“I’ll take that as a yes,” Dominik laughs, turning around as the guys snicker.
We huddle together, leaving the room as a united front, and I look up at Dominik. His smile is so light, calming the emotions raging inside me. My heart flutters with sensations I never thought I’d feel—joy, relief, gratitude, all mixed with a newfound sense of belonging.
I start crying again. Why am I so emotional right now? Maybe it’s because I finally understand the true meaning ofhome. It’s not a place with four walls and a roof, but a place of acceptance. In being seen for exactly who we are.
And when I look into Dominik’s eyes, I realize he embodies everything that home should be—comfort, security, peace, excitement, and a quiet type of love. With him, I am whole, anchored to a different type of belonging, finally realizing that this is a forever type of connection that goes way beyond the physical.
He is my constant, and with him, I know that no matter where I go or how lost I get, I will always find my way back.
Back to him.
Back tohome.
30
DOMINIK
Several weeks later
I’m laser-focused,not thinking about the countdown or what these next few minutes mean, not just for my career but for the entire team.
The final cup game.
Nope, not going to think about it.
I’m one with the ice right now, blazing to the other end of the rink. As my skates cut into the ice and I gain speed, the crowd’s deafening roar increases. A drop of sweat slides between my eyebrows, threatening to distract me right as Axel pulls up on the other side, making eye contact with me.
I’m ready.
As Axel unleashes the puck with a forceful flick of his stick, time seems to slow. I snatch the puck from the air, my movements fluid and instinctual as I pivot toward the opponent’s net. But I am not alone; they close in on me like a pack of wolves, taking away our window of opportunity.
Time is running out, Dominik.
Focus.
In a split-second, I trust my instincts and pass the puck back to Axel, then dart around the net, weaving through the opposing players with practiced finesse. I spot my opening.
“Axel!” I shout, my voice cutting through the din of the crowd.
He responds by taking a blind shot at me. The puck flies through the air with impressive accuracy. I react quickly, intercepting it with lightning reflexes. With a swift strike of my stick, I send the puck soaring toward the net, completely fixated on the target.
The next second, the buzzer blares, and the arena erupts into a cacophony of sound and color. Confetti rains down, blocking my vision.
Did the puck go in?
What the actual fuck.
Before I can catch my bearings, I’m flooded by a sea of teammates, their shouts mingling with the cheer of the crowd.
“Dominator! Dominator! Slashers! Slashers!” the crowd chants, and I know we won.
We won the cup.
“We won?” I shout.
“WE WON! You got us the cup, you mother effing king.” I think it’s Liam shouting back, but I can’t be sure. There is too much going on. I think I might be going deaf.
I finally make my way out, throwing my helmet onto the ground and skating to the players’ bench. My girl is already standing beside Coach; her beautiful, smiling face is everything I need to see. I embrace her, pulling her out of the box and onto the ice with me.
