Page 6 of On Ice

“Asshole.” I shake my head and go back to watching the players below. Marco joins me again and we let the conversation die for a while as we watch the game.

The next ninety minutes of hockey are some of the best I’ve watched. Riley’s leadership shows in every shift, the way he directs traffic on the ice, how he protects his teammates, his ability to read plays before they develop. When he scores the game-winning goal late in the third, it’s a thing of beauty.

“Holy shit. They actually won?” Marco laughs gruffly beside me. “I didn’t think they had it in them.”

“I keep telling you the problem isn’t the team. It was the management,” I murmur. As the teams file off the ice, Rileyglances up at the owner’s box. Can he see me clearly, or does the glass obscure his view? I kind of hope he can see me. “Now that I’m in charge, things are going to be different.”

“Sure, only you want them to lose so you can make money on bets. Don’t forget you don’t actually want to help themwin.”

“They have to win more than they lose to keep everyone guessing. It’s just that I’ll decide when they win and when they lose from now on.”

“Ifyou can get the captain to agree to throw games when told to.”

I turn to face him. “I’ll know more about him after I have dinner with him tonight. I need to get a read on the guy.”

Marco stills. “You’re having dinner with him tonight?”

“Yeah.” I hide my excitement, but it’s not easy. I’m giddy at the idea of being close to Evan Riley. I want to look into his eyes and see what kind of man he really is.

“Alone?”

I meet Marco’s wary gaze. “Yeah. You have the rest of the night off, starting now.”

He narrows his eyes. “Shouldn’t I be there to keep things professional?”

“Who says I want it to be strictly professional?” I can’t help laughing at the worried look he shoots me. “What? Why do you look so concerned?”

“Boss, you know that mixing business with pleasure could blow up your whole plan, right? It can get really messy, especially in our line of work.”

“I need to get to know the guy.” I shrug. “And I can do that better without you babysitting me.”

“Just how well do you plan on getting to know him?”

“Is that any of your business?”

He rubs his stubbled jaw, looking flustered. “Is he even gay?”

I smile. “Rumor has it he’s bisexual.”

Marco groans. “Come on, man. Don’t think with your dick. That could cause all sorts of problems.”

“Your concern is duly noted, but I think I can handle one hockey player.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Despite his obvious disapproval, Marco’s already heading for the door. “Try to remember he’s an asset before you do anything stupid.”

“Your lack of faith wounds me.”

“Your dick making decisions could wound our profit margins.” He pauses at the door. “If I were you, and I wanted to hit that ass tonight, I wouldn’t be too honest with him, boss. Don’t let him in on what you have planned.”

I shrug. “I haven’t made up my mind how to play it yet.”

He purses his lips. “Okay, yeah. Tell him exactly what you’ve got planned. That way, he won’t sleep with you, and maybe this deal can actually work. No way the guy I just watched play his heart out on that ice is giving up his ass to a mobster who wants him to throw games.”

“We’ll see about that,” I murmur.

Chapter Three

Evan

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