I dropped my gear by the door and crossed to the couch, suddenly exhausted down to my bones. “Thanks.”
Eva’s eyes darted over me, as if she were checking for injuries. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I ran my hand over my cornrows, still damp from my shower after the game. “Just weird without Cole there.”
She scooted closer to Alek and then patted the couch beside her. I sat, and she immediately shifted closer, her warmth pressing into my side. The tension I’d been carrying since the opening faceoff slowly unwound.
“How’s he doing?” Alek asked, over her head.
Eva tensed but didn’t say anything.
“He’s unhappy, but?—”
Eva whimpered.
“I know, kitten,” I said, nuzzling her hair and tugging her against me. “But it’s not for long. Jed Carter’s going to jail.”
“You think the team will take Cole back?” she asked.
“No,” Alek said, his chest lifting and falling in a deep sigh. “But I might be able to get him a tryout with an affiliate, which could give him an eventual shot at the NHL.”
We sat in silence for too fucking long while Eva aimlessly clicked through her spreadsheets, no longer truly working.
“Ready for bed?” I asked Eva, even if my gaze flicked to Alek.
She nodded, saving whatever she’d been working onand closing her laptop. When she stood and stretched, the sweatshirt rode up to reveal a strip of soft skin above her sleep shorts.
“My room,” Alek called as I walked toward the guest room. His voice was casual, but I caught the tension in his hands as he gripped his book, like he was still trying to figure out how to navigate this too.
I kept walking, trailing Eva into Alek’s bedroom instead.
She stripped the sweatshirt off, revealing a cute camisole and sleep shorts, and I made a show of looking at her as lasciviously as possible as I changed into pajama pants, hoping to elicit a giggle and lighten the weight still sitting on my chest.
When she laughed, I pumped my fist in victory then cuddled up against her.
“Dork,” she teased affectionately and climbed into bed.
I followed, pulling her against me and burying my face in her hair, inhaling the vanilla and orange scent from her lotion. “Any luck with the information Dr. Parker provided?”
“I’m trying to build a timeline,” Eva said sleepily. “Big financial events in Carter Industries, times when Carter’s approached people to rig games, when those buildings change hands. There’s a pattern. I just need to find it.”
“You’re so fucking clever,” I said, squeezing her tighter.
The mattress dipped as Alek slid in on her other side. Eva sighed softly, a sound of pure contentment, and snuggled deeper between us.
To my dismay, my phone buzzed. I slammed my hand on the bedside table to pick it up. My brother’s face filled the screen.
“Cedric, hi,” I rasped, apparently closer to sleep than I thought.
Eva pulled the covers up to her neck. “Who’s that?” my brother asked, his voice light. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“I’m his girlfriend. Eva,” she said with a sleepy smile, and my heart stopped. My girlfriend. I must have had hearts in my eyes, because my brother laughed.
“Nice to meet you,” Cedric said, his expression softening. “I hope we get to speak in person soon. You mean a lot to Tristan.”
Eva melted against me.
“I won’t keep you long then.” Cedric paused, his eyes narrowing. “Wait—that’s not the hockey house.”
