CHAPTER 3

ANASTASIA

I was still taking a few shots when I suddenly heard the sound of someone skating on the ice.

I froze instantly when I saw a figure and immediately adjusted my focus toward the center of the rink.

A shot of that would look absolutely perfect, and the dim light only made it more easy to keep any identifications of the player as it blurred out the most important detail.

The player began to skate with an incredible speed and I couldn't help but smile at how perfect my shots were going to be.

But then, immediately a little light cast on his face, I recognized him immediately. Thiago Cruz.

Thiago was the thirty-year-old team captain of the New York Titans.

I watched him drop a puck on the ice and I couldn't stop myself from pressing the shutter button on my camera.

I had been taking so many few shots to notice the lights of my camera flashing so bright.

Ah! Habit!

But then I couldn't blame myself. I wasn't good at these peeking games.

‘Stupid! This isn't the case right now. You've gotten caught’

Because Thiago had instantly stopped skating as he turned his head, looking straight at the media room with a dark, angry glare.

Panic suddenly washed over me and I realized I'd be dead if I was caught.

I quickly pulled my camera away, my hands shaking as I tried to pack my gear back into the bag as fast as possible.

I reached for the zipper, but before I could even take a step further, the door of the media booth slammed open with a loud bang that made me jump.

Thaigo was standing right there looking down at me with total annoyance on his face.

He was tall and his black hair was combed back as sweat dripped from his forehead.

He locked his gaze on me as he stepped in.

"Who the hell are you, and why are you taking unauthorized photos of my private practice?" Thiago demanded, his voice was deep and filled with an intense anger.

Okay…rude.

I couldn't help but let out a silent scoff and folded my arms. I knew I'd gone out of line by invading his privacy but that was no way to talk to people, who I was sure he hadn't met before.

“I am a photographer and I was just taking some practice shots for my portfolio,” I stated firmly, glaring at him but he only scoffed, a sinister smirk on his lips.

He stepped even closer and I couldn't help but back away a little.

“Save that story when you get to the station. People like you are just so desperate,” He gritted his teeth while he spoke.

“Desperate?!” I scoffed angrily. Yes, I was desperate but that's because I need to save my career, definitely not the ‘desperate’ he was talking about.

“You don't have the right to be in this booth, and you certainly don't have permission to photograph me. Team privacy is strictly enforced in this facility, and we are in the middle of a championship run.” He looked down at my camera and scoffed, his eyes narrowed with deep suspicion. "You are definitely a media spy trying to leak our strategies to the sports blogs? Who sent you here?"

That was it, I wasn't going to stand here while he accused me falsely of trying to leak out something.

A quick flashback of my recent workplace accusation hit me but I tried staying calm.

“See, listen. I'm not desperate and I'm definitely not a spy!” I retorted.

“I don't care about your strategies, and I don't work for any sports blogs. I was just using the space to take a few shots and you have no right to accuse me of stealing your information when you definitely have no evidence!” I snapped.

Thiago leaned in slightly while I pulled back, his eyes on my face before snapping back to my eyes. “I do have every right when it comes to my team,” He said and reached out, grabbing my camera before I could even blink.

“Give that back!”

Before he could make any move, someone immediately rushed into the booth—Kier.

His face was flushed with annoyance and I let out a ragged breath knowing I'd definitely be getting long minutes of lectures.

He looked at Thiago, and his eyes widened in shock when he guessed what was going on.

He quickly jumped between us, putting his board back to me and placing both of his hands on Thiago's chest to hold him back.

"Thiago, wait, stop," Kier said quickly, trying to calm him down before the argument got any worse. "This is Anastasia. She is my little sister."

Thiago stopped moving for a second, but his cold expression didn't seem to soften even a little as he stared at me with deep annoyance while I glared back at him.

“Your sister?” He asked, half surprised and half still annoyed. “You know the rules about letting outsiders into the private areas of the arena.”

“Yes I know,” Kier muttered and gs turned around to give me a furious look. “I clearly told her to wait in the lobby and go to my apartment but then I found her suitcases hidden behind the flower display.”

“I needed to practice,” I said, looking past my brother to glare at Thiago, while I snatched my camera bag from him. “And I didn't think it would be a crime to take a picture of an empty rink.”

"It is a crime when I am on the ice," Thiago said, and his voice was cold and entirely dismissive, but his eyes remained firmly fixed on me. He stepped back, shaking his head as he looked at Kier. "I don't care who she is, Kier. Get her out of this place immediately before I call security and have her removed permanently."

"She's leaving right now," Kier promised, and he grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the exit.

Thiago gave me one last irritated look, before turning away.