Page 5 of Blood on Ice

“Should I ask him about that?” Angelo asked.

Devil glared at him. “Fuck no.”

“Exactly,” I said. “I’m the only one who’s free. Balogh is mine.”

Devil raised his brows. “You sound very sure of yourself.”

“I am.”

“What are you going to do? Show up at training and stake your claim on him?”

“Maybe.”

Devil laughed, but Angelo looked me up and down. “You’re fucking serious, aren’t you?”

“I need a distraction.”

“Uncle Dominic not giving you enough work?”

I snorted. “You know he doesn’t trust me like he does Val.”

Devil laid a hand on Angelo’s arm. “Let Vito have his fantasy.”

“It’s no fantasy. You care to place a bet on how fast I make him mine?”

Devil laughed. “Fuck no. You’re a Marchesi. When one of us wants something badly enough, we get it.”

Angelo winced as his boyfriend Cam walked in and glared at all of us. “What do you want now?”

“Nothing,” Angelo said, pointing at me. “It’s all him.”

Cam looked up at the screen where Devil had brought up another picture of Zeke and his stats from the team’s website. Then he looked back at Angelo. “I should hope you’re not planning to make any moves on this young man. You have all you need right here.”

Angelo’s smile was so big and genuine that it made my chest tighten. He loved Cam, and they fit together perfectly. I couldn’t imagine ever feeling like that. Val and his boyfriend, Liam, were the same way. I could barely stand to be around them, even though I missed my brother and all the shit we used to do together.

Maybe Val’s not ignoring you like you think. Maybe you’re just as guilty of avoiding him.

He could make time for just the two of us.

“You all right?” Devil asked me.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I wasn’t about to let them all know how pathetic I was. I really did need a distraction, and Zeke Balogh was going to be it. I’d wanted him when I was in Vegas, and I hadn’t forgotten him. I’d had every intention of tracking him down the next time I was out there, but now he was right here in my city. It had been a while since I’d chosen a man to pursue. I had a hell of a lot of confidence in my charm. I had no doubt I could easily get him in my bed, but I didn’t want easy. I wanted a long, drawn-out game that would hype up both of us until we were ready to explode.

Operation Take Down Zeke was going to be the best thing ever.

I’d been at the arena for all of the Badger’s practices. Until now, I’d stayed high up in the stands and kept my hoodie and sunglasses on. Most people probably thought I was a bodyguard for one of the players, and I was fine with that.

I couldn’t see Zeke well from my position, but that didn’t matter. I had his image emblazoned in my mind. His long, dark hair and his damn smile that held both wickedness and uncertainty, a combo that never failed to do it for me. I’d learned everything I could about him online, and when I lay in bed, I fantasized about how he’d looked stripped out of all his hockey gear, ready and waiting for me to do whatever I wanted with him.

I continued to have plenty of time on my hands since Val rarely called me anymore. He’d been my best friend my whole life. I’d always counted on him when I wanted a drinking buddy or someone to come over and watch a game on Sunday afternoon. Our upbringing hadn’t allowed us to have many friends outside the family, not when the two of us were on the streets together or after our father, Dominic Marchesi, brought us into the family.

I knew Val wasn’t maliciously ignoring me. He deserved time with Liam, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t lonely and restless. I’d never been good at sitting still, but without focus, I’d really go off the rails. That’s why I needed a game to amuse me.

The more I watched Zeke, the more certain I became that he was meant for me. He was going to be mine for more than just a night or two. The time had come for me to move closer to the ice. I wanted to catch his attention. I was ready for him to know I was watching him.

He was a damn fine player when he wasn’t distracted like he’d been at the start of practice today. I had every intention of finding out what had upset him and fixing the problem. Once he’d gotten over whatever had him making mistakes, he threw his whole self into playing. I could feel his passion for the game, and I could only imagine what he would feel like under me, or over me, sharing that intensity.

My interest in him went beyond lust. He intrigued me in so many ways. I learned plenty about his hockey career, but not much about his childhood. I considered having my hacker friend do some digging for me, but I’d decided I wanted to hear Zeke’s story from his own lips, preferably while lying in bed naked after I’d made him come so hard he couldn’t move. I’d bring him water and a snack to replenish himself, then hold him while we talked.

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