“We can. We will. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow or in a year, but one day, we will.”

She chewed on her lip as she let out a breath. “I love my family and I want to see them, but I’m scared you won’t because of her.”

“No,” he said, reaching out and taking her hands in his. “I want to be where you are. And if you want to see your family, I’m there. We’ll work it out.” She nodded and he smiled. “And I know you don’t want anything to do with my family, and I understand that. I will stand by you, but I want to give them another chance.”

“Which is fine with me,” she answered with a nod. “I just want you to be happy.”

“Me too. But we have to be honest with each other.”

“You’re right,” she said, her eyes wide and full of hope. “I’m scared shitless, Markus. I love you so much.”

His heart shattered in his chest and then put itself back together as he nodded, taking her in his arms and holding her close. She tipped her head up, and he pressed his nose to hers. “I am too, but I can’t lose you. Not again. You’re my best friend, my soul mate, my laugh, my smile, my heart, fuck, Mekena, my everything. I know we rushed this time, we jumped in heart-first, but damn it, I love you. I will do everything and anything to make this work.”

Her eyes clouding with tears, she nodded, her face pressed against his as she whispered, “Me too.”

And as their mouths crashed together, he decided therapy was great and it worked, but Mekena was the only thing that would help him get through it all.

Through this crazy thing called life.

Running his hands along his face and catching the sweat that was already rushing down his jaw, Markus sucked in a deep breath and looked around. All the guys were standing around, high-fiving and getting each other pumped for the game. Everyone was all smiles, excited to be back together after some of the guys had gone off to the Worlds. Jayden was being his normal, team-leader self, pumping everyone up and telling Odder that he was going to kill it.

Meanwhile, Markus was having a mini panic attack.

It was his first game.

His first NHL game.

Holy. Shit.

And his girdle was too tight. Fuck, he should loosen it, but he didn’t have time.

“You look like you’re about to shit yourself.”

Looking over at Vaughn, Markus nodded. “I think I already did, but my girdle is so tight, I can’t check.”

“Then loosen it!” he said as the roar of the crowd leaked into the hall where everyone was standing, rocking back and forth as they joked around. Nodding like an idiot, Markus dropped his stick and loosened his girdle the best he could with his shaky hands. Vaughn scoffed before saying, “Don’t worry man, you’ll do great. You’ve been murdering in practice.”

“Thanks,” he managed, but he hadn’t realized how much he had riding on this game.

Mekena had done her part. She was in, she was going to travel with the team, she was getting paid great, and she was excited. Markus, on the other hand, was freaking the fuck out. He had been fine the last couple days, but when he started to lace up his skates, it all began to dawn on him. The importance of this moment. If he wanted to be included in the apartment Mekena had selected the day before in the middle of the Gulch with a beautiful view of Nashville through nothing but glass windows, then he better get his shit together and kick ass in this game. He had to get signed. He wanted to start a life with her in the apartment that cost more a month than he had in his bank account, so really, there was no choice. He had to prove they should renew his contract with the Assassins.

When a slap came against his shoulder, he glanced up to see Lucas Brooks looking at him, a grin pulling at his lips. “I remember my first NHL game.”

Anderson scoffed with a gleam in his eye. “You can remember back that far? Wasn’t that the fifties?”

“No, twenties,” Titov said with a laugh.

“Actually, I think 1910,” Odder said, his English broken, but Markus understood him just fine.

Lucas didn’t laugh, though, he just ignored them, his eyes on Markus.

“As I was saying, I remember throwing up for hours in my helmet. So there’s that, and they replace them pretty quickly with new ones. But after a bit, you start getting the same one ’cause they can’t clean them out fast enough, and then you smell.”

“Oh, wow, thanks,” Markus somehow got out as Lucas grinned big before smacking him again just as the horn sounded, indicating the start of the pregame.

Markus swore he turned green.

With a loud whoop, Jayden said, “All right, boys! Let’s do this!”

When he started for the tunnel, Markus rushed to catch up since he was supposed to be behind Jayden, or maybe he was supposed to be behind Anderson. Shit! He should have paid attention. Soon he just fell into the line, and as he hit the ice, he heard it.

His name.

“And on defense, number 76, Markus Reeves.”

He was surprised he didn’t fall over at the roar of applause that followed his name, welcoming him to Nashville Assassins’ ice. When Jayden grinned back at him, Markus still felt like he was going to puke, but he was grinning. Big-time.

He had waited his whole life to get here.

As he lined up beside Jayden and Anderson, he looked around the arena. The place was sold out, welcoming the Assassins back after the long break for Worlds. He couldn’t see anyone he knew, but he knew his parents, River, Autumn, and Baylor were there. When he looked to where Mekena said her assigned spot was, he found her with her hand on her heart as she sang along to the national anthem. She wore her camera around her neck, and he was bummed that the Assassins camera strap he had ordered for her hadn’t come in before her first game. He had been really excited about it, but man, she looked good standing there, excitement pouring off her.

When she glanced back at him, he winked, and she smiled as she shook her head. She must have known he was trying to look cooler than he felt because soon she was laughing her butt off, before lifting her camera and taking a shot. When the lady finished singing, he put his helmet on and glared playfully at her as she mouthed, “Don’t puke.”

Sending her a dry look, he said, “Well, duh.”

Still giggling, she threw him a thumbs-up before blowing him a kiss. A sense of ease fell over him. He had wanted this for so long. Why was he freaking out? This was his moment to shine. To kick ass not only for the boys he was playing with but for that beautiful girl he loved. He wouldn’t ruin this. No, he’d own this moment.