36. Epilogue

The crowd is going wild as the score is tied at four all with only a few minutes to go. Nova is screaming orders across the ice like a man on a mission, and Gray and I fight to get him the puck. When I flick my gaze to the stands, I find my wife sitting on the edge of her seat, with my sisters on either side of her.

After the news of my father’s arrest made the press, the town went crazy. So many people came forward with stories about him, and the hole I pushed him down got even deeper. Lincoln pulled strings to ensure he wouldn’t be granted bail, and he is set to stand trial in a couple of months. My mother was upset at first, and insistent on standing by his side, but the more people that came forward, the more affairs were revealed. It seems the only thing my father could ever actually do well was adultery. When I told my mother about Penelope it was the last straw, she filed for divorce the very next day.

My grandmother was a whole different story. From the moment her son”s crimes were common knowledge she abandoned him instantly, not wanting him to bring down the good name of the family in any way. Maddie and I met with her the day after New Year’s, and were finally given full access to our trust funds without any bullshit stipulations, and the money that was set aside to leave to my father was divided evenly between us. She even set up a trust for Penelope and gave Callia full access to it, even though she tried to refuse it of course.

When Pen found out who Maddie and I really were she was over the moon, and has since become a regular staple at our houses in the last few weeks. We eat dinner together multiple times a week, and nearly half the team joins me on Monday nights to help teach her and the others down at the center. It seems everything has worked out great.

When Gray finally steals the puck from the other team I hear my wife screaming at him to get it down to the net. I quickly switch direction and skate towards where she is sitting behind the plexi.

“Did you forget my name, Tink?” I yell, making her stare flick between me and the game, as the crowd around her begins chanting my name.

“I think there are enough people cheering for you, Joshua,” she scoffs, gesturing to all the people in her section, and I smirk, ignoring Coach as he yells at me from across the ice.

“Trust me, Hals, the only person I ever want screaming my name is my wife,” I tell her with a wink, before pushing away from her and moving to steal the puck from Gray.

“What the fuck, Peters?” he grunts, skating faster to keep up with me. “I thought we were friends now you asshole,” he adds, trying to take the puck back from me, but I use one of the first decoy tricks I ever taught Hallie to keep it away from him.

“You kissed my wife, Gray, we will never be friends,” I toss over my shoulder, as the clock starts running down, and I put my eyes on the prize.

We skate towards the goal as he fends off the opposing team, until my shot is clear to take with ten-seconds left on the clock. My heart is pounding wildly in my chest, we need this goal, we need this win, if we get it, we are heading straight to the Frozen Four. I let my eyes flick over to Hallie for just a second, and that’s all it takes. One look, one-second, and my heart starts to beat steady again as she grounds me completely.

She screams my name, and I take the shot.

The Flyers win the game.

By the time we get to the afterparty at Nova’s the energy is electric, the entire team buzzing from the win, yet all I want to do is sneak off with my wife. Maddie is in the kitchen with Cap curled around her, and whatever he is whispering in her ear has her blushing. I grit my teeth as I shift my focus to the other guys. Gray, Reign, Harper, Daemon, and Landon are all standing around the island with Hallie, taking shots.

Levi is nowhere to be seen of course. After what happened, the house took a vote, and we asked him to move out. Now we only see him during practice and games, and not once does he ever look up. I guess Archer’s right hook was very effective.

When Gray spots me walking towards them, he raises his glass and drunkenly asks with a smirk, “How about a game of truth or dare?”

Hallie instantly smacks him in the back of the head. “Don’t make me punch you in the dick, Arch,” she snaps, downing her shot, and then sinking into me as I curl my arms around her waist from behind.

“Did you hear that, Peters, now she wants to see my dick too,” Gray winks, and if he were anyone else, he wouldn’t still be walking, but I am more than used to their friendship by now.

Besides, Archer Gray isn’t a threat, not to me anyway.

“Want me to break his arm for you as well, Tink?” I drawl against her ear, relishing in the full body shudder that she lets out.

“I think I would quite enjoy that,” she purrs back with a smile, and Archer acts offended.

“Fuck off, you two assholes still owe me a jersey,” he complains, and I hide my smirk in her hair, because I definitely set that fucker on fire, and Daemon helped.

I flick my stare to my best friend and find him already watching me with a knowing smile, but Hallie distracts me as she turns in my hold and leans up to press a kiss to my lips. She’s drunk, I can taste the sweet taste of liquor on her lips, and I know if I don’t get her out of here now, that I will be dealing with her grumpy and hungover tomorrow.

“Come on, husband, take me home and do that thing with your tongue I like,” Hallie purrs, stirring my cock to life against her, and my sister groans.

“Oh my god, please kill me so I can erase the memory of my best friend saying that to my brother,” she mock gags, but then Nova leans in again.

“How about I do that thing with my tongue that you like,” he whispers, far too fucking loudly, and my dick now feels like it wants to shrivel up and die.

“Okay, on that fucking note, we are leaving,” I snap, dragging Hallie away from the island, and ignoring all of their protests at our departure.

I keep my hands on her hips and guide us through the party, accepting congratulations on winning the game as we go. When we reach the door, she pauses and flicks her eyes up to look at me.

“Want to go fuck on Archer’s bed to get back at him for being a prick?” she asks, and fuck me if I didn’t already love this girl, those words would do it.

“Hals, as much as I would love to defile you up there and let this whole party hear you scream, tonight I want you all to myself.” I turn her back towards the door and push us out into the cold air to head back to our house.

Yet when we reach the front door, she turns to look at me and smiles drunkenly. “I still can’t believe I got my lost boy to fall in love with me,” she laughs, the sound making my heart soar. “I’m so in love with you, Peter,” she adds, throwing her hands around my neck, and bringing her body against mine.

“I’m so in love with you too, Tink,” I purr, leaning down and capturing her lips with mine.

I don’t get her to myself after all. I fuck her right there against the door, while the party rages on across the road behind us, but they don’t even notice.

All the tricks I’ve learnt, and my wife is still the best decoy I’ve ever played.

THE END.