All Chapters of Hockey Obsessions: Bound by Ice : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Mila arrived early, the morning light filtering through the high windows, painting the ice in streaks of gold. She pulled her jacket tighter around her, clipboard pressed to her chest, scanning the notes she had made yesterday, replaying drills and minor observations. Luka’s presence stayed in her mind, his silent watchfulness from yesterday still pressing against her awareness like a shadow she couldn’t shake.The arena was quiet, but the calm didn’t fool her. Mila could already feel the shift—the players were tense, more alert, and Ryder’s influence hung in the air even though he wasn’t beside her. Her heartbeat picked up as she stepped onto the ice, boots crunching lightly. She liked mornings like this—when everything was still in place, and she had full control before the day’s chaos hit.Players started drifting in. Mila moved through them smoothly, checking gear, fixing setups, assigning drills. Her instructions were calm but firm, and everyone listened. Even the younger players

The sunlight streamed sharply through Mila’s blinds, highlighting every corner of her apartment. She woke slowly, still dazed from the intensity of last night. Ryder’s hands, his control, the heat between them—it all came rushing back. It thrilled her… and scared her a little. No one could ever know.Her body still felt the echo of his touch. Even lying in bed, she could feel the memory of his hands, the way he had guided her, claimed her space without saying a word. She shook slightly, trying to push the thoughts away, focusing instead on the tasks waiting for her today.Her phone buzzed once. A message from Ryder: “Breakfast after practice? I will wait.” Her heart jumped. His simple words carried heavy intent. She typed back quickly, keeping it casual: “See you at the rink.”She stared at the screen for a moment after sending it, the corners of her mouth lifting in a nervous half-smile. Her mind ticked over every detail from last night, wondering if Ryder would act the same in dayli

Mila’s POVThe bus felt… off.Mila noticed it the second she stepped on. Usually, the team settled quickly—music in someone’s headphones, low conversations, the occasional argument over nothing serious. Today, everything felt sharper, like people were paying attention to things they normally ignored.Seats filled fast like everyone had somewhere specific to be.Mila paused halfway down the aisle, adjusting her grip on her bag. Her eyes flicked across the rows, picking up small details—Ryder already seated, leaning back like he owned the space; Kai sitting a few seats ahead, calm but watchful; Luka across the aisle, still and observant; Jace hovering, clearly undecided but pretending he wasn’t.Yeah. This wasn’t random.“Looking for a seat?”Kai’s voice was calm, steady, like always. He didn’t move much, just shifted slightly to make space beside him.Before Mila

Mila’s POV By the next morning, Mila was done pretending nothing had changed. Because something had, and pretending otherwise would only make it worse. Everyone felt it, but no one had said it. Until now. The practice rink carried that same tension when she walked in. Conversations dipped just slightly when she passed. Movements slowed to register her presence. It wasn’t obvious unless you were paying attention. Mila was. Her grip tightened slightly around her clipboard as she stepped further in, her gaze moving across the ice automatically, reading the room the same way she read injuries. Kai was already there, running warm-ups without raising his voice. Everything about him was efficient. But even in that, his attention flicked toward her the moment she entered, quick and deliberate before returning to the team. Ryder was already moving,

Mila's POV Jace broke the silence first.“Okay, I’m officially famous. Someone asked me if I had a skincare routine.”She set her bag down, quietly as they stepped into the suite. “You don’t.”“I could,” he said. “I have potential.”“You have distractions.”“That’s harsh.”“It’s accurate.”He pointed at her like she’d just insulted his entire existence. “You’re meaner after the media.”“I’m realistic after the media.”Kai moved past them without reacting. He set his things down carefully, too carefully, like he was organizing more than just his bag. “Keep your phones away tonight,” he said. “No more checking comments.”“That sounds like control,” Jace said.“That sounds like prevention,” Kai corrected.Mila didn’t argue, because he wasn’t wrong. The last thing she needed was another video, another headline, another version of something she couldn’t control anymore.Across the room, Luka stood near the window again, watching the reflection instead of the view outside. It wasn’t subtle