Page 7 of Icebound Hearts

His scowl deepens. “It’s Knight to you.” I roll my eyes, sliding my earbuds back in as I skate away. I’m midway through my jump sequence, practicing my quad toe when my skate catches at the wrong angle. The impact is immediate. I slam hard onto the ice, pain exploding in my right shoulder as I land.

Fuck.

I hiss, flexing my arm. A sharp, familiar pain shoots through me. Damn it. I should have booked my physical therapy appointment days ago.

Before I can fully process the pain, a pair of hockey skates stop in front of me.

I look up. Aiden.

Concern flickers in his dark eyes. Is that a genuine concern, or am I hallucinating?

I tap my earbuds, silencing the music. “What?” I ask.

“Are you okay?” His voice is gruff, but I catch the slightest hint of worry underneath.

I hesitate for a split second before taking his outstretched hand, but the moment I move, another sharp twinge shoots through my shoulder, causing me to wince. Aiden notices as his gaze flickers to my shoulder, then back to my eyes. “You’re hurt,” he states. I force myself to straighten, shaking my head. “I’m fine. I don’t need your help.”

I skate away, snatching my skate guards from the bench, yanking off my skates, and storming out of the rink before he can say anything else.

Sitting in the Jeep, my father gifted me. I attempt to Facetime Alina. The second her face appears on my screen. I feel my entire body relax.

“Malyshka, I miss you,” she coos dramatically. I grin. “Come over? Bring Alexei, too? I need my friends, or I will lose my mind surrounded by four hockey bro roommates all night.”

Alina nods, turning to whisper something to someone beside her. “Can Maddie come? I want you to meet her,” she asks.

“Of course, the more the merrier!” I say, rubbing my throbbing shoulder. “Alexei’s grabbing groceries now. Dinner and a movie?” she asks.

“Yes, I’ll prepare drinks,” Alina squeals. |I love you!” She yells, and I laugh. “See you soon.”

After hanging up, I shoot a quick text to the guys. Don’t even get me started on the name. Will thought it was funny, but It’s not.

Hockey House + Ice Princess

Ice Princess

Roman

I roll my eyes. Typical.

Ice Princess

William added Aiden to the chat, and I froze, staring at the notification.

William

My heart flips when I see the three dots pop up. I briefly hover over his contact before saving it underGrumpy Hockey Player. My phone pings and a new message appears.

Grumpy Hockey Player

What? I blink at the screen. Fuck. I was so sure he was going to say no.

I pull into the driveway, the evening sky darkening, and switch off the engine. My fingers are stiff from gripping the steering wheel, and my thoughts are a mess. I need this night to unwind—my body is sore from practice, and my mind is stuck on Aiden. There’s no escaping it: he has invaded my thoughts, and as much as I try to push him out, he lingers. With a sigh, I grab the bags from the backseat and make my way to the front door, unlocking it with a slight twist. The familiar scent of the house greets me, but it doesn’t feel like home tonight. It feels like I’m standing at the edge of something, unsure if I’m ready to dive in.

“Hey!” Will’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts as I enter the kitchen. He and Roman are leaning against the counter, focusing on me as I walk in. Roman shoots me a grin, his usual teasing smile plastered across his face. “I got it,” Will says, reaching out to grab the grocery bags from my hands. He lifts a large bottle of tequila from the bag and holds it up like a trophy. “Is this what I think it is?” I nod, trying to focus on the task ahead and distract myself from the racing thoughts about the man who is probably upstairs right now.

“Yep, that’s the one,” I say, glancing around for the rest of the ingredients and hoisting the last bag on top of the counter. “I’m making my signature cocktail. That’s why I bought this drink dispenser.” Roman raises an eyebrow and gives me an exaggerated, approving nod.

“Impressive. But I’m watching you, Kat. Don’t mess it up.” I laugh softly, the sound feeling more and more genuine as I begin to pull out the oranges, cutting them into thin, delicate slices. The scent of citrus hits my senses, and I let it ground me. I grab a couple of strands of rosemary, their fragrant needles giving off a refreshing smell as I drop them into the dispenser. The pomegranate seeds and cranberries follow right after. Lastly,I add the tequila— the entire bottle—feeling the weight of its contents pouring out. It’s not just the alcohol I need to focus on tonight. It’s the whole night. I need to loosen up, not think about practice, and ignore Aiden’s presence.

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