Mag-log inLiam stood frozen in the middle of the hotel bathroom, heart hammering so loudly he was sure Raphael could hear it over the running water.“You’re going to help me shower?!” His voice cracked embarrassingly high. “No. No way. I’ll figure it out. I can—”Raphael leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, that infuriatingly calm smirk playing on his lips. “Pretty boy, you can barely lift your good arm without wincing. How exactly do you plan on washing your hair or your back?”Liam opened his mouth. Closed it. The reality of his situation hit him like a slapshot.“Fine,” he grumbled, face already burning. “But… the shower might be tricky with the sling. Water could get in.”Raphael glanced at the large corner bathtub. “Then we use the tub. You can rest your arm on the edge and keep it dry. Problem solved.”Liam’s brain short-circuited. A bathtub. With Raphael. This was getting worse by the second.Raphael didn’t wait for more protests. He turned on the faucet, adjusting the temperature
Liam sat on the edge of the examination table in the arena’s medical room, staring down at the black sling now secured around his right arm. The doctor had just finished the painful reduction and wrapped everything up with clear instructions: rest, ice, physical therapy, and absolutely no contact for at least a week. The victory high that had briefly filled the room had already faded into something heavier.They had won. They should be celebrating.Instead, the mood in the medical room and the hallway outside was subdued. A few teammates lingered near the door, shifting awkwardly.Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. “We can skip the celebration tonight, Cap. Doesn’t feel right partying while you’re sitting here like this.”Big Mike nodded. “Yeah, man. We can just head back to the hotel and chill. You took that hit for the team.”Liam immediately shook his head, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No. Absolutely not. You guys earned this win. Go celebrate. I’m fine. It’s
Liam stepped out of the penalty box with his jaw locked tight, the five-minute penalty box feeling like an eternity. The arena noise crashed over him like a wave — cheers, boos, and the sharp scrape of skates on ice. His knuckles were raw and swollen from the brawl, and his right arm throbbed from an earlier hit he’d ignored.The scoreboard read 2-1 in favor of the Wolves. Good. They’d held the lead while he was gone.He skated back to the rink, where Raphael was already waiting, eyes sharp with concern. Their gazes met for a brief second. Raphael gave him a small nod — silent gratitude mixed with something heavier. Liam looked away quickly, afraid of what he might see in those dark eyes.“Welcome back, Cap!” Marcus shouted, slapping his shoulder. “We held ‘em. Let’s finish this.”The game resumed with ferocious intensity. The Shadow Reapers were angry, playing even dirtier now. Every shift felt like walking through fire. Liam threw himself into the play, skating harder than he had al
Fire on iceLiam won the face-off cleanly, sweeping the puck back to his defenseman. The crowd roared as the Frostbite Wolves pushed forward into the offensive zone. Adrenaline flooded Liam’s system, sharp and clarifying, but underneath it was a storm of everything else — the kiss from last night, waking up tangled in Raphael’s arms this morning.Focus Liam! You're on the fucking ice right now!For the first few shifts, the Wolves looked strong. Liam skated hard, shoulders squared, stick active. Raphael was everywhere — fast, precise, reading the ice like he’d been born on it. They moved well together, instinctively. A quick pass here, a solid board battle there. The chemistry was undeniable.But the Shadow Reapers came out swinging.They were physical right from the start, throwing big hits and chirping constantly. The scarred defenseman — the one who had taunted Raphael before the drop — was especially vicious.On a rush early in the first period, Raphael carried the puck across the
Liam’s entire body went rigid the second Raphael’s sleepy, amused voice cut through the morning quiet.“You keep coming back to me, pretty boy.”The words landed like a body check he wasn’t prepared for. Liam’s heart slammed against his ribs so hard it hurt. He was still tangled up with Raphael — face pressed to his bare chest, arm wrapped around his waist, one leg slotted between Raphael’s stronger ones. Their skin was warm from sleep, slightly sticky from the residual heat of the previous night’s tension. Raphael’s arm rested heavily across his back, holding him there in a way that felt far too natural.Liam jerked back violently, nearly falling off the edge of the bed in his haste. The pathetic remnants of the pillow wall scattered across the sheets. He scrambled upright, grabbing the nearest blanket and clutching it in front of himself like a shield, even though they were both still wearing clothes.“I— fuck— I didn’t—” His voice came out hoarse and cracked. He couldn’t even finis
His lips still remembered the warmth and pressure of Raphael's lips, but his mind refused to fully process or accept the reality.What the hell did I just do? The question echoed through his thoughts like a accusation he could not escape."I..." His voice splintered on the single syllable, cracking under the weight of everything crashing down around him. "I didn't..."He could not even finish the sentence, the words dying in his throat before they could fully form. Instead, he started pacing the room with restless, agitated steps. One step toward the window, where the city lights outside blurred into meaningless streaks. Then a sharp turn. Back toward the bed. Again and again, each lap growing more frantic. His breathing grew shallower with every turn, his fingers repeatedly dragging through his still-damp hair until it stood up in every wild direction, a chaotic reflection of the turmoil inside him."Why?" he muttered under his breath, the word barely audible. "Why did I kiss you
Raphael’s voice dropped to a rough, intimate whisper, his breath hot against Liam’s ear. “Go on, Captain. Tell me how much you hate this…”Before Liam could snarl a reply, Raphael’s lips pressed against the shell of his ear. His wet tongue flicked teasingly over the sensitive lobe slowly, sending
The bass thumped through the walls of The Icehouse, the team’s favorite upscale club downtown. Neon blue and white lights pulsed across the crowded dance floor, reflecting off glass tables and mirrored columns like shards of ice. The Wolves had reserved the entire VIP section — bottle service flowi
The arena lights hummed overhead as the team took the ice for morning practice. The cold air bit at Liam’s exposed skin, but he welcomed it. it sharpened his focus. He skated out first, stick tapping against the ice, calling out positions for the warm-up drills. Captain’s job. Always had been.Raph
Liam’s eyes snapped open at 4:07 AM, the same time his internal alarm had gone off for years. The room was still dark, the city outside the window quiet except for the occasional distant hum of traffic. He lay there for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling, before the weight of the new realit







