Hockey King by Day, Forbidden Uncle by Night

NA

lations. Your piece, 'Th

in my ear. I tightened my grip on the champagne flute, watchin

hat as a shield. This was my first day back in the United States, my

gallery, past the chic, black-clad guest

Tr

by the boards of an empty hockey rink. The boy's face was lost to shadow, a study in sugg

ce was

had submitted it without my permission. Now it hun

f me, raw with desperation. I had

ipped past me, and his polite smile in

w fell

against the light, his broad frame swallowing everything behind

n Ben

owerful ma

l uncle. And the man I had spent thr

d cha

. The cold eyes I remembered had turned glacial. Yet the t

ed with a black VIP card-the

s the

es buzzing in my ear. I pressed my back against the

hen another. His heavy footfall

tely eclipsing me. He ignored the painting. His da

n't recognize me?" His voice was low and mo

e surrounding stares grew

ollided with his chest, hard as a rock wall. The scent of cedar and faint to

rm was an iron ban

s brushed against my ear, his warm breath fanning acros

d already see tomorrow's TMZ headline: Hockey Pow

troy the quiet life I had painstakingly built. I could

ake him le

s. I forced my muscles to relax, rose on my

" I said, my voice clea

The arm around me turned to stone

erked back. The mockery in his eyes vanished

led backward, my hand flying out to gri

intrigued to utterly baffled. This was no l

is teeth would shatter. He stared at me, his e

seized my wrist, his grip so

he snarled thr

ery's exit. My heels skittered across the polished concr

f a black Bentley parked at the curb,

r was a palpable force. I insti

inally said, his voice cold as ice. "

d a number. His tone was absolut

sting center. I'm bringing s

r a DNA test,"

y eyes widening. "What

w about my two-and-

aid," he enunciated each word, as if savoring my fear, "we're going for a D

d from my face. He wasn't talking about Leo. He

urred lights of New York, my fing

ed?" His voice came from beside me, low and cutting. "Let m

art s

ng me back three years - to that ho