“Igor was operating under the Volkov Syndicate name, and he is a Volkov problem to deal with. We will right the wrongs and continue our partnership with the Thorpe Syndicate and your father.” He paused, taking a sip of his whisky, and then added, “Without the additional insurance of marriage this time, as a show of trust and goodwillbetween us. Nova is free to be with you, and Igor will pay for his betrayal.”
I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around the fact that this had all happened, let alone in such a short space of time. “How will he pay? If you need any help…”
Anton smirked at me. “You have no stomach for torture. King told me how green you were after dealing with the Thorpe betrayer.”
“Fuck off. I want to make him pay for what he did to Nova.”
“He will. He has embarrassed our family. We will continue to interrogate him until we learn the full extent of his betrayal. Then he will be publicly disowned. His wounds will be healed, and he will be exiled to Russia.” His lip curled. “He will not like it there. It is…very different from the life we are accustomed to here.”
“Even so, he gets exiled and then what? He gets to live out the rest of his life? That doesn’t seem like punishment enough.”
“The rest of his very short life. Just when he thinks he is safe, he will suffer an unfortunate accident leading to a drawn-out, painful death. By the end, he will be begging for mercy. Of course, we operate from the United Kingdom, with many legitimate, lucrative business interests, so…” Anton shrugged.
“So no one can pin it on you,” I summarised. “Okay, I can live with that. And…uh, thank you. Really. I mean it.”
“I know you do. You are a lucky man to have a woman who cares for you the way Nova does.”
For the first time, I could look at him without any resentment. Without anger or hurt. And with the cloud of judgement gone, I could appreciate him for who he was. An honourable man who had done the right thing. A manwho’d conceded gracefully. A man who was a fucking good hockey player and teammate. “I am lucky,” I said. “You will be too, V—Anton.”
He shook his head. “Love is not for me. I will do what I need to when I graduate, and in the meantime, I will enjoy the company of many beautiful women.”
Once, I might have been tempted to agree with him, but having a woman as amazing as Nova Thorpe love you? There was nothing I’d exchange for that.Nothing.
“Alright,” I said, rather than vocalising my thoughts aloud. We’d only just called a tentative truce, after all. “But you forgot one thing.”
One brow lifted. “Which is?”
“Before you graduate, you’re going to help the Cranham Kings get to the playoffs. Or at least finish above Whelford.”
“We will. We are a good team.”
A grin curved over my lips. “Yes, we fucking are.”
This time, when he held out his hand to me, we didn’t shake. We bumped our fists together, which was something I could never have imagined doing with him before tonight.
I shook my head, still grinning. “This is weird. But good.”
“Yes. To both.”
Pushing off the wall, I moved towards the door. “I’d better get back inside. I’ve been out here for too long.”
“Jay?”
“Yeah?” I paused, turning back to him.
“That favour you owed me when I utilised my connections to hack the accounts? Consider it repaid in full.”
“That’s enough ice.” Nova lifted the pack from her head, placing it on the low glass table next to the chaise longue she was reclining on. “I’ll do it again in the morning.”
“There are three more packs in the freezer, and I’ll refreeze this one for you tomorrow.” I glanced at my phone. “It’s time for more painkillers now.”
“What it is, is time for my boyfriend to cuddle me.”
Flashing her a grin, I tapped the packet of pills. “First these. Then I’ll do a lot more than cuddle you.”
“Is that so?” Her voice turned breathy, her pupils dilating, and my cock was instantly on board. I wanted to lose myself in her gorgeous body, to make her mine again, and again, and again, but I wouldn’t. Not until she was completely healed. Every time I heard that rasp in her voice, every time I caught a glimpse of her bruised skin, every time the painkillers wore off and she tried to hide a wince, I felt it like knives piercing my flesh.
No, I wouldn’t take her the way I knew we both wanted to, but there were other things we could do in the meantime. Other ways I could make her feel good. So fucking good.We were in a room with no lock on the door, but just in case, I’d dragged a heavy wingback chair in front of it. I wasn’t particularly worried about anyone disturbing us, though. We were tucked away in the guest wing of the manor, and the likelihood of anyone stumbling across us so late at night was minimal.
