Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

DARIO

With Gemma's eyes on me, I've been practicing with a semi-hard cock. The cup pinch will leave marks. I'll let my girlfriend kiss it better. I wince because these thoughts don't help my situation. At the end of the workout, I think, fuck it, and skate in Gemma's direction. When she sees me approaching, her face breaks into a wide grin and her eyes sparkle with joy. I look into my girl's eyes, and it takes my breath away.

I'm six inches taller in my skates, so Gemma looks even smaller as I approach. She approaches the edge of the ice. I grab her hips and lift her up. "Wrap around me, baby." The moment the words leave my mouth, I capture her lips in a kiss with every bit of my heart behind it. Gemma eagerly accepts my kiss, her fingers tangling in my hair. The sound of my skates gliding across the ice is the only thing that breaks the silence between us, but it's beautiful. I smile as I skate with her. "Hi, babe."

"That move was hot, Dario." Her hands grab my face, and she holds me still as her mouth captures mine. I pull her closer, feeling the fire rise between us. Gemma's laughter fills the air, until one of my idiot friends' interrupts.

"Get a room!" Bradford follows with a wolf whistle.

I laugh as Gemma buries her face in my sweaty neck. "Babe, you don't want to do that. I need a shower."

She moans loudly and deeply. "I love you all sweaty."

"You're killing me." I hold her and skate back to where I left Dodge. The guy does not seem pleased.

He raises a brow as I help Gemma to her feet, but he remains silent. I kiss Gemma's forehead. "I have to go…I don't want to."

"I know, but you know I'll be safe with Dodge and Levi." She reaches up and pulls me down for another kiss before whispering, "Be careful, okay?"

I nod and take a deep breath and go to where I left my skate guards. Slipping them on, I look around the rink, but Gemma is already gone.

As we walk out onto the ice, the crowd is buzzing with excitement. Tonight's game will be tough after last night's fight. My ribs still ache, as do the scrapes on my palms. My knees only hurt a little. I won't let anything bother me.

Gemma is in the arena tonight, along with Juniper, Willow, and Rosie. Despite Gemma's objections, the girls insisted on joining her. I even spoke to their other halves, Lake, Nikoli, and Rhodes. They were unhappy, but they understood their partners' desire to be there for Gemma. She wasn't just a team member anymore; she was family. I got it. Gemma got it. I suspected she was secretly happy to be considered family by my teammates. We both wished the circumstances were different.

I let out a breath and told myself to stop worrying. I have a game to play well. As I take my place as center forward, I focus on the ice. As the puck is dropped, the crowd roars. I take control.

A bang echoes around the arena. I stop playing in the middle. Was that a gunshot? The crowd begins to scream and rush to the nearest exit. Gemma! I fear for her and scan the crowd for her familiar face. My heart races as I fly across the ice to where she's sitting. My teammates are with me as we cross the barrier. We push through the commotion, desperate to find our girls.

Dodge is the first one I see, followed by Levi.

As they approach, all four girls are huddled together. "Take cover," he shouts.

The second Gemma approaches, I grab her and take her behind the barrier, out of sight. My heart races as my hands run over her. "I'm okay." Her eyes wander behind me.

I turn to see that Madden has followed us to grab the girls. He is currently holding one girl in his lap as they take cover. I don't recognize her. I drop to my butt and pull Gemma into my lap, wrapping my arms around her. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No." She bursts into tears and buries her face in my neck. "The bullet grazed the girl Madden's holding. She got hurt because of me."

"She got hurt because of a madman. Not because of you." I close my eyes and hold her close.

There isn't a second shot, so does that mean the person was apprehended or that he fled after the first shot? My eyes fall on Dodge, who is on the phone. I catch his eye. He nods discreetly to indicate that the situation is under control. I feel a wave of relief wash over me as I continue to hold Gemma in my arms.

"They got him, Gemma," Dodge yells. "He's not going anywhere."

Thank God. "What about Theresa?"

Dodge makes a face and shakes his head. "We need to get everyone back to the hotel and get the girl some medical attention."

"Tessa George," Madden announces. The woman pushes against my friend as he holds some‐ thing to her face. "Is it safe to move? I want to find the paramedics," he says.

I grimace as I watch Madden, noticing the tension in his words. Gemma rises from my lap and reaches out for me. She pulls me up and quickly wraps her arms around my waist. "It's over," she says, stepping back.

Lake keeps his hand on Juniper's stomach as he holds her tight. Nikoli is kissing Willow. Rhodes has Rosie wrapped around him.

I keep Gemma with me, but I go to help Madden get to his feet because he won't let go of the girl—Tessa. His face is devoid of humor as he cradles her. She does not seem to want to move either. Here we go again, I think.

Gemma slides her hand into mine, drawing my gaze back around. I glance over her head at Dodge. The man finishes talking to the cops and approaches. "It's safe to go to the locker room. Levi and I will escort the girls back to the hotel. We'll stay in one room, so I'll text you when we get there and let you know which room we're in."

"Can't we keep the girls with us?" I ask, not wanting Gemma to leave my sight.

"There are too many variables. They'll be safe." Dodge stares at Madden, who is now sitting in one of the seats, while a paramedic examines Tessa, who is still in his lap.

Gemma nestles against my chest. "I don't like going back without you, but I'll be fine." She gives me a warm smile. "Go get changed and find out what's going on with the canceled game tonight." She brushes her lips against mine.

I run a hand through my hair and sigh, under‐ standing that this is what will happen. "Okay. Don't go anywhere without Dodge." I whisper in her ear. "Promise me, Gemma."

"I promise." With one last hug, she grabs Juniper's hand, and the girls move off, with cops for an escort out of the arena.