Epilogue

Ivy, One Month Later

The knock at the front door has me frowning as I close the computer and glance at the clock above the microwave.

It’s too soon for Evie and Knox to be home, the former at dance and the latter watching Evie dancing her heart out as she learns her new tap routine.

Dinner is simmering on the stove—a simple vegetable soup that I’ve paired with some chicken breasts. We’ll have hot chocolate for dessert because Nova’s finally taught me all of her secrets and Evie and I are thoroughly addicted.

And speaking of Nova, she and Lake are down in the Bay Area, scouting out locations for their wedding.

Their shotgun wedding.

I grin as the knock comes again.

Ella then, stopping by because she’s bored.

Maybe with Jolie, who does my neighbor’s hair, apparently, and is the reason the guys and Ella sussed out that things were heating up with Knox and me.

Not that I mind the nosiness—nor the gossip, since I know it comes from a good place.

From love and concern and…

Those dang Adlers wanting to be involved in everything.

Knock. Knock. Knock!

“Right,” I whisper. “Focus.”

I turn for the front door, making a pitstop to turn down the soup, and hurry down the hall, whipping the wooden panel open.

My first mistake was not looking through the sidelight to see who’s standing on my porch.

The second is not slamming the door immediately in Travis Hiller’s face.

Instead, my mouth drops open and my fingers spasm on the wood and I don’t move.

Which leaves time for him to move.

He steps forward, hand outstretched and?—

“You little bitch,” he growls. “Do you know what you’ve done to me?”

I snap out of my shock, shove his hand away. “Don’t touch me!”

He stills for a moment, probably shocked that I’m not just standing here, letting him do what he wants to me.

But I’ve learned.

I’ve grown.

I’ve found my place and fuck all if I’m going to let this asshole ruin it.

“Do you understand what you’ve ruined?” he growls, stepping close enough that I can smell the liquor on his breath.

Something inside me snaps.

Maybe my control.

Maybe my temper.

Maybe all of that pent-up female rage.

“Do you understand what you did to me?” I take a step toward him and his eyes go wide.

Yeah, definitely that pent-up female rage is making an appearance.

“All my life the men in my life have hurt me,” I growl, moving forward as he skitters back a step. “ All my life they have abused and yelled and made me feel like I’m not valuable, not worthy of respect and love.”

“I—”

“But know what?” I take another step toward him, watch with no little amount of satisfaction as he stumbles down the porch stairs. “You are just the latest in a long line of assholes.”

“Well, you’re?—”

“And you know what else I’ve learned?”

I don’t give him the chance to answer, just close the distance between us and shove him.

Hard.

He’s drunk and angry, but he is absolutely no match for my St. Patrick’s Day decorations?—

Including my leprechaun-themed gnome.

With a sparkling green bow tie, and a sparkling orange beard, and a pot of—yup, you guessed it—sparkling gold… gold.

He catches his heel on the gnome, slips on a patch of last-season ice and?—

Slams into the driveway.

“Woof!”

My temper fades in an instant and I whip around to see Snowball and Winter running through the door. I manage to snatch Snowball as she tries to run by me, but Winter scoots under my arm and hauls ass toward Hiller.

She growls and leaps at him.

“Ow!” he yells, reaching for Winter.

Who yelps.

I snap into motion, but not before…

I stop, skidding on that patch of ice and Evie appears out of nowhere.

She sprints toward Hiller, her flowy tutu flying behind her like a cape. “Don’t you hurt Winter!” she yells, kicking him in the side hard enough to make him grunt and release Winter. “And don’t you hurt my mom!” she yells even louder as she scoops up the pooch and kicks him again.

Hiller’s eyes flash and true fear slides through me.

But even as I reach them, Knox is already there.

“Please give me a reason,” he says quietly.

But like most bullies when presented with someone stronger than them, Hiller wilts like a two-week-old rose.

He lifts his hands. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“Right,” Knox mutters dryly as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone.

When Hiller realizes who he’s calling—the police—he tries to get up.

Knox just plants a boot into the center of his chest. “Stay,” he growls before his eyes flick to mine.

I nod. “I’m okay.”

His stare drags over me, head to toe then back up in careful examination. He nods slightly when our eyes meet again, as though silently agreeing with that statement. “Take everyone inside?” he says gently.

I nod again then bustle Evie and the critters inside, a good thing considering that Snowball is scratching the crap out of me.

By the time I get them into the house—and reassure Evie, giving her a hug and telling her how proud I am of her (and also to please—freaking please —never put herself in that position again), several cop cars have pulled up out front.

“Stay here,” I order.

“Aw, Mom!” Evie complains.

Do I bribe her with an ice cream sandwich because I know it’ll keep her busy and seated and inside ? I sure as hell do. But I’m just as intent on finding out what’s happening as she is, and desperate parenting times call for desperate measures.

I slip outside and Knox is immediately breaking off from the police officer he’s speaking to, crossing to me and cupping my face in my hands. “You’re really okay?”

“I didn’t freeze.” A shake of my head. “Well, I did. But only for a moment. Then I—” I cover his hands with my own. “I stood up for myself.”

The barest sliver of amusement slides through his eyes. “I saw him eat shit on the driveway. That was your doing?”

“Yeah.”

He shifts, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

“And Evie?—”

That lightness in his eyes flits away. “I’m sorry, lioness. I told her to stay in the car, but she sprinted out of there so fast that I couldn’t stop her.”

“Aw, honey.” I step closer. “You know she’s an unstoppable force like all of you Adlers.”

“She’s mine,” he growls. “ You’re mine.”

Not missing that he’s trembling, I press closer. “Yes, we are. We’re yours and we’re fine. Everyone’s fine.”

“You’re moving in with me.”

My heart skips a beat.

But I don’t argue.

“Okay.”

“I have a security system and I’m in the gated community. He can’t get to you and?—”

“Knox, honey, I said okay.”

He freezes. “O-okay?”

I settle my hand on his chest, feel his heart pounding beneath it. “I love you. We’re a family. And I’m tired of living in two houses.” My mouth tips up. “Plus, you have more storage for glitter.”

His exhale is shaky, and when he rests his forehead against mine, I don’t miss that he’s still trembling.

“Think Evie will be okay with it?”

And I know if I say no, he’ll drop the entire conversation.

Because he loves me, loves Evie, and wants what’s best for us.

“I think she will absolutely love to decorate another more in as must pink and glitter as she can muster.”

He shudders but finally smiles a real smile. “I’ll buy stock in sunglasses today.”

I chuckle.

He runs the backs of his knuckles over my cheek. “Winter’s okay too?”

“Yeah. She and Snowball are both fine—and I’m buying them both some serious treats for wanting to stick up for me.”

“Damn right we are.”

God, I love this man.

“Mr. and Mrs. Adler?”

My heart leaps again as we turn to the police officer.

Not because the assumption is terrifying…

But because it sounds right.

And, as we go over to make our statements, I know I now have another thing to plot with Ella.

Because I’m going to put a ring on it.

And I’m going to do it soon.

Joey

I’m sitting in my office and wondering how in the fuck I got here.

I mean, I know how I got the head coaching job for the Sierra—same as I know that part of me will never be satisfied with how it was bestowed upon me.

I didn’t earn it.

Not wholly.

I’m the consolation prize, the diversity hire.

Or, at least, that’s what the sports bloggers are saying.

Sighing, I settle back in my chair—or what has officially become my chair over the last days—and try to get my head together.

Tonight is my official first game as the head coach of the Sierra.

And I’m the first woman to ever get here.

And I need to make it count.

And I?—

There’s a perfunctory knock before the door opens and…

My lungs hitch.

Damon walks in.

Tall, grumpy, sexy as hell, and built like a male model, the man is temptation personified.

I’ve wanted him from the first moment I laid eyes on him.

Which was approximately one second before I came to terms with the fact that I could never have him.

Not just because he’s my boss?—

But also because he’s untouchable.

The fallen hero who’s clawed his way from the shadows back into the light. The avenging…not angel, because he’s far from that, but the antihero with a savior complex and a moral code that’s known only to him.

He’s everything I lust after.

In fact, he’s so perfect for me that it’s like the universe peeped into my Kindle reading history and rendered a man from between the pages.

“You good?” he asks quietly, stepping close enough for me to see the scar crisscrossing his right eyebrow, the flecks of gold in his blue eyes.

I grab my tablet, loaded with everything I can possibly need to coach effectively tonight, and stand. “I’m good,” I say as I move to the door—which, invariably, brings me closer to him.

His spicy male scent in my nose.

The heat that radiates from his body scorching my skin.

Those intent eyes fixed on me.

My fingers go limp and I drop the tablet.

“Joey,” he mutters, bending with me, reaching for the tablet before I can grab it. He lifts it, presses it into my hands. “You’re going to be fine.”

“I know I am,” I lie.

Because I have to lie.

I have the job. The weight of female representation already sits on my shoulders.

And the arena’s full of fans—I can already hear the sounds of the crowd, even from our position in the depths of the arena.

I straighten then lift my chin, turn to go.

But the moment I reach for the handle, he’s in front of me, those blue eyes blazing. “You know I wouldn’t have hired you if I didn’t think you were up for it.”

I don’t know that.

I mean, I do .

But I don’t and?—

“Joey,” he says, settling his hands on my shoulders, crouching a little to hold my gaze. “You’re up for this.”

My heart—it can’t take this.

Grumpy, bordering on the edge of asshole Damon, I can deal with.

Sexy, brooding, taciturn Damon, I can handle.

But sweet Damon with the encouraging words?

Nope.

This isn’t good at all.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that I was in lust with him…in this moment, I fall a little in love with him.

And I know he sees it.

Because he steps back as if he’s been burned.

“Joey.”

It’s a cold rebuke.

“I need to get on the ice,” I mutter, shoving by him, reaching for the handle. My fingers close around the cool metal when his words reach my ears.

“This can’t be, you know that.”

I turn the knob. “I know that.”

“For a hundred reasons.”

Gee, thanks.

“I know that too,” I say aloud, pulling the door open.

“It can’t be.”

I glance at him over my shoulder. “Damon,” I say quietly. “I’m well aware of every obstacle that stands in my way”—I hold his stare—“including you?—”

He opens his mouth but I don’t let him speak.

“—so just shut the fuck up and let me do my job.”

Blue eyes spark with fury, kissable lips press flat, his ever-present frown deepens.

“Joey,” he begins.

I do the only sensible thing I can?—

I walk away.

But when I glance back at him before I turn the corner…

The look on his face has me falling even deeper.

Thank you for reading Knox and Ivy’s! These two—and Evie hold a special place in my heart, so I hope you enjoyed! And check out the next book in the Sierra Hockey series, ON THE FLY . He’s grumpy and untouchable…until he falls for me.