Victor: A Chicago Blaze Hockey Romance

by Brenda Rothert

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Victor

  “Hope you guys are hungry,” Luca says, shaking his head as walks us into his house. “My wife ordered enough food to feed an army.”

  Lindy and I are the last ones to arrive at Luca and Abby’s day-after Thanksgiving gathering for the team. It’s the first time they’ve hosted everyone since buying their new home—a multi-million-dollar suburban estate.

  “The house is incredible,” I say as I help Lindy out of her coat. “Did you guys host the family here yesterday?”

  “Thanks, man. We did. I think everyone had fun.”

  Luca takes our coats and Lindy and I join everyone in a big, sunny family room off the kitchen. There’s a massive, curved leather sectional where lots of people are seated. Jonah gets up from his seat there to greet us.

  “Lindy, glad you’re still putting up with his shit,” he says, hugging her.

  “He’s kinda growing on me.”

  Jonah hugs me and then makes space for both of us to sit by him. Looks like the entire team’s here. The massive kitchen is open to this room and the space is filled with players, wives and girlfriends and kids.

  “Look out!” Luca’s niece Emerson yells as she plows through the room on a scooter, several other kids trailing behind her.

  “Saw that you guys had a big night last night,” Easy calls out from the other end of the couch. “Flowers, wine and lube?”

  There are cackles, cheers and offers to look up the photos for those who didn’t see them. Poor Lindy is the shade of a ripe tomato. I had no idea my prank would play out like that—photos hitting the world wide web the morning after we had sex for the first time.

  “Just a prank,” I assure everyone. “Figured I’d mess with those douchebag photographers.”

  “From the look of Lindy’s face, I think you’re a lying sack of shit,” Rhett says.

  There’s more laughter, and Lindy buries her face against my chest. I kiss her forehead and say in a low tone, “This is just how they are. Don’t let ‘em get a reaction out of you.”

  Abby comes into the room to offer us drinks. She invites Lindy to come sit with her in the kitchen and Lindy’s getting up to go when my phone buzzes with a text. I take it out and read it.

  Hi Victor, it’s Logan West with CPD. Wanted to let you know the FBI and CPD executed a warrant in the north side this morning and took Bryan Latimer into custody. He’s facing a lot of federal charges and will be going away for a long time. I’ll need to keep the phone a bit longer if that’s okay. Call me anytime if you have questions.

  I cover my face with my hands, sinking back down onto the couch. All I can see right now is the little boy I was, who knew that man was evil but had no way to escape him. The things he did to me and thought he’d gotten away with…I can’t help the emotional dam that bursts inside me.

  Lindy rushes to my rescue, putting an arm around me and leading me out of the room.

  “Is he okay?” someone asks as we walk past them.

  “He’s okay,” she says, taking me out the front door.

  There’s a big, landscaped courtyard there, and Lindy helps me to a wood bench near some evergreens. I pass her my phone and she reads the text.

  “Oh, Victor.”

  “Is that what I’m hoping it is?” Jonah asks from nearby.

  Victor nods and passes the phone from me to him. Jonah reads it, too, closing his eyes and nodding with satisfaction after he’s done.

  “My brother came through,” he says proudly. “I’m really fucking happy this part’s behind you, man.”

  Victor stands up and embraces his teammate. After, Jonah looks between us.

  “I’m gonna give you guys some privacy. I’ll tell everyone Victor’s fine.”

  Victor sighs and wipes the corners of his eyes. “Just make something up, man. Tell em’…I don’t even know…you’ll figure something out.”

  “I’ll tell ‘em you made it into the world record book for having the world’s smallest dick and you were overcome with emotion.”

  Victor bursts into laughter, lightening the mood. “You’re an asshole.”

  “Pretty much.” Jonah grins. “And there’s no angel on my shoulder anymore to stop me.”

  He claps Victor on the upper arm and walks back into the house. Victor turns toward me and sweeps me into a massive hug, leaving me breathless.

  “I didn’t realize it would feel this good,” he says in my ear. “It feels really fucking good that he has to answer for what he did.”

  She kisses my cheeks, then my forehead, then my lips. “I’m so proud of you for coming forward. I know it was hard for you.”

  “I’m not sure I could’ve done it without you,” I admit. “I was so goddamn worried about anyone finding out.”

  “It’s going to be okay.” She cups my cheeks holds my gaze. “No matter what, we’ll get through this.”

  I nod, a lump forming in my throat. My entire life, I’ve been an ‘I’. Being a ‘we’ is fucking fantastic when the other half of it is Lindy. I hold her close, my emotions threatening to spill over again.

  “If we ever have kids,” I say fiercely, my lips near her ear, “I’ll do anything to keep them safe. I’ll die to protect them. I’m never letting anything like what happened to me happen to them.”

  “I know.” She holds me tightly. “You’re a good man and our kids would be lucky to have you as their dad.”

  I pull back and look down at her. “Is it too soon for me to be bringing that up? Kids?”

  “No, I think its good to talk about it. I mean, we’re not talking about having them soon, or anything…right?”

  “I guess not. But if you happened to get pregnant, I wouldn’t mind a bit.”

  Lindy’s expression is both shocked and amused. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t happen anytime soon. I like having you to myself right now.”

  “But you do want kids, right?”

  Her eyes light up. “I do. Someday.”

  I lean my forehead against hers. “I guess we should get back inside.”

  “Probably. They’ll think we’re out here using more of that lube or something.”

  “I should be so lucky.”

  I pull her against me, my body reacting to just the thought of having her again. We had sex twice last night and twice this morning, and she came both times this morning. I’m fucking dying to try every position I know with her, and maybe make up a few new ones.

  “Let’s go be social,” she says softly. “We’ll have lots of time alone later.”

  I reluctantly agree. We will have lots of time alone later, but with Lindy, it never feels like enough. This is the first time I’ve been in crazy, stupid love, and I can’t get anywhere near enough.

  Back inside the house, I keep at least one hand on her at all times. It’s not that I’m being possessive, my teammates all know she’s my girl. I just want her close to me.

  I’ve got plans for us tonight. They involve ordering in, not watching a movie and not leaving my place ‘til I have to go to practice tomorrow morning.

  I had those plans in place before we were even out of bed this morning, but now, we’ve got something to celebrate.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Lindy

  Ari is hugging me so hard I can’t breathe.

  “I miss you!” she cries. “Nothing at work is fun anymore with you gone. And we never get to talk!”

  “I know, I miss you too…geez, let go before I pass out from lack of oxygen.”

  She releases me, putting her hands on my shoulders. “I haven’t gotten details out of you about anything in like three weeks. It’s ridiculous!”

  “I’ve been busy, I’m sorry. But that’s what tonight is for, so we can catch up.”

  Victor surprised me by reserving a VIP box at tonight’s home game just for me, Ari, my dad and his friends. I asked Ari to come an hour early so we can catch up over champagne by ourselves.

  “This is way better than the gas sta
tion shit I’m used to,” Ari says, pointing at the flute in her hand. “Now that I know what I’m serving to those VIPs at events, I’m a little bitter.”

  “I don’t get to drink this stuff when I’m working, either.” I tip my glass in her direction. “Let’s enjoy it while we can.”

  She looks at the door to the suite, and seeing that it’s closed, turns back to me.

  “So you told me you guys did it, but I want details. Did you get a Brazilian?”

  I cringe. “Yeah, but it was humiliating. Never again.”

  “Your vag ain’t nothin’ special to them, girl.” Ari waves a hand. “They wax pussies all day every day.”

  “Trust me, it was humiliating.”

  She arches her brows, curious. “Well, now I need to hear about it.”

  I sigh and glare at her. “Well, first of all, you didn’t tell me it’s called a Brazilian. You just said I needed to get everything waxed down there.”

  “So what?”

  “So I walked into the salon, in front of a waiting room full of customers, and announced that I needed to get my vagina waxed.”

  Ari howls with laughter, taking a break to say, “No, you didn’t say that!”

  “Oh yes, I did. People started laughing, Ari. And then the lady hands me a paper with their services listed, and I see that vagina waxing isn’t on there, and I about died.”

  “Well, it had to be all downhill from there.” She starts laughing again.

  “Um, no. The technician told me to cover myself with a washcloth, so I did, and then she came in there and just whipped it off!”

  “She can’t wax your junk if there’s a washcloth on it, girl.”

  “I know, but she didn’t warn me or anything.”

  “Oh, Lindy. This is why I love you.”

  I shake my head. “I can’t believe I paid someone ninety bucks to rip my pubic hair out. It hurt like hell.”

  “But…he liked it, right?”

  I smile at the memory. “He did.”

  “And did the cherry popping hurt worse than the waxing? What’s my man Victor working with down there?”

  I give her a playful shove. “We did the deed. I’ll leave it at that.”

  “Bullshit! I tell you everything about my sexual escapades.”

  “Yeah, and sometimes I wish you wouldn’t.”

  “Well, Douglas is surprisingly good in bed.”

  “Douglas?”

  “I met him on Match. Tinder got me feelin’ like a free hooker.”

  I nod, my glass already half empty. “And why doesn’t Douglas go by Doug? He sounds kind of uptight.”

  “Oh, he is uptight. He’s a lawyer. But he lets loose in the bedroom.”

  “Is he a good guy?”

  She shrugs. “I think he is. He hasn’t met Mateo, but he bought him a car bed and a bunch of toys for Christmas.”

  “Aw, he did?”

  Ari smiles. “Yeah. I like him.”

  “I like him, too.”

  She asks about my new job and catches me up on the latest with Bruce, which is that he’s still a blowhard. Then she makes me promise we’ll go order food and drinks from him during the game—and of course, complain about everything.

  When my dad and the guys show up, they’re uncharacteristically quiet. I think they’re all pretty blown away to be here.

  “Old Style can,” my dad tells the server for our box.

  “I’m sorry, sir, we don’t serve Old Style.”

  Dad gives him a look. “I’ll take whatever horse piss you do have, then.”

  There’s a pause. “Yes, sir.”

  When the lights and music signifying the start of the game come on, Don rushes over from the small buffet set up in our suite to his seat.

  “This is the way to watch hockey,” he says, sounding as impressed as I was when I watched my first game from beside Lily West.

  Victor and my dad have become fast friends. They’re already talking about tearing down the broken-down one stall garage that sits behind our house and building a new one during Victor’s offseason this spring.

  I told Victor there will probably be a lot of beer drinking for every little bit of work that my dad does, but he assured me he’s looking forward to it. I think he likes being around my dad as much as I do.

  “There he is!” Dad yells when Victor skates out and his name is called.

  Ari smiles at me, enjoying his enthusiasm as much as I am.

  As soon as the puck drops, the room goes silent. Everyone watches the game, Ari grumbling occasionally that the puck is moving too fast for her to see. Since starting my new job a couple weeks ago, I’ve gotten to watch nearly every home game from a VIP box. It’s the biggest perk of the job.

  Jonah picked up right where he left off when he returned, and he holds St. Louis scoreless for the first two periods. Unfortunately, the Blaze don’t score, either.

  My dad and the guys must like the “horse piss”, because they’re keeping out server busy just fetching the four of them beers. They’re all feeling jolly by the third period, when we all jump out of our seats as Victor assists Anton in scoring a goal. Well, all but Don. He kinda stumbles into the wall instead of jumping out of his seat. He’s definitely gonna need to sleep this night off tomorrow.

  Victor holds his stick in the air and looks up at our box, grinning. My stomach somersaults with happiness, which I’m pretty sure it will never stop doing when he looks at me. He celebrates with the team and we celebrate in the box with a round of shots.

  The game ends soon after, and I stand up. “It’ll be a while before Victor’s done. Do you guys want to come see where I work?”

  “Nah, I’d rather wait here for Victor,” Dad says.

  “If he has interviews, it might take an hour.”

  He shrugs. “We can keep drinking, though, right?”

  “I told him we’ll meet up with him at Lucky’s. You can drink there.”

  Don pipes in. “Yeah, but not for free.”

  “They’re not even serving beer anymore, you guys,” I say. “Let’s go.”

  “I’d kind of like to stay and watch the Zamboni,” Ari says.

  “The Zamboni?” I look around at all of them. “What’s with you guys?”

  “Zamboni. It just sounds hot, doesn’t it?” Ari waggles her brows. “I think it’s cause it has the word ‘bone’ in it.”

  I throw my hands in the air and sit back down, chalking the weirdness up to it being everyone’s first time in a VIP suite.

  The door opens then, and Victor walks into the room, wearing just his white hockey pants and a team t-shirt.

  “Hey,” I say, grinning and standing up. “What are you doing here?”

  A guy I don’t know walks into the room behind him. Instead of answering my question, Victor comes up to me and then gets down on one knee. His hair is still wet with sweat, dripping onto the floor as he looks up at me.

  I yelp and cover my mouth with my hands. If this is what it looks like, I think I may ruin it by throwing up. My dad passes Victor a small black box and he flips it open, holding my gaze.

  “Lindy, you’re my everything. I know it’s fast, but when you know, you know. And I know you’re the only one for me, for the rest of our lives. So…” He eyes me nervously. “will you marry me?”

  I finally let myself exhale, and as I do, streams of tears run down both sides of my face.

  “Yes. Of course, YES.”

  I look inside the box for the first time and see a glimmering round diamond solitaire. It’s enormous and beautiful. A fresh round of tears hits as Victor slides it onto my finger.

  “Holy shit, that’s as big as a hockey puck!” Ari cries.

  Apparently the guy behind Victor was there to take photos, and he continues capturing the happiest moment of my life as Victor wraps me into his arms and kisses me.

  There’s another round of cheering and shots passed around as everyone congratulates us.

  “He told us to keep you in the room,” Dad sa
ys, shrugging. “Ari’s pretty damn good at improvising.”

  Ari grins and Victor looks confused. I fill him in.

  "She feigned an interest in the Zamboni. I totally fell for it.”

  Victor’s gaze is warm as he holds my hand out to get a good look at the ring.

  “Perfect,” he murmurs.

  I smile up at him and we share one of those long, perfect moments where our happiness can’t be contained in words. It’s in the warmth of his touch and the gleam of his eyes. It’s in the beat of my heart, which isn’t erratic like it was the first night I met him, but steady.

  Steadiness is underrated when it comes to love. I’m not an actress or a model. I don’t turn heads as I walk down the street. But I’m quirky, loyal and loving. I’ll be Victor’s best friend and fiercest ally for the rest of our lives.

  And as he takes me into his arms and lifts my feet from the ground, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him, knowing he’ll be mine, too.

  Epilogue

  Five months later

  Lindy

  “I’m too pretty for manual labor,” Ari says, wiping a hand across her brow.

  “Sit down and take a rest, babe,” Douglas says.

  I roll my eyes at them. “You’ve only been working for like ten minutes, diva.”

  “Yeah, but that garage is hot.”

  “When we get all the boxes out, you can sit in the shade with me and help me go through stuff,” I offer.

  Dad and Victor are following through with their plan to tear down the old garage and build a new one. It’s Victor’s offseason, so he plans to come over every day until the project is done.

  Well, more like we plan to come over. I moved in with him two months after we got engaged. We’re getting married next month at Abby and Luca’s Hawaii getaway, and while I’m excited, I’m mostly chill.

  The hard part is over. Victor and I found each other and worked through my insecurities and his painful past. His past will never be fully behind us, but it doesn’t define him or us.

  Bryan agreed to a plea deal that guarantees he’ll be in prison for at least the next twenty years. An investigation found more victims. He’s a sick bastard. Victor will be speaking against him getting parole at every future hearing.