ZANDERS “W e need to get you some new Forces.” I open my apartment door to let Stevie in first, but Rosie finds her way in before either of us can. “No, we don’t.” “Vee, they’re supposed to be white. Yours are... not.” She kicks them off with a bit of an attitude, leaving them at my front door before strutting towards the living room. “You’re too pretty for your own good. You know that?” I chase after her, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. “You love me.” She giggles in my grasp. “Yeah,” she sighs. “I do.” The parade was fun and all, but I’ve been waiting to get her back home all day. My place has a different energy when she’s here. It’s brighter, more fun. It’s a home when she’s inside, and I truly don’t plan on ever being without her again. I just don’t know what that will look like. I don’t know where I’m playing next year. I don’t know if Stevie signed on a place in Seattle. Everything is still up in the air, but the most important thing is that I got my girl back, and we can figure out the rest together. “Vee, we should probably talk about what’s next.” “Later.” She walks backwards into the living room while peeling the flannel off her shoulders, dropping it to the ground. From across the room, my eyes go wide, my mouth falling open. I’ve only been able to fantasize about the memory of her over the last few weeks, but now, here in my apartment, I have the real thing once again. My eyes quickly dart to my windows, ensuring the curtains are closed before my stare immediately falls back to my girl. Stevie unbuttons her jeans, all the while her blue-greens are locked on me. “Rosie!” I call out to my room, where she’s probably passed out on her dog bed, exhausted from an exciting day. “Stay in there. Your mom is about to make your dad real happy.” Stevie silently laughs as she pushes the denim over her hips and ass. My lingering gaze slowly works its way up her thick thighs, over the soft skin of her belly, and to her tits that I’m all too obsessed with, hidden behind a tank top that’s so tight it may as well have been painted on. I can feel my eyes hooding over as I take slow, leisurely st eps towards her, my hands out in front of me, ready to touch and love on the body I’ve missed far too much over the last few weeks. But as soon as I reach her, she takes a st ep back, maintaining a distance
from me. She wears a sly smile on her lips, her eyes shining with amusement as she shakes her head to tell me no. “Stevie,” I draw out. “I haven’t touched you in weeks.” She lifts a single brow. “I know.” “I need to touch you.” She shakes her head in silence before peeling the tank top off, leaving her in only a pair of light blue panties and a matching bra. They’re doing all sorts of things to my imagination, the color playing perfectly off her bronze skin and ocean eyes. That’s when it hits me. “Is this my punishment?” She pops a shoulder. “Just want to make sure you’ve learned your lesson because you’re never breaking up with me again.” Her smile is sinister and wicked, lifted on one side. “Oh, sweetheart.” I take a st ep forward, but she mirrors it, retreating. “I’ve learned my lesson. Trust me. I’m never making that mistake again.” “I just want to make sure it really sinks in, you know?” Finally, she moves towards me, hands on my hipbones, walking me backward. Looking down, I’m mesmerized by the slit in her cleavage, the way her tits bounce with each st ep, and I want nothing more than to touch every inch of her body. I need it in my hands, in my mouth. The back of my legs hit the couch as she pushes me to sit down. “No touching allowed. You can watch.” Fuck me. She ke eps her eyes locked on mine as she reaches behind her and unclasps her bra, letting it fall to the floor. “Okay, confidence,” I encourage. She lightly laughs before her ring-covered fingers graze over her tits, pinching her nipples and forming them into little brown peaks. “Fuck, Vee,” I murmur in a daze. “Goddamn perfection.” I relax back into the couch, stretching out like a king on his throne. She sways her hips slightly as she stands in front of me, giving me a show, her hands trailing down her soft skin and hooking into the waistband of her underwear. I swallow, internally begging for her to pull them off, needing to see her pretty brown pussy I haven’t been able to taste in far too long. She plays with the fabric but ke eps them in place. “Don’t tease me. Take them off.”
She does as I say, slowly shimmying them down her thighs until they pool around her ankles. My naked girl stands there in all her glory, endlessly more confident than the first time I saw her bare, and I love that for her. Judging by the erection I’m sporting, I love it for me too. The slit between her legs is already glistening with her arousal, making my cock painfully stretch against my zipper. I give it a quick adjustment to try to reduce the ache. She slowly shakes her head. “No touching.” “Stevie,” I whine. “You can’t stand there looking like that and not let me touch anything. You’re torturing me.” “That’s the point. But if you follow the rules, then I’ll give you what you want.” She stalks towards me. “Eventually.” I resign, sinking back to the couch behind me, my arms out wide, resting on the top of the sofa, hoping it’ll ke ep my hands from finding her. “It’s a good thing I love you.” Her smile is soft. “Yeah. Good thing.” She climbs onto the couch, legs straddling mine, but she stays up on her knees, not touching me or providing the much-needed friction my dick is begging for. Her hands roam her body, feeling every bit that I’m desperate to touch. Her fingers trail her stomach, inching south, as I follow their path in a trance. Her other hand cups her tit, playing with it, rolling her nipple, but I’m too focused on the one moving down towards her clit. Her middle finger grazes it, pulling a soft whimper from my girl’s throat. “Jesus Christ,” I breathe out, mesmerized. She rubs against herself, her body rocking on her fingers. “Fuck, Vee. Does that feel good?” “Mm-hmm.” She bites down on her lip, eyes watching me. “So good.” “Look at you. Fucking unreal, Stevie girl.” I don’t think I’ve ever been so turned on in my life as my hips begin in voluntarily rocking, begging for the friction she’s denying me. Fully clothed, I sit on my couch as the girl I’m in love with straddles me, touching herself for only me to see. Other than this being absolute torture, I don’t know how the hell I got so lucky that this is my life. She rubs slow leisurely circles through her wet folds, her pussy hovering inches over me. Her eyes get all innocent and soft. “Tell me what you want to see.” Good God. My head falls back as I scrub a hand across my jaw in disbelief before taking a de ep breath and focusing on her once again. “Slip a finger inside. Let me see you make yourself feel good.”
She removes her hand from her clit and instead holds her glistening fingers in front of my mouth, asking for more lubrication. I take them between my lips, sucking off her arousal, twirling my tongue around them, and coating her fingers with me instead. Stevie pulls them from me, rubbing them against herself once more before her middle finger disappears. She falls forward with a moan, ke eping herself up with one arm on the back of the couch, her tits right in front of my face, begging for me to take them in my mouth. This little show is going to kill me. Sitting up on her knees, she continues to fuck her hand. Her curly hair has fallen in front of her face. I need to push it out of the way to see her, but I also really want my reward for following her rules. Her movements are mesmerizing, one glistening finger moving in and out at a torturous pace. “Add another finger for me, Vee.” She drops her head back, exposing her face. Her freckled cheeks are flushed, her pretty eyes hooded, but her lips lift in a mischievous smile as another finger disappears inside of her. “Such a good girl,” I breathe. “So good at listening.” She slowly pumps her fingers. “Move them faster for me.” She picks up the pace, her fingers bringing her to the edge as her palm pushes against her clit. “It feels so good,” she whimpers. She’s fucking perfection. I need to touch her or myself, something to ease the ache of my dick being overly confined. I want to join her, and this is pure torture. If I hadn’t already learned my lesson, her fucking herself and not letting me join in would make it sink in. My hands clench into fists, trying to restrain myself, needing her to give in soon. She writhes against her own touch, her body quivering, having a hard time holding itself up. “God, you’re fucking gorgeous. Make yourself come, baby.” She continues her movements, rolling on her fingers, soft little moans and cries flowing freely from her lips. “Let me see you come, Vee.” “Zee?” I have to swallow, trying to control myself from hearing her call my name while she looks like this. I lick my lips, watching her in a daze. “Mmhmm?” “Will you help me finish?”
Fucking hell. She doesn’t have to ask me twice. My hands are around her with no time wasted, squeezing her ass. I stand, picking her up before turning around and tossing her back on the couch. Falling to my knees, I spread her legs wide, throwing them over my shoulders before my warm tongue is flat against her core. “Oh my God,” she cries, head falling back. I didn’t know I earned a new nickname, but she can call me that anytime she wants. I tease her swollen nerves, flicking my tongue at a torturous pace, but unlike her, I’m going to let her come because, selfishly, it’s one of my favorite things to watch. Looking up, I ke ep my eyes on her rapidly rising chest, her contracting stomach, her flushed and freckled cheeks. I continue to lick, suck, and kiss, finally having a taste of the girl I’ve been missing for far too long. I slyly undo my belt and zipper while my tongue continues to work her up. Grabbing my cock out, I give it a few needed tugs. The relief is almost too much, just having it out of its restriction, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting myself come before I’m buried de ep inside of her. “Zee, I’m so close,” she whines, her entire body tightening. I grab the back of her knees, pushing them up as I continue to fuck her with my mouth, making her come all over my tongue and letting her ride it out against me. Her chest heaves, and a content smile slides across her lips. Pure euphoria takes over her freckled face, and I don’t know if I’ve seen anything hotter in my life than that little performance. My naked girl lays limp, sprawled out over my expensive-ass couches. I stand up, looking down at her, while I’m still entirely clothed, minus my dick in my hand. Her hazy eyes fall right to it. “Quite the little show you put on, sweetheart.” She bites her lip, nodding. “You know you’re going to have to pay for that, right?” She doesn’t respond but ke eps her focus on my cock as it moves in and out of my fist. “Is this what my girl wants?” I nod towards my crotch. “It’s all yours, Vee.” Dropping to her knees in front of me, she swiftly yanks my pants down my legs. I take a fistful of her hair, tilting her head to look at me. “Are you going to show me how well you suck it?” She innocently nods as she takes my cock in her mouth, swirling her tongue around the tip before pushing me so de ep she chokes a bit. “Just like that. That’s my girl.” Gathering her curls in my hand, I in voluntarily thrust into her. “I fucking love you,” I blurt out, barely having enough breath to speak. My head falls back, eyes closed as I concentrate on not coming in two seconds flat. “Oh my God, I love you.”
Stevie bobs her head, taking almost all of me in her warm mouth as I stroke her cheek. “My talented girl.” I continue to encourage, but when she sucks her cheeks in, running her lips down my length, I have to pull out of her, so I don’t finish too soon. My chest heaves, needing oxygen as I stay bent over, fisting her curly hair, and trying to regain my composure. But eventually, I straighten, slipping my shirt over my head, making myself as bare as she is. “Get on the couch and open your legs. I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk.” An excited smile takes over her face as she backs up on the sofa, shifting her body, so I have space to climb on too. I nudge her legs open with my knee, fist my cock, and center myself, but then I look down and see her. And just like that, I’m under her spell as I always am. My voice is soft, almost gentle. “I love you, Stevie.” She giggles, lying naked on her back. “You just went from ‘daddy’ to ‘baby’ real quick.” My brows jump. “Call me ‘daddy’ again.” She playfully rolls her eyes, swatting me in the chest. I fall on top of her, smiling into her neck and letting her hold me for a moment. She softly rubs the length of my back. “I love you so much,” she whispers. “Can you tell me that again?” “I love you, and I’ll remind you as often as you need.” Stroking the side of her face, I move her hair out of the way so I can see her a bit better. “I missed you so much, Stevie, and I’m sorry.” Shaking her head, she brushes me off. “Look at all the good things that came out of it.” She pauses, letting her words sink in. “But don’t ever pull that shit again.” Our mutual smiles shift the tone once more. “Never.” My mouth find hers, soft and gentle as I line myself up and slowly push into her. Our lips gape against each other as we hold eye contact, but fuck, she feels amazing. I’ve taken care of myself to the memory of her far too many times over the last few weeks, but nothing compares to this. I ke ep my strides slow and consistent in tempo, both of us moving together until I lean up on my elbows, getting better leverage to pick up my pace and force. I circle my hand around the base of her throat as the chain hangs off my neck, dangling over her, but she doesn’t seem to mind, completely lost in the moment. I pound into her, almost punishing, but I can’t get over how beautiful she looks beneath me, her tits bouncing with every intentional thrust. Her curls are sprawled beneath her, soft golden strands p eppered throughout the chestnut waves. Her lashes flutter, but when her blue-green eyes connect with mine, I almost lose it.
I’m not going to last long if I stay in control. Ke eping my dick inside of her, I slide my arms under her back, lifting her curvy body as I take a seat on the couch. Her soft thighs straddle mine, her tits right in my face. “Ride me, sweetheart. Show me what you can do.” She rolls her hips on me as I lean back on the couch, hands folded behind my head. “Holy fuck,” I breathe out, closing my eyes and feeling it all as she bounces on my dick. “How are you so good at this?” She continues her movements, grinding and rolling. I lean forward, taking one of her pretty brown nipples in my mouth and filling both hands with her ass as I begin bouncing her quicker. I’m getting close, and I know she is too. Her arms wrap around my shoulders as she hides in my neck, leaving her body at my disposal. “You feel so good,” she cries, hidden away as she begins to quiver and shake. “Ke ep going, Vee, you’re doing so good. Use me. Don’t stop. I need you to come all over me.” She doesn’t stop. She continues her movements until finally, she falls apart as her orgasm rips through her, leaving her with absolutely no control of her body. I pull her mouth to mine as I hold her hips tight, thrusting upward into her a few more times, her pussy clenching around me. I come undone right along with her as we ride our highs together. “I love you,” she reminds me between heavy breaths, her arms wrapped around my neck, lips ghosting mine. A smile slides across my face. I’ve never had someone say that to me in this way, but I’ve also never wanted anyone to. But with Stevie, I wouldn’t mind hearing it every day for the rest of my life. I cup the back of her head, holding her to me. “I love you, too.” We stay in silence for a few moments as we mutually come down from our highs, and I can’t hold back any longer when l blurt out, “Did you sign on an apartment in Seattle?” “Zee,” she laughs. “You’re still inside of me.” “I know, but today is my first day of the off-season, and I can finally talk to teams, so if you’re going to be in Seattle, I need to make some calls and see what I can do.” She lifts off my dick slowly, adjusting, so she’s sitting across my lap as I hold her. “I didn’t sign on an apartment, but I do have a job lined up, ready for me.” “Is that where you want to be?” She slowly strokes the side of my face. “I want to be wherever you are. I can get a job anywhere. Even if it’s not one I like all that much. What’s most important is that you get on a team.” “I want you to do something you like, though.”
She pops her shoulders. “You were right. I really don’t enjoy flying all that much, and as long as I have time to volunteer with some pups, then I’ll be happy.” My lips find her forehead, lingering there. “It’s going to be weird not having you on the road next season.” I lightly rock her in my arms. “But at least I’ll have you at home.” She releases a content sigh, resting on my shoulder. “I mean it, Stevie. I need you at home. I want you to move in with me.” She looks up at me, brows furrowed. “Even if we’re only here for the summer, I want you to move in. And when we leave Chicago, I want to live together. If I can’t have you on the road next season, I need you every second of every day while I’m home.” A blush rushes up to her freckled cheeks, and an excited smile spreads across her lips that she tries to suppress. “I’d like that.” “Yeah?” I ask with a bit of disbelief. I haven’t lived with anyone since college. I’ve learned to appreciate my own space. Not anymore, though. I want nothing more than to be suffocated with Stevie’s presence. “Yeah.” She brings her smiling mouth to mine. Cupping her cheeks, my tongue finds access to her mouth as things pick up speed, my body ramping back up for round two, but the buzzer by the door rings, interrupting our moment. “Mr. Zanders?” my doorman’s voice wafts through the apartment. “I have a Scott here for you. He says he’s a team manager.” Stevie and I look at each other in confusion. She quickly climbs off my lap, letting me get to the door, where I push the button to speak into the system. “Um...” I hesitate before looking back at my naked girl on the couch. She quickly nods, telling me to let him up. “Yeah, send him up.” Stevie holes up in my room as I slip on a pair of sweatpants and meet Scott at my front door. “Sorry to barge in like this.” He throws his hand in mine before I motion him inside. “But you weren’t answering your phone.” “It broke after the game last night.” My face pinches in confusion. I just saw Scott at the parade a couple of hours ago. He could’ve talked to me then. “Everything okay?” “Yeah, but I was hoping we could talk.” He looks over at the couch, searching for a place to sit before his eyes fall on the scattered clothes discarded throughout the living room. “Oh, you would,” he laughs. I offer him a look without apology. “You’re the one coming over the day I get my girl back. What did you expect to find?” “Touché.”
Scott takes a seat at the dining room table as I pull out a couple of sparkling waters for us. “So, what’s up?” “Well, as you know, the season ended yesterday. We legally haven’t been able to talk to you yet, and we were planning to give you a couple of days to enjoy the win, but after you mentioned signing your free agency over to Seattle on national television, we didn’t think we could wait any longer.” “Wait any longer for what?” “Zanders, you’ve been an essential part of our organization over the last seven seasons, and we love having you in Chicago. I thought the least you would do is have a conversation with us and turn down our offer before you signed somewhere else.” “Scott, I’ve waited for a contract renewal all season. What are you talking about?” “We made an offer back in October. We’ve been waiting for you to sign all season, so it was a bit of a shock to us when you brought up leaving our team in front of the cameras. We’d thought you’d at least tell us first.” “I didn’t want to leave. I’ve been working all year, waiting for a new contract from you guys.” Scott’s head jolts back in shock. “It’s been on the table since our first home game. Your agent k ept coming back to negotiations, saying you didn’t think the salary was high enough for you. I know it’s not a raise, but it’s what you’ve been making, and we’re tight within the budget cap. We can’t offer more.” Fucking Rich. I run my hands over my face in disbelief. “Scott. I never saw a contract. I swear. I would’ve signed it the second I did. I didn’t care about the money. I just wanted to stay here.” “Your agent was coming back to us monthly, saying you weren’t happy with it still.” “That’s why I fired him. He’s greedy. He wasn’t working on a higher salary for me. He just wanted a higher commission for himself.” “We want you back. We always have. This is Maddison’s and your team.” Is it? I’d like to believe that, but it’s always been Maddison’s authentic self and my media personality running this team. I don’t know that this city wants the dynamic to change. “I don’t know, Scott. I don’t want to play into the narrative that Maddison and I have had since he got here. I’m tired of it. I know it fills the seats and all that shit, but I can’t do it anymore. I want people to know I’m half of Active Minds. I want people to like me for me, and I don’t think that’ll happen in Chicago.” He pauses, hesitating. “Have you been online today?” “Phone’s broken.”
Scott pulls out his own, quickly typing on it before showing me his screen. “Besides people being obsessed with you and Stevie over that little love confession on national television, Chicago fans are freaking out because you said you’re leaving. Everyone wants you here, Zanders. I know those headlines from a few weeks ago were shit, but those are nothing in comparison to the amount of love people are pouring out for you today.” He hands his phone over. “Take a look.” He’s right. Message thread after message thread fills the screen with fans desperate for me to return wearing a Raptors jersey next season. There’s also an outpouring of support for Stevie and me that I can’t wait to show her later, but as far as hockey goes, there’s not a single comment from local fans wanting me to leave. However, there are fans from other teams commenting about how much they’d love to have me in their city, including a countless string from Seattle’s fanbase. Multiple people mention Active Minds, noting they didn’t realize I hold an equal place with Maddison. There are pictures of my dad and me from the parade. Comments about Rosie being adopted, plus so much coverage of SDOC from our moment inside earlier today. “Wow,” I exhale, handing the phone back to Scott. “I didn’t realize.” “Chicago wants you. We always have. We can change the narrative, Zanders, but we as an organization already know the kind of guy you are, and that’s why we want you. The locker room loves you, and we enjoy the hell out of having you on the team. Whatever we can do to make it happen, we want you back.” A long silence lingers between us. “I can’t make any decisions until I talk to Stevie.” “Of course.” “But if I do sign, it’ll be under one non-negotiable condition.” “Anything.” “Everything okay?” Stevie asks from my bed, where’s she’s sprawled out, wearing only my T-shirt. I wander over to her in a disbelieved daze. “Chicago wants to sign me.” “What?” She sits up with excitement. Laying down, I swing my leg over her, pulling her in. “Apparently, there’s been an offer on the table all season, but Rich didn’t say anything.” “Fucking Rich.” “What do you think I should do?” She delicately traces her fingertips across my cheek. “What do you want to do?” “I’m not sure.” She lightly laughs. “Yes, you are. You don’t want to leave Chicago, the same way I don’t. Your family is here. You can’t look me in the eye and tell me that Uncle Zee would be okay moving away from Ella.” My head falls back. “God, no. She’s already four. What am I going to do, only see her over the summers until I retire?”
“Exactly. If Chicago is offering you what you want, take it. This is your home.” My face softens. “You going to let me officially make you ‘Auntie Vee’ or what?” “You better.” We share a moment, holding eye contact as Stevie delicately traces her fingertips along my jaw. “If you want a fresh start on a new team, I’ll follow you anywhere, but I can’t imagine you being happier somewhere other than Chicago. This is what you’ve wanted all season.” “Yeah, but I’ve been pr eparing myself, mentally detaching.” “I think that’s good enough, Zee. When we first met, leaving Chicago was your biggest fear. Now, you’re ready to go if you need to, but just because you’ve grown enough to know you’ll be okay somewhere else doesn’t mean you have to leave.” “Do you want to stay here?” My tone is laced with hope. “Ryan is here and the shelter. If I have a say, then yes, I want to stay.” “You always have a say, Stevie. This is our decision, not just mine.” “Are they offering you what you want?” I nod to tell her yes. “But I told them I’d only sign under one condition.” “What is it?”
Epilogue ZANDERS Four Months Later-October “Z ee, we have to go. You’re going to be late for your game, and we still need to stop by SDOC.” I wrap my arm around Stevie, pulling her in, so her head is lying on my chest and not just my bic ep. “A few more minutes.” I delicately twirl a single curl between my forefinger and thumb. “I’m not ready to leave. This will be my first time without you since June.” Rosie’s sweet amber eyes look up at me, resting her head on my stomach as I hold my two girls in bed for a little longer. “It’s only for three days.” “Don’t remind me,” I whine. “I can’t believe I used to like road games.” Stevie laughs, turning my chin towards her. “I don’t know when you became this giant needy man.” She presses her soft lips to mine. “But it’s adorable.” “That was about a year ago when I met you, sweetheart.” She toys with the rings on my fingers, lingering a little longer on the one I stole from her. “It’ll go by quickly.” “What are you going to do while I’m gone?” “I don’t know. Probably have a girls’ night with Logan, Ella, and Rosie.” My head jerks back. “Without me?” “We’ll try not to make you too jealous.” She pats my chest. “I’m going to Ryan’s game tomorrow. I’ll be at the shelter on Friday. Then I have our family therapy session on Saturday.” I slightly turn as I tuck her hair behind her ear. “How are you doing with that?” “I’m good. It’s going well. It’s not like I never wanted to have a relationship with my mom again, but it couldn’t ke ep going as it was.” I offer her a proud smile. I thought I would have to create some boundaries for her, but Stevie has been able to do it all on her own. Her mother continued to reach out all summer, but Stevie k ept her distance. It wasn’t until late August that she started mentioning opening that line of communication again. My biggest worry was that her mom would have easy access to say whatever she’d like. But Stevie surprised us all when she suggested they could start speaking again only if it was during family therapy sessions that always included either her brother or dad. This will be week four of their sessions over video chat, and she seems good with it—happy even. The therapist was a referral from Eddie, and every Saturday afternoon,
after Stevie gets off the computer, she looks lighter, as if more and more of that toxic relationship is disappearing with each passing week. I wasn’t stoked about it, that’s for sure, but Stevie’s dad, Neal, came to visit a few times this summer and eased me into the idea. He might be one of the best guys I know and just wants his family to be whole again, so I can’t blame him for trying. “Okay, Zee. We have to get up. We’re late.” Stevie is off our bed before I can stop her. I give one more de ep scratch to Rosie’s head before I usher her off so I can stand. I trade my T-shirt for a button-down, tuck it into my suit pants, and throw on my blazer. Heading into the living room, I gather anything I forgot to pack—headphones, phone charger, sunglasses. After staying in Chicago all summer, I almost forgot how to travel. Either that or I just don’t want to. “Don’t forget your dad is driving in on Sunday morning with his girlfriend, and we have MJ’s birthday party that afternoon,” Stevie calls out from our bedroom. “I know. I got MJ’s gift from us already.” Stevie pops her head out of the bedroom, brows pinched in confusion. “No. I got MJ’s gift from us already. What did you get him?” “I found this cool little Prada tracksuit in his size.” Stevie bursts into laughter. “What?” “Zee, he’s turning one.” “Sweetheart, I’ve got to start them young. What did you get him?” “A few books and some toys. Things he can play with.” She says it slowly as if the words need to sink in. “Well, you put your name on that gift, and I’ll put my name on mine. We’ll see which one MJ likes better.” She playfully rolls her eyes, heading back into our bedroom, but before she’s too far, I hear her say, “You don’t need to label yours. They’ll have no problem figuring out who bought Prada for a one-year-old.” If shit-talking is a love language, then it’s ours, and I thoroughly plan on bantering with my wild girl for the rest of my life. My once dark and masculine penthouse now pops with color. When Stevie moved in four months ago, she not only brought her bright energy, she brought her favorite thrift store finds too. They don’t exactly match my décor, but they’re hers, so I’m happy they’re here. They brighten up the place the same way she does. Rosie leisurely walks into the kitchen to find me, so I bend down, giving her all the love I won’t be able to provide over the next three days. As much as I hate that Stevie isn’t on the road with me this season, I’m stoked Rosie can stay home and not have to schl ep back and forth to her dog-sitter. “Ready to go?” Stevie casually asks, walking into the living room.
I stand from the ground, spotting her across the room, and my mouth falls open, eyes going wide. “Damn, Vee. Look at you.” She gives me a little twirl, showing off her skin-tight black jeans and cropped Raptors tee with my name and number on it. She looks incredible. However, she’s still wearing her dirty Nikes, regardless of the new ones I bought her, which are still sitting in the back of her closet. “You like?” I hold her hand above her head, spinning her again. “I love. You’re stunning.” My hands find her ass, pulling her into me. “I’m going to miss you so fucking much.” She slings her arms around my shoulders, placing a kiss on my lips. “I’m going to miss you. Call me as much as you’d like.” “Oh, I’m going to blow your phone up for three days straight, Stevie girl.” I tap her ass a couple of times. “All right, let’s do this.” I park my Benz right in front of SDOC, though the outside is barely recognizable from the business it was a few months ago. The paint is fresh, the sign is new and eye-catching, and the roof has been fully r epaired. When I decided to re-sign with Chicago, it was under one nonnegotiable term—that the Raptors organization would fully financially support Senior Dogs of Chicago. It was a bigger win than I could’ve imagined for all parties included. The money funneled into the shelter is a write-off for the team, so it was no skin off their back, but once they learned about Cheryl and the dogs, they eagerly jumped at the chance to help. The donated funds have completely renovated the once run-down building and provided brand new blankets, toys, and beds for the dogs. All medication and food is paid for, and for the first time since Cheryl’s husband passed, she doesn’t have to worry about the next months’ rent. Everything is covered. But selfishly, my favorite part is that Cheryl was able to hire Stevie fulltime. After our moment on national television, the shelter’s popularity rose at an insane rate. Chicago locals flocked to SDOC to adopt, not knowing a place like this had existed, and Cheryl needed all the help she could get. Now, dogs average less than a month in the shelter, just long enough to get caught up on their medical needs, before they’re swooped up and adopted to new loving homes. The team has thoroughly enjoyed getting in volved. A couple of the guys even adopted their own dogs this summer, and because the boys have really connected to the cause, the organization agreed to bring our partnership to home games too. Starting with tonight’s home opener, Stevie will be coming to all our local games with one of the shelter pups. Between intermissions, they’ll have a cameo on the jumbotron with SDOC’s information plastered right along with them, and I can’t imagine they’ll be living at the shelter much longer after 23,000 Raptor fans see their sweet face on the big screen.
I might not have Stevie on the road this year, but I’ll have her at every home game, and even more, I’ll know she’ll be in Chicago doing something she loves. “Who are we bringing today?” I open the front door so she can enter first. She bounds in excitedly. “Teddy. The little terrier mix who was dropped off in early S eptember.” “Oh, hell yeah. I love Teddy.” Stevie quickly turns on her heel, her eyes wide and eager. “Or we could adopt him?” Which is her suggestion any time a new dog gets abandoned. I have a hard time saying no to her, especially when it comes to this. We fostered all summer, anytime a dog was having a difficult time at the shelter, but she eventually found homes for them all. One day, though, I wouldn’t mind another, or even an apartment full of them. “But I think we’re going to have a line out the door to adopt him after tonight,” she adds before I can respond. Cheryl brings Teddy out, his hair perfectly groomed, wearing a little Raptors bandana, ready for the game. She passes him to Stevie as Teddy covers my girl in excited kisses. “Have you shown him yet?” Cheryl asks. “Shown me what?” Stevie wears a knowing smile, shifting Teddy in one arm before sliding one of their adoption forms across the front desk. “What is this?” My eyes wander the page. “Remember how I was telling you that some of the dogs would make great therapy animals? Well, with the funding from the team, Cheryl was able to hire a specialty dog trainer, and we’re going to do it.” Stevie points to the last paragraph on the page. “This says if you happen to adopt a dog in the therapy program that they must attend a certain number of Active Minds events throughout the year. We thought it would be awesome for both the kids and the pups.” “What? Vee.” I stare at the page as words evade me. “Are you kidding me?” She shakes her head to tell me no, her smile bright and her blue-green eyes shining. “I don’t know what to say. This is unbelievable. Thank you. Thank you, both.” Quickly blinking, my eyes stay glued on the words, unable to look at either of them. Rosie has had a significant impact on my life, including my mental health, which is one of the reasons I was so adamant about the Raptors supporting this place. I can’t imagine how beneficial it would’ve been to have an animal to help calm me down when I was younger. This is going to be incredible for the kids at Active Minds. Stevie runs a soothing hand down my bic ep before leaning her head on my arm. “I love you.”
I stare at the form, dumbfounded as Stevie showcases her sweet heart once more. “I love you, too.” “Okay,” Cheryl cuts in. “You two are going to be late. Send me pictures of Teddy on the big screen!” The United Center has become my second home as I go into my eighth year in the league, but I think I’ll be spending more time here this season than I ever have before. Between my games and Ryan’s games, I may as well move in. Leaving directly for the airport after tonight’s home opener has been looming over me for weeks. I’m not all that excited to face the reality of Stevie not being on the plane, but there are too many good things happening for her in Chicago for me to wallow in self-pity. One being that for the first time in her twin brother’s professional career, she can attend every one of his home games because she’s not traveling during the same season. Stevie is pumped about it, and I know he is too. “Zee, you ready?” Maddison slips his suit jacket back on after our first win of the season. I grab my wallet, phone, and keys to follow him out of the locker room. Fans line the barriers outside, wanting a picture, an autograph, or even just a glimpse of the latest Stanley Cup champs. And I appease them. It’s all part of my new image where I’m completely and utterly myself. Shockingly enough, fans like me more now than when I was putting on an act. Maddison’s and my new agent is a family guy who understands the kind of people we are. He doesn’t pressure us into ke eping up appearances and only brings us opportunities that we’d be comfortable with. Both he and the Raptors organization have prioritized showcasing Active Minds, and the charity has gotten a ton of recognition over the past few months once people learned I was an equal founder. It’s nice to have not only a new agent who is in my corner but an entire hockey franchise. I finally feel like I can be myself without being punished for it. Rich’s client list is teetering dangerously close to zero. He, of all people, knows the paparazzi loves a good scandal, and word travels fast. Once other athletes got wind of the shit he pulled with me, not telling me I had a contract offer on the table, they started firing him one by one. But Rich missed out because the duo Maddison and I have now is endlessly more popular than the one we played into for years. Who would’ve thought Chicago fans would love the dog-dad, stay-in-on-theweekends-with-my-girl, happy, and authentic version of myself? But don’t get it twisted. I’ll still throw hands on the ice if you come at my guys. One thing that will never change is how endlessly protective I am of my people. “Uncle Zee!” Ella runs at me once I finally make it to the players’ parking lot, past the fans. “What you get me this year?” I pick her up, carrying her to where her mom and Stevie wait. “Hmm. I don’t know. You’re four now. I think we should upgrade. What do you want from each city we visit?”
“Maybe like a new outfit or a doll.” From magnets to dolls. Quite the upgrade. “You want a doll from every single city we visit? That’s a lot of dolls.” “Yeah,” she plainly states, popping her shoulder as if thirty-one dolls is an entirely reasonable ask. Her emerald eyes go wide as she looks over my shoulder. “Hi, Daddy!” She squirms out of my grasp, running over to him instead. I pop a kiss on Logan’s cheek and give MJ a little tickle on his belly to hear his new laugh before finding Stevie waiting by my Benz parked next to Maddison’s truck. I swing both my arms around her shoulders, swaying. “Good game.” She runs a hand down the length of my back. “That fight was pretty sexy. Did things to me.” “I know, right?” I show off my face, turning it from side to side. “Look at this money-maker. Untouched and still as flawless as ever.” She playfully rolls her eyes, but she’s used to my mouth by this point. “How’d it go with Teddy?” We both look down at the overly excited terrier on the ground, wagging his tail so fast you can barely see it. “Great. Cheryl said her inbox is full of people wanting to set up a time to come by and meet him.” “Rio said he’s interested.” “He should call SDOC after your flight. He and Teddy would actually be a good match. They remind me of each other.” Teddy stares at us, eagerly wanting some attention. “I can see it.” I melt into Stevie, hiding my face in her neck. “I don’t wanna go,” I mumble against her skin. “You’ll be fine,” she laughs. “Tell Indy I said hi.” “I cannot believe you convinced her to move in with your brother. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.” “I think it’ll be great.” My girl is as terrible of a liar as I am. “I’ll tell her you said hi.” “We’re going to have to celebrate her promotion when you guys get back.” “No more Tara, huh?” “Nope. Fired for fraternization. Would you imagine that?” Stevie tries to hide her satisfied smile, but I hear it in her tone. “Indy is in charge now.” “You know, Stevie girl.” I pull back, eyeing her. “You’re not a flight attendant anymore. You can’t get fired, and I remember a little something about a mile-high club I’ve been dying to join.”
“Miles,” she corrects. “But I’m not having sex on a public airplane.” She pats my chest condescendingly. “Sorry about it.” I lift a single brow. “If you don’t think I’d charter a private jet to make this happen, you clearly don’t know me very well, sweetheart.” “You’re ridiculous.” Her blue-green eyes shine with humor. “You love me.” “Hell yeah, I do.” “All right, man,” Maddison cuts in. “We gotta get to the airport.” “It’s just a few days,” Stevie reminds me. “I love you. Have fun with your teammates.” Hooking my hand behind her neck, my thumb skims her jaw. I p epper kisses up the column of her throat, dotting her freckled cheeks before I urgently press my lips to hers. We both smile into the kiss, acknowledging I’m acting overly needy right now, but fuck it. I am. “I love you, Vee.” I seal it with one more kiss before heading off with Maddison, my suitcase in tow. “When are you going to make it official?” he teases once we’re out of earshot of the girls. I playfully roll my eyes while climbing into the passenger seat of his truck. “Not everyone gets married the second they meet their person.” “Yeah, but you’re not everyone. So, what’s the deal? You popping the question or what?” “Lewis is working on her ring.” My sly smile lifts on one side of my mouth. “Getting her fingers sized all those months ago was the perfect cover. It should be ready soon.” “It’s extravagant as fuck, isn’t it?” “Have you met me?” Maddison pulls out of the parking lot as I ke ep my focus out the passenger window, watching my girl. “Welcome to the club,” he says. “Leaving home absolutely sucks.” Stevie waves goodbye, her smile as soft and sweet as she is, and I can’t believe how lucky I am that I get to come home to her. I never thought I’d say this, but, “I hate road games.” THE END