kid, so we still have a relationship outside this arena, which means I respect him enough to want to impress him.

“Will you let me know if you hear anything?” Worry creases Hall’s brow.

“Of course.” When the bartender sets my drink in front of me, I bring it to my lips and turn so I can search the crowd for my wife. “You bring a date tonight?”

He sputters. “And give some girl the impression that I have any interest in a relationship? Yeah, no.”

I eye him over the rim of my glass as I take a sip. “One day,” I say, savoring the burn of the bourbon, “you’ll be looking forward to nights like this so you can impress her.”

Hall chokes on a bark of laughter. “Who?”

“The love of your life,” I say as I finally find Ava.

“Spoken like a man in love,” he hums.

I take a sip of my drink and grin. Maybe I am. But when I zero in on my wife again and spot my stepbrother kissing her cheek, my smile slips and my heart lurches right out of my chest.

What the fuck?