Bound By The Ice God's Contract

oe

ire body had fallen apart, co

a wave of soreness through me. The soft silk sheets beneath me felt stran

ave me an unreal feeling, so unfamiliar

d have been flawless wa

pped open, feathers scattered across the room, and a shattered lamp lay broken on the marble floor. A Stallions jersey lay cr

om was

lower abdomen. A painful gasp escaped my lips as I fell

buzzed on th

simple movement sent another w

fication. A six-figure amount had

pay

the screen, but there wa

skin, a cold reminder that everything from

ok away, another

ved, but I knew exac

hockey star everyone knew, and

Take th

t sounded like a simple instruction, the

wly returned to my mind. The blurred images, the loss of control

lt as if an invisible hand w

ed and wrapped the sheet

in at the corner of the white fabric

d marble floor and wal

r eyes were exhausted, and dark circles surrounded them. Purple bruises covered

er was painfully hot, pouring o

presence, the memories, and eve

oom, a neatly folded set of cl

internship uniform. He had p

was still only his intern in his world. Som

disappeared beneath my makeup. Then I looked at myself in

esterday-morning skate, film review, and a press conference before tonight's home game

looking out through the massive floor-t

shoulders and long, powerful frame of a man who had spent his entire life on the ice. Every detail was flaw

tablet on the table beside him. "My

ely used hi

d. A low sound came

en us stretched f

ght, the money, or the message he

over me slowly, calm and unreadable-the same measuring stare he

nds were cold, and my legs trembled sli

appeared in his eyes. He h

t of him with the same cal

voice was flat

ing another word. Each step was steady, even though I could feel h

the cold hallway wall and fin

le and returned to my tiny, rundown a

s painfully bright, a sharp contrast to the lux

as my

y face in the pillow. The tears I had

now how lo

ly cut through the silence. I grabbe

found myself h