“Maybe he’s heard how seriously you’ve been training, and he’s worried about blowback from the fans if Vegas trades you?”
“Hm.” I stroked my chin. “You know, I could see that. It’d make a lot of sense, actually.”
Her brows knitted together with worry. “Can I just come out and say it? The thing I’m worried about most?”
“Of course, babe,” I assured her.
She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m worried this is Dad’s master plan to break us up. He needs cover to trade you. And he wants to trade you so we can’t see each other anymore.”
“If that’s his plan, he needs a new one. ’Cause this one won’t work,” I said defiantly. “They can trade me to Montreal if they want. It won’t stop me from wanting to be with you.”
“Really?” she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “Even though we might hardly ever see each other?”
I stared into her eyes with unwavering dedication. “Really, Ottavia. Distance won’t change how I feel about you. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but we’ll find a way to make it work.”
A playful smile danced on her lips. “You won’t be tempted by all those cute girls in Montreal with the sexy French accents?”
I chuckled and shook my head firmly. “Not a chance. I said I won’t ever break your trust, Ottavia, and I meant it.”
Seeking reassurance, she looked into my eyes. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I took her hand and squeezed it in mine. “I don’t care about distance or distractions. I wantyouin my life. No one else.”
The weight of her worries lifted from her brow, her face lighting up with a radiant smile.
“Okay,” she said, her voice filled with newfound hope.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” I whispered, cradling her face in my hands. “I love to see you smile.”
“Then kiss me,” she whispered back.
I pulled her closer, and our lips met in a tender, lingering kiss, sealing our unbreakable bond.
Every second with Ottavia felt precious—especially these last few days—and I wished time could stand still when we were together. But as much as I wanted to stay with her, hockey awaited, and the alarm on my phone began to wail.
“I gotta go,” I reluctantly said, my fingers gently tracing her cheek.
“I know,” she said, her eyes understanding. “Good luck, Dakota. You’ve worked so hard for this. Go and show them what you’re made of.”
“Thank you.” I pressed my lips to her forehead, savoring the warmth of her presence once more. “That means a lot to me.”
I stood and grabbed my things, but before I headed out the door, I had one last kiss for my girl. “I’ll be back before you know it,” I said.
“I’ll be waiting.”
26
Pawn
Ottavia
Aheavy silence hung in the air. I’d felt so much better when Dakota was here to reassure me that everything was fine—but the moment he left, all my doubts quickly bubbled up to the surface. I sat at the center island and stared into the distance, a mix of conflicting emotions swirling inside me.
I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that pieces were being moved on the chessboard. Besides Dakota, I had one other ally in this situation; someone I needed to coordinate with to figure out our response.
With a deep breath, I reached for my phone and sent a text to Leo.
“Have you seen this??” I asked, linking him to the article.
