I nod and can’t help but feel the tinge of sadness whenever another neglected animal is found. Being on the receiving end of some of the cruelty in the world, I always knew when I became a vet that I wanted to also donate my time to the animals that have seen the worst.

  Wren not only provides a shelter for these animals until they find their forever home, but she also slowly brings back their trust in humanity. Some of these animals had never felt love until Wren patiently showed them that there is still good in the world.

  “Thank you so much for tonight. I think you’ve turned me into a forever hockey fan,” she grins, pulling me out of my thoughts, and hugging me.

  “I’m so glad you came,” I smile. “The first one is always so exciting. There’s so much to take in all at once,” I laugh.

  “You’re telling me,” she giggles. “Hot, sweaty men…fights…powerful muscles on display…the testosterone on that ice alone is worth every penny those tickets must have cost.”

  “It’s definitely something to witness,” I grin. Especially when I know exactly what is waiting for me under that number twenty-two uniform.

  After I returned to my seat and Knox stepped out onto the ice again, something changed between us. There’s always been that potent, fierce energy between us, but every time he glanced my way, his eyes showed…more. I can’t explain it, but I see more of him when he looks at me like a veil has been lifted and he’s letting me see all of him.

  “Miss Montgomery?” I turn at my name and see Bobby, the one who pulled me away from my seats last time, standing there.

  “Hi, Bobby,” I smile. “And I told you to call me Savi.”

  His cheeks redden as he runs a hand through his hair. He can’t be more than twenty, and I can tell he’s nervous around me.

  “Sorry, ma’am. I mean Savi.” I notice his southern accent comes out stronger the shyer he gets.

  “You don’t have to apologize,” I smile, trying to make him feel more comfortable as I wait for him to speak again.

  “I’m supposed to bring you with me if that’s okay. Stone…I mean, Knox asked me to get you.”

  “God, you’re so lucky,” Wren says under her breath before moving past me. “I want details tomorrow,” she whispers before waving goodbye and walking up the steps to the exit.

  Looking back at Bobby, I smile and grab my jacket and purse as we start toward the concession stands where the elevators are.

  I make small talk with him on the way down, but I’m finding it hard to concentrate on the conversation as I get closer to Knox’s energy.

  When we get to the hallway where I was last time, Bobby lets me know I can wait in the same room again before he says his goodbyes and heads to the locker room.

  Stepping inside, I put my belongings on the table just as the door opens. I turn, and all the breath in my body leaves in one forceful swoop.

  His hair is still damp from the game, and his shirt and pads are off like before, leaving him in half a uniform. I notice he’s barefoot this time, and his pants are slightly undone at the top, leaving them resting low on his hips.

  A devilish look appears on his face as he locks the door behind him with a click that has my heart racing in my chest. The room suddenly feels smaller as his presence makes itself known.

  “I…” Words fail me as his blue eyes pull me in. They are brimming with an intensity that I’ve never seen before. “Congratulations on your win,” I finally manage to get out as he steps closer. “You played one of the best games I’ve ever seen you play,” I whisper as he stops right in front of me.

  “That’s because I was playing for you.” His smooth voice filters through the air, and I swallow hard as his finger trails down the vee of my shirt, branding me with his touch. “You know the part I said about needing you?”

  I nod my head slightly as his finger skims along the waistband of my skirt.

  “This is one of those moments that I’m going to take what I need, and I really hope you are okay with that.”

  “I’m…I’m okay with that,” I whisper. “More than okay with that,” I say, right before his lips silence any more words that I was about to say. His tongue is urgent and demanding as mine dances with his, just as hungry for his taste as he is for mine.

  He’s everywhere at once, as if he can’t get enough of me. His hands roam my body with an urgency that has me wanting more.

  My shirt is removed at lightning speed as one flick of his finger releases my bra, tossing it onto the floor in a mad rush. His hands lift me onto the table seconds before his mouth claims my breasts.

  My fingers dig into his hair as I arch back, letting him feast on me as much as he pleases.

  “God, I’ve missed the taste of your skin,” he rasps against me as he pulls my nipple deep into his mouth. The scruff on his jawline feels like heaven against my sensitive skin.

  His hands skim along my bare thighs before grabbing my ass in a rough grip and locking me to him as his teeth graze my neck before my flesh disappears between his lips as he sucks deep.

  “I’m going to take now,” he growls, sliding his fingers into the lace at the front of my panties and breaking through in one swift tear. The sound of fabric ripping fills the air as my thong falls lifelessly onto the table.

  Sliding two fingers in deep, my lips part on a moan as my body lifts in obedience, wanting to take just as much from him. I’m so wet for him that I can feel it coat my inner thighs as he drags his hand away.

  “Take my cock out, sunshine,” his voice low in my ear. “I want your hands on me and guiding me to where I belong.”

  Moving fervently, I quickly undo the rest of his belt and ties before releasing him from his pants and wrapping my hand around him. My thumb brushes his tip, and his arousal drips onto my skin. An animalistic moan warms my neck as I stroke down the length of him before I lead him to where we both desperately need him to be.

  As soon as he touches my warmth, he thrusts in hard, filling me deep on my next breath.

  My cry is muffled against his neck as he takes me again and again with a force that has my body bending at his mercy.

  His rawness and primal need ignite a burning fire in my core as I tighten my legs around him and welcome each buck of his hips that goes harder and harder into the flames.

  My tongue swipes his neck, and I taste the saltiness of his skin. He smells of spice and sin as I breathe him in and slide my lips over his shoulder, sucking lightly at his flesh.

  “Harder,” he growls, his fingers digging in my ass as I’m slammed against him again.

  My lips graze him before I suck harder, sinking my teeth into him.

  He groans in my hair as I dig my fingernails into his back and taste more of him.

  My body instantly reacts on the next thrust as I combust into a million pieces. It hits me so fast that I can’t comprehend all the sensations at once.

  “Fuck, Savi…” His voice is a plea as I pulse and squeeze him tight. “I’m…fuck…I’m cumming,” he moans as his warm release pours inside me. Our bodies locked as one, surrendering it all in this moment.

  “Fuck, I’m sorry,” he pants into my neck. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” he continues to say in a repeated pattern.

  “Hey,” I say softly, lifting his head to meet his eyes, which are full of blame. “It’s okay. There’s nothing to be sorry for,” I smile, wanting to take away the worry I see etched on his face.

  “I just came in you.” He looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind and is clearly shocked that I’m not overreacting right now. “I fucking didn’t have control,” he says, pulling out and stuffing himself back in his pants before his hands aggressively rake through his hair. “I couldn’t fucking pull out in time. How does that not scare the fuck out of you right now?”

  “I’m not sure,” I say, biting my lip and wondering why I’m so eerily calm. “I guess because it’s you,” I shrug.

  “That should scare you even more,” he mutters, picking my bra and shirt off the floor.

  I can’t help the giggle that escapes as I take the clothes he’s handing me. He narrows his eyes at me, and I do my best to compose myself because he’s obviously freaking out right now. Putting my bra and top back on, I reach for him.

  “Come here,” I say, pulling him to me. My arms come around his neck, and I softly kiss his lips. His body starts to relax as his arms come around me.

  “I know we didn’t use protection, but I just got off my period,” I say, running my fingers through his hair at the back of his head in a soothing motion. “It’s highly unlikely that I’m ovulating and that I’ll get pregnant.”

  “And if by some chance you are?”

  “Then if you’re still alive after you tell my brothers, we’ll figure it out together.” I bite back the laugh that wants to erupt as he realizes what I just said.

  “Jesus, I’m already trying to figure out how to tell Miles I’m in love with his sister,” he mutters. “Telling him I also got you pregnant is just asking him to put me six feet under.”

  I don’t hear the rest of the sentence because all I heard was the first part.

  “What did you say?”

  “I said he’s going to kill me.”

  “No, the first part.”

  “You caught that, did you?” He sighs, brushing back a piece of my hair as I nod slightly.

  Taking my hand, he places it over his heart.

  “There have been only two women in my life that I’ve loved. When one was taken from me, I closed myself off to the other,” he swallows thickly as emotions rise to the surface. “I kept them both with me, though, as a reminder that there is still good in this world.”

  Taking my fingers, he brushes them across the ink over his heart.

  “What do you see?” He asks softly.

  Looking closer, I trace the image of the storm raging on the ocean—the white tips of the waves crashing violently against one another in a fight to survive. I trace the dark clouds above descending with an ominous threat about them.

  I’ve seen him shirtless before and knew this storm took up most of his left side, extending from his shoulder to over his heart and down his arm. I’ve never been able to really study it, though, as I see the slight break in the looming shadows of the clouds.

  Two small beams of light touch his heart, and that’s where I see it. A small script of letters woven into the ocean’s turmoil, where the light kisses it.

  Sunshine is written in cursive, blending so well into the beams of light that it’s no wonder I’ve never noticed it.

  “Knox,” I whisper, looking up at him as he shows me everything he’s been denying and hiding in his blue eyes.

  “I’ve always loved you, sunshine,” he admits softly. “You’ve been a constant source of light for me since the day I met you with that scraggily cat in your arms,” he chuckles quietly as the memory resurfaces.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask as my eyes fill with tears.

  “You were my light, but you were also my one-way ticket to hell.”

  “I don’t understand.” I shake my head as I wrestle with what that means.

  “The only thing that kept me going when I lost my mom was hockey. I poured all my emotions into the game, and it’s the one thing that kept my head above water. When I met you, a piece of me I had buried deep broke through, and I was addicted to that feeling. All I wanted to do was protect you and make sure you always had that light I saw every time I looked at you.”

  He runs a hand through his hair as he stares at the wall, deep in thought.

  “And then it was taken. Just like that, your light dimmed, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. As you got older, my feelings became more intense. I became angry because I wanted you so much and knew I should never touch you.”

  His eyes meet mine, and I see the desperation in them.

  “I didn’t grow up in love, Savi. When you don’t receive it, you don’t feel you’re worthy of giving it either. I stuffed it down where I didn’t have to deal with it because I knew without a shred of doubt that if I let you in and lost you, not even hockey would save me this time. Losing you would bring me under for good, and I would gladly let it swallow me up whole without a single fight.”

  “You’re never going to lose me,” I whisper, blinking back the tears at his pain.

  “You can’t promise that,” he says, shaking his head.

  “Nobody knows what the future holds, but living a life without love isn’t living at all. It’s breathing just to exist when you should love so deeply that it’s the reason for your existence.”

  “Loving you is terrifying,” he says quietly, cupping my face and bringing his nose close to mine. “But it’s also something I can no longer deny. I may never feel like I deserve your love, but I’m going to make damn sure you feel mine every single day you’ll have me.”

  “I will always have you,” I smile, feeling his love wrap around me that I’ve always prayed would finally break through. “Say it again,” I whisper.

  “I love you, sunshine. God help you, but I do,” he smiles.

  “God, help us both,” I chuckle softly, “because I love you just as much.”

  His lips touch mine, and for the first time in my life, I’m thankful for what happened in my past because everything led me here…to this moment.

  I’m exactly where I was always meant to be.

  TWENTY-SIX

  KNOX

  Setting my phone down on the counter, I stare out the window at the rain coming down in torrents to match my current mood that I’ve just been thrown into. I should have known my dad would find a way to bring a storm to the happiness I’ve felt these past two days.

  Opening the back door, I pull my hoodie up even though it’s useless against the onslaught of rain belting down on me as I walk down to the beach.

  Sitting down in the wet sand, I rest my arms over my bent knees as I watch the white caps crash against each other while the dark waters battle with Mother Nature.

  I get so lost in the ruthless ocean as I feel it try to keep me in its grip, but I’m no longer feeling the weight hold me down as I slowly break the chains that can no longer keep me bound.

  “Knox?” Savi’s voice registers in the distance, pulling me out of the trance I was in. “What are you doing out here in this storm?”

  She still has her scrubs on, and they are already plastered to her skin as she peers down at me with a concerned look on her face.

  “Why aren’t you at work?” I ask, ignoring her question. “You don’t get off until six tonight.”

  “It’s almost seven.” She glances out at the water before turning back to me with a frown. “How long have you been out here?”

  “Since five,” I say quietly, finally noticing that it’s gotten way darker since I first sat down.

  “Two hours?” She crouches down in front of me and takes my hands in hers. “God, you are soaking wet.”

  “So are you,” I smile sadly, reaching out to touch her dripping wet hair.

  “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you. I couldn’t find you anywhere,” she says, searching my eyes for answers. “I finally went out to the guest house and noticed your dark figure sitting on the beach during a storm, I might add. What were you thinking?”

  “Apparently, my dad died today.” Just saying the words aloud seems like an out-of-body experience. You would think I would feel something, but all I feel is numb.

  “Oh, Knox,” she sighs sadly. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I don’t think I am,” I admit softly. “What does that say about me?” I wait for the horror or disgust to appear in her eyes, but all I see is Savi…my Savi.

  “It means you’re human.” Reaching out, she brushes back a piece of my hair before palming my cheek. “Let’s get you inside and out of these wet clothes, and then you can tell me what happened.”

  I let her lead me back up to the house and watch her grab two beach towels from the outdoor kitchen cabinet. Removing my sopping wet hoodie, I strip down to my boxer briefs before running a towel through my hair.

  She does the same as her scrubs come off, wrapping the towel around her bra and underwear before leading me to the house and into her bathroom, where she turns the shower on.

  Steam quickly fills the air as we shed the rest of our clothes and step under the warm spray. I didn’t realize how chilled to the bone I was until the water begins to ease some of the cold.

  Reaching for the body wash, she stops me.

  “Let me,” she says softly. “I want to take care of you.”

  “I’m fine,” I sigh, but don’t have the strength to put up a fight, so I let her do what she needs to.

  “It’s okay not to be fine, Knox. I think those were your words you once told me.”

  Taking the shampoo off the shelf, I pull her to me and start to lather her hair up. “I also said I would always look after you, so that’s what I’m going to do.”

  She starts to protest, but I work my fingers into her scalp just how she likes as her head falls back in pleasure.

  “You’re not playing fair,” she moans softly as I continue to wash her hair.

  “When have I ever?” I rinse her hair and add conditioner before doing the same to mine. Once we are both rinsed off, I wrap her in a towel before throwing one around my waist.

  “Are you hungry? I stopped by on the way home and got ingredients for dinner. The rain put me in the mood for soup and grilled cheese. I could put it together now if you want?” She throws a t-shirt on before she combs her damp hair.

  “Can we eat in a few? I’m not really hungry now.” I throw on my grey sweats and sit on the edge of the bed as I run a towel over my wet hair.

  “Of course. I can make it later.”

  Scooting back, I lean against the headboard and hold my hand out to her, needing to feel her next to me. My dad’s passing has rattled me, and I know it’s long overdue for me to break down all my walls. I know she says she loves me, but she only knows what I’ve shown her. I need to know she’ll love the rest of me as well…the side I don’t let people see.