Ice Bound Hearts A fake dating, hockey sports romance book1 of The Austin Ice

Chapter 64

Alex

"Hey, don't look so worried, so what if they're on to us. Who cares."

"I care that's why; the contract stipulates that Ruben gets the money too." She looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights, her eyes large and concerned. I take her hand and give it a squeeze to reassure her, but all it does it make me warm from her touch.

I lead her to the VIP room where Levy and Coach will be waiting for us and knock on the green door. "Come in," I hear Levy's voice. I open the door and step aside for Madi to go first, after all I may be a lot of things, and not a lot of things, but a gentleman I am. I follow her to find Levy and coach sitting behind a glass table, on the walls hang framed posters of hockey players past and present from Montreal. All greats.

"Thanks for coming in Alex and Madi. Take a seat," coach says and gestures to the two chairs in front of the table. We sit. "The reason we wanted to see you both today is good news, your ratings have gone up, your followers have gone up and right now everybody is loving you. It seems that Madison here has done a fantastic job at pretending to be your girlfriend, for which we are extremely grateful." He pauses and takes a sip of water from a plastic sports bottle. I shift in my chair wondering where the hell this is leading. Madi crosses one leg over the other and folds her arms in front of her chest, I want to pull her to me, hell I want to get the hell out of here and take her straight to bed, then dinner then back to bed.

"What Coach means," Levy says as he clasps his hands in front of him, "is that we don't really need Madi anymore." She almost has a coughing fit.

"We have a contract," she squeals whilst my heart does some kind of weird flip thing, not need Madi, what the fuck do they mean? I need Madi, I've only just got to know her better, we've only just started dating for real, we have five damn months left before she has to go anywhere.

"You do have a contract and we will still honor the payment to both you and Ruben's firm. No questions asked, you've done a fantastic job of looking after our guy here and we are extremely grateful. It was only ever going to be temporary. We never expected for it to work as well as it has done so Madison you are free to go whenever you like." What? I don't want her to go. We both look at each other, her face is hiding any emotion unless of course, she doesn't feel quite the same way as I do.

"Don't you think we should continue for at least a while longer, coach, Levy?" I ask, fuck I'm grappling here I know I am. The last thing I want is for Madi to leave me and have to go back to Austin and what about Belle, I've come to love that little pooch.

"Not necessary, and we don't want you two to actually catch any feelings for each other." Ah, so there you go, he's hit the nail on the head. I wondered if they were onto us.

"And exactly why not? What would the problem be if we did? Not that we have." I lie. Oh, God now I'm lying to my coach and my manager.

"Because Alex you do not need any distractions. That is why. You've already been late to practice a few times and you're the captain of the team, you need to be on time."

"Damned if I do and damned if I don't, right?" It's my turn to fold my arms defensively over my chest now. Madi's eyes narrow.

"To clarify, what you're saying is that you want me to hop on a plane and go back where I came from. Correct?" Nice one Madi, direct, to the point no fucking about. That's my girl. She cocks her head. Coach and Levy shift uncomfortably in their chairs.

"Yes, that's correct, it's time for Alex to make out that there has been a breakup and to focus back on his game."

I want to punch Levy in the jaw right now, instead I refrain. "I am focused, I just won you the entry into the play offs."

"Just," coach says and sighs.

"First you want me to have a girlfriend and now you don't. What you think I'll be wholesome if Madi leaves all of a sudden?" That causes Madi to give me a glare. Of course I'll be wholesome, she's the only woman on this planet I want to be with, but they don't know that.

"Put it this way, Son," Levy says, and I really hate it when he calls me Son, the way he says it, it's condescending. "We pay you and we own you, like it or not. You may be some super shot hockey player and we aren't going to deny it, you are the best out there right now. But you are going to tow the line here and do as we say. Madison thank you so much for sorting our issues out with Alex, we have spoken to our lawyers and are within our contractual rights to terminate early providing we make good on the payment. There is a clause in the contract to stipulate that if either party ends the term early then they will default on the payment agreed." Madison's chest rises and falls.

"We got it. Thanks. See you back in Aspen. Madi, let's get out of here. I'm done listening to their bullshit for one day." I stand and reach out for Madi's hand. She takes it and says nothing, she looks stunned but follows me out of the door.

I am as mad as hell as I walk down the corridor then stop and turn to punch a door. Fuck, that hurt my hand I must be losing my touch. "Don't do that it won't solve anything, Alex." Her voice is low. I can see her bottom lip tremble.

"I hate this, Madi." I rake my hand through my hair and reach for the back of her head and pull her mouth to mine and kiss her with longing and passion. She kisses me back, fisting my jersey in her hands. When we're done and pull away, I move her forehead to mine. "This fucking sucks."

"Yep, I don't want to leave you not right now. I just can't."

I know what she means. "Let's fly off somewhere just you and me. We can go anywhere, name a place we'll fly now, right now. I'll hire a plane we can buy clothes wherever we go." Her eyes have tears in them.

"Alex that isn't going to solve anything, you have another game to play tomorrow night. You have to be on a plane first thing in the morning."

"Fuck it, fuck the game. I'd give it all up if I can be with you, Madi. I am not losing you now, Petal." I think my voice broke because all of a sudden it sounds hoarse from the lump lodged there.

"Let's just go home, hire the plane and take us back to your place, you can still get on a flight to meet the team tomorrow. There is no way on earth that I am going to let you throw your amazing career away because of me, Alex. No fucking way, you would end up resenting me in the future. Besides, Austin isn't that far away we could long distance it for a while, I can still come to your games. They can't stop me from being a spectator and we can still see each other. You know, privately all cloak and dagger stuff." I see a faint smile on her beautiful, full lips.

"Long-distance sucks, Madi and with my schedule it'll be tough."

"I know but what else can we do? We were only going to see each other for the next few months anyway until I had to go back to Austin."

"Besides the point, things have changed. I'm in love with you, Petal. Hook, line and sinker. You own my heart; you've ruined me for all the other women out there."

"We have no choice, it's this or nothing." Fuck, I can't take nothing. Nothing is not an option, I want this beautiful woman in front of me, I want to be by her side every day, I like waking up with her in my bed, her warm body pressed up against me, her hair splayed all over my pillows.

I exhale, "I'll take whatever I can get with you, Petal. If long-distance is what we have to do, then that's what we have to do. But I am never letting you go." She stands on her tiptoes to reach her arms around my neck, I feel her soft breasts pushing up against my hard chest.

"We can do this, Alex, we've got this." Fuck, I hope she's right.