Lena’s POV

“You did what?!”

Kyra jaw fell, nearly dropping the cocktail shaker as her brown eyes widened in disbelief.

I slumped against the bar where Kyra and I work after school, swirling the vodka in my glass before tipping it down in one gulp.

Although the burn from it made me wince, it wasn’t still strong enough to numb the ache in my chest. “I shoved him off, slapped him, then walked in on Adam screwing Casey Hart like he hadn’t just tried to ruin my life.”

Kyra gawked, then let out a low whistle as her eyes rolled. “Girl, that’s some next level shit. You could’ve walked away instead of assaulting him and pissing off your ice prince.”

I stared at Kyra, my best friend since middle, who was the complete opposite of me as she lived life without any rules.

I dragged the next shot of vodka closer to myself. “I couldn’t even think of not offending the pricks, just like I don’t think of stepping my feet in the rink again.”

Kyra slammed the shaker onto the bar with a dramatic bang, her hips cocked to the side. “So you are just gonna give it all up?” She demanded, leaning over the bar, her gold hoops swaying. “After all the years you’ve spent sweating on the ice, you want to throw it away for that asshole? Really?”

I looked away from her accusing eyes, staring at the rows of glowing bottles stacked behind her. “Maybe it’s high time I accept that the hockey world isn’t for girls like me, Kyra. You said it yourself, you said you hated the way my career depended on Adam.”

“Of course I said that, but you know I did because I hated how you followed Adam blindly and did things against your wish,” She said quietly.

“I know this is a little bit late, but I hate it for myself also that is why I am ending things before I get burned again.”

She rolled her eyes so hard at me that I thought they’d get stuck. “Lena, this is insane. You don’t get to throw away your future because of a detour.”

“What future exactly?” I snapped, slamming my glass down harder than I intended. “Adam is done with me. He said it himself. He’s cutting off my tuition, and Victor’s threat means no team will scout me.”

Kyra leaned back, smacking the bubble gum in her mouth noisily. “Maybe you should go back and please the old man’s length. One night could put the world at your feet. Most girls will kill for that.”

I recoiled, shaking my head violently as I wiped off the tears that flowed freely down my face. “That wouldn’t have been a problem if all that is involved is getting the world at my feet. But doing that would mean saving Adam, and I don’t want to lose myself to save him.”

“Fine,” she shrugged, “Then why don’t we get smarter about it?”

“How?”

“Forget about Victor or Adam. Find another big fish in the pond and trade one night for a better future.”

I scoffed. “You make it sound like these fishes you speak off are just laying around on the streets, waiting for me to bump into them.”

She smirked, her glossy red lips curving as she slid her hand into her pocket. “They don’t. That’s why you need this,” with a flourish, she laid a gleaming golden card on the counter and slid it to me.

Frowning, “What’s that?” I asked.

“It’s an invitation to the Hockey Board’s Fundraiser. Every important person will be there,” she replied, a smug smile rolling on her lips.

“How did you even get this?” I pressed.

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is this being your shot to get your shit together again.

I stared at the card that was now between my fingers for a while, my fingers brushing the edges carefully. “Kyra, I…I don’t think I can do this,” I sniffed, “I don’t want to go down this road of selling my body, my soul and everything till I can’t recognize myself no more just for…”

“Shh” she said through gritted teeth, placing her right index finger across my lips. “Think about it, Lena. Unless you are hell bent on wanting to throw away your career and dream of wanting to meet Cole Mathew,” Kyra added teasingly, with her face lighting up.

“Kyra?” I called, my head snapping up.

“Oh please, don’t try to play innocent,” she says resting her elbow on the counter. “I’ve seen your dairy little missy.”

“Shut up!” I hissed, burying my burning face in my hands.

“What?” She cackled, “should I quote the part where you wrote how his name and slap shot on TV makes you wet, and how you are willing to surrender to him willingly?”

I wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t as she wasn’t entirely wrong. My obsession with Cole was one of my dirtiest secrets, one that still sends shivers and hotness down my thighs at the thought of him.

“Room 306 is asking for a drink,” Tessa, one of the other girls on shift, with blonde hair that was chopped roughly like she did it herself said out loud, as she passed by.

“On it,” Kyra replied, grabbing a bottle. She placed it with a glass onto a tray, then pushed it to me. “Take this up for me, babe. And be careful.”

I sighed, wobbling as I got on my feet. The alcohol had done more damage than good by making my legs heavy and my steps unsteady, but I grabbed the tray anyways.

By the time I staggered to room 306, my head was already buzzing and my legs, threatening to give way. I didn’t bother knocking before shoving the door open.

Letting myself in, I froze when I turned on the room light absentmindedly and saw a man-fresh from the shower with water dripping down his sculpted body-standing in front of me.

A white towel clung low to his hips, his hardened length straining beneath it. My gaze dragged up from that bulge, to his abs that were sharply carved out, to the broad chest above them, then finally, my eyes landed on his face and I gasped.

“Cole Mathew?”

He ran his hand through his wet hair, his piercing eyes locking on me. “Anna?” He breathed and I did nothing but stare at him blankly like a moron.

“Anna?” He called again, dragging the name this time.

“N-no…I’m…I’m a waitress. Here’s your drink.” I stumbled forward, dropping the tray on the vanity table.

As I turned around to take my leave, he caught my hand and pulled me to himself, making my heart skip a beat as I gasped softly.

“Are you just going to walk away after months of being away?” he rasped with a voice thick with uncertainty.

My mouth went dry in an instant with sweat now breaking from my forehead. “I…I think there’s been a…”

“I waited,” he said, his grip on my hand tightening, “I waited at the altar, but you never showed up. God, I searched everywhere like a madman and still, I never stopped loving you.” He continued, cupping my face gently as he looked down at me like an angel that showed up the moment he lost all hope.

I tried taking a step back, but he took a step forward.

“Sir, you have the wrong person,” I chipped in a shaky voice.

Ignoring my words, he pressed his forehead to mine for a while before his arms wounded around me in a desperate but comforting manner like I was the only string holding him together.

Eventually, he pulled away from the hug and tucked his lips into mine, sucking the juice it housed in a way that made my lungs burn for air while allowing me to savor the alcoholic taste of his. By the time I was able to pull back from his grip, both of us were gasping, staring at each other with wild eyes.

“Fuck this!” I exclaimed breathlessly as I rushed him, locking lips furiously again for a short while before pulling back a little.

Returning the wild smile that was now plastered across his face, I slowly took off the tank top I had on, and slipped my flare skirt off my waist before knocking my shoes off allowing my drunkenness to take full control of me.

Slid carefully to my knees and cupped his crotch slowly, pressing it once softly like a stress ball before going on to lose the towel, watching as it fell freely to the ground. I took his little man that was now dangling flatly in between his legs and stroked it severally with my fingers before swallowing it.

He groaned deeply as I worked him with my mouth, pulling at my hair-the pain from it a pleasurable one-till he finally had an outburst of ecstasy and I pulled away, seeing that I had accomplished my mission of getting him as hard as a rock.

Slowly, like I was dancing to a music only I can hear, I got back up, pressing my body against his warm, bare skin that sent more shivers between my thighs.

Acting as though he was possessed, he flipped me and bent me over in a manner I least expected as I pictured him for the gentle type before going on with thrusting his full hard length into me, badly ramming me at a fast, rough, steady pace with my moans hitting a crescendo.

Holding the wall in front of me helplessly for support, I gave myself entirely to the pleasure I felt that I hadn’t gotten in a long while as Adam has been as good as dead on the bed for a while now.

As ecstasy consumed me, I wondered what would become of me once the alcohol wore off and reality hit once again.

With his touch searing me, I let myself get consumed somewhere between my own brokenness and his delusion before we fell back to the bed, exhausted.

As the morning light clawed into the room, a guttural scream tore through the quiet room, jolting me upright. We both yelled, terrified before he went on to ask, “Who are you and what the heck are you doing in my hotel room?”

Without a word, I grabbed my scattered clothes and bolted out as if hell was chasing me.