Page 79 of Hold the Line

“Absolutely not, Cole,” Damian says immediately.

“You don’t even know what I wanted to say,” I huff, crossing my arms.

“I know it’s stupid,” Damian rolls his eyes.

I glare harder. “You know something, don’t you.”

Damian smirks, that scarred mouth twitching. “I know many things, Hollywood.”

“Mhm… such as?” I ask, leaning in a little.

“Are you questioning me?” Damian asks, one eyebrow raised.

“No, sir,” I pout, looking away.

The fire crackles between us as I go back to staring at it, mind still spinning. Viktor is inside grabbing more drinks, completely unaware of the silent interrogation happening out here. Or maybe he is. With him it’s hard to tell.

“Do you know something?” Damian asks.

“I know many things… sir,” I turn it back on him, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

Damian glares at me. “Such as?”

“Such as, if after playoffs Viktor and I silently move to a different country you shouldn’t be surprised,” I blurt before I can stop myself.

Damian actually slaps me upside the head firm enough to make me yelp. “Idiot. You’re not moving anywhere.”

I whine, rubbing the back of my head dramatically. “And why not??”

“Because there’s no reason for you to go anywhere. Besides… Elias would… murder you,” Damian says, smirking down at me.

“Why would I murder you?” Elias suddenly appears out of fucking nowhere, clearly catching just the last thing Damian said. Jesus, what is it with these two appearing out of thin air like hockey ninjas?

“No reason, Curls,” I grin, trying to look as innocent as a man who just suggested international relocation can look.

Elias narrows his eyes at both of us, suspicious. “You two are being weird again. Should I be worried?”

“Absolutely not,” Damian and I say at the same time.

Elias looks even more suspicious. “Mhm. Sure.”

The fire crackles between us as I go back to poking at it with a stick, heart still racing from almost spilling everything. Viktor is going to kill me if he finds out I’m out here interrogating his coach about potential murder cover-ups.

“I should… go find the birthday boy,” I excuse myself, already backing away from Damian and Elias.

Elias snickers at the word “boy” when Viktor is more mountain than boy, but I don’t stick around for the teasing. I run off to find my man.

I find him in the hallway with Roman, both of them talking in Russian. The second Viktor sees me his whole face softens. I attach myself to his side immediately, wrapping my arms around his waist and looking up at him with the biggest, sappiest smile I can manage.

“Happy birthday, big guy,” I purr up at him in my clumsy but improving Russian.

Viktor smiles and wraps one big arm around me, pulling me closer. “Thank you, little bird.”

“So… I wanna show you something,” I say, already tugging at his hand to pull him toward the bedroom.

“Cole… we have guests… which you insisted on. This is not the time for that,” Viktor says when he realizes where I’m leading him.

“Pervert,” I huff, cheeks heating as I close the bedroom door behind us once we’re inside. I let go of his hand just long enough to grab the envelope I hid earlier and push it into his hands. “Open it.”