“Hey, curls!” he calls, sunglasses sliding down his nose, grin wide and feral. “How was naptime on the captain’s shoulder? You get a good cuddle in?”
The world stops.
Tyler snorts. Mats lifts a brow. Shane mutters something about intimacy curses. Even Viktor tilts his head like he’s already planning my funeral.
And I’m dead. Absolutely, 100% dead.
My mouth’s already open. Ready to fire back at Cole with something about how at leastIdon’t wear sunglasses indoors at eight in the goddamn morning. But I don’t get the chance.
Because Damian speaks first.
“Careful, Vance.” His voice cuts across the terminal, low and sharp, carrying even over the hum of fans and rolling suitcases. “You keep talking like that, people might think you’re jealous I didn’t letyoudrool on me for eight hours.”
The whole group stops.
Cole’s grin falters. Just for a second, but it’s enough. Tyler actually chokes, Mats coughs into his fist to cover a laugh, Shane mutters something aboutcurses of humiliation,and even Viktor makes a noise that might be a laugh if you translate it from his brand of murder.
Cole opens his mouth, shuts it again, then throws his hands up. “Okay, okay. Damn, Cap. Didn’t know you were packing chirps in your back pocket.”
Damian doesn’t reply. Doesn’t need to. One glance and the subject is buried six feet under.
The noise dies down. The fans are still snapping photos, staff still herding us toward baggage claim, but the team’s suddenly quieter. Everyone falls into line, subdued, Cole muttering something under his breath about “unfair advantage.”
I’m still standing there with my mouth half-open, words caught in my throat. Because I’ve heard Damian cut down opponents on the ice. I’ve seen him silence whole locker rooms with one look. But hearing him taunt—hearing himdefend mewith it? That’s new. That’s dangerous. That’s a whole new level of fucked up.
And of course, my dumb ass likes it.
Of course Cole doesn’t let it go.
Why would he? Hollywood never knows when to quit.
By the time we’re trudging down the escalator toward baggage claim, he’s at my side, sunglasses crooked.
“Bet you liked that, huh?” he murmurs, grin curling. “Captain standing up for his favorite rookie. Must’ve felt real nice. Poster-boy dream come true.”
I snap my head toward him, eyes narrowing. “Shut up.”
“Oh, come on, curls.” He leans closer, shoulder brushing mine. “Eight hours drooling on his shoulder, now he’s chirping for you? You’re living the dream. Hell, I bet you’d bark if he told you to.”
Heat spikes across my face. I elbow him hard in the ribs. He grunts, wheezes, then laughs through it.
“Thought so.”
I lean in, grinning like a feral dog. “At least I don’t spend every layover flirting with TSA agents just to get felt up, Hollywood.”
He barks out a laugh, clutching his chest. “Ouch, rookie’s growing teeth.”
“Better than rotting veneers.”
“Better than still calling himsirin your sleep—”
My eyes go wide. “WHAT.”
Cole’s grin sharpens like a knife. “You’re a loud sleeper, curls. Real loud.”
My blood goes cold, then hot, then I’m choking on my own words. I shove him again, harder this time, and he stumbles into Viktor—who just scowls like he’s contemplating homicide. Cole snaps his mouth shut instantly, hands raised.
But when Viktor looks away, he leans back toward me. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe. For now.”
