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I pursed my lips, not sure how I felt about being a lay. But then, that was what it was, wasn’t it? Niko had been trying to screw me, then backed off, and I ended up begging for it. This had probably gone exactly like he wanted. I’d gone from vowing to never give him the time of day to becoming a notch in his bedpost in record time.

Did this count against my 60 days? We weren’t dating, per se, we’d just slept together. So no, I was still okay. Maybe. This definitely violated the spirit of my plan, if not the letter.

“That door,” Niko said, pointing when I pulled into the arena parking lot.

“Text me if you need a ride to get your car later,” I said.

“I’ll have one of the guys give me a ride.”

I stopped the car and he jumped out, muttering more profanity and not even looking at me.

I shook my head and sighed. A column idea I couldn’t write without outing my own treachery came to mind. I’d just gotten worse than a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am.” As shitty as that was, “wham, bam” was worse.

Niko

I slipped into the locker room, hoping to get the tux off before anyone saw it. Everyone was absorbed in loud conversation. Could I get lucky enough to blend in and not get busted for being late?

When I snuck into a shower stall, I already had my shirt and shoes off. I was sliding out of the pants when a booming voice stopped me cold.

“You’re late, douchebag!”

Orion. I sighed deeply and scowled at him.

“Shut up, asshole,” I muttered.

He tossed something at my chest and I looked down. Practice clothes. I still had to go get my gear on, but this would help.

“Akeson knows you’re late,” he said.

I slipped into the clothes silently. Akeson was an assistant coach, and he wasn’t as big of an asshole as Price.

“Did you fuck Sadie?” Orion leaned against the shower wall, arms crossed casually.

“Shut the fuck up,” I said in a low tone.

“Did you? I’m saving your ass here. She’s a nice girl, man. Don’t fuck her over.”

“I’m not fucking anyone over,” I snapped. “You don’t know me well enough to know how I treat women, so fuck off.”

“I’ve heard.”

“She’s not like other women.” I wadded the tux into a ball and tucked it under my arm, strolling past him. “We’re friends.”

“Friends who fuck? That never ends well.”

I turned to face him.

“Just keep your fucking mouth shut about her. I’m serious.”

He shrugged. “Just be careful, alright? Showing up here in last night’s tux isn’t a good move.”

I nodded my agreement. “I just fucked up. It won’t happen again.”

“Gimme the clothes and go get your gear on,” he said, reaching an arm out.

I handed the ball of clothes over and left the shower room. I was getting into my practice gear in record time when Akeson approached me.

“Nice of you to make time for us, Vereshkova,” he said sarcastically.

“Sorry I’m late. Won’t happen again.”

He nodded and moved on. I let out a sigh of relief. This could never happen again. My instinct about Sadie being a distraction I couldn’t afford had been right on. I’d meant what I said to Orion – she wasn’t like other women. She was so much better. And that was why I had to stay as far away from her as possible.

Sadie

Dell sipped her iced coffee, her expression a mixture of pity for me and contempt for Niko.

“Next time I work on that motherfucker, my hand’s gonna slip,” she said. “Or maybe my foot. His balls will never be the same. How dare he fuck with my best friend?”

“I didn’t tell you because I want you to do something about it,” I said, glaring. “I told you because you’re my friend and you asked why I look like shit. So that’s why, okay? We screwed, it was amazing, he never called and it’s been almost a week. That’s it. Don’t tell Luke. I don’t want any drama.”

“Fine,” she said, shaking her head. “But that asshole will get his. You’re better than the other women he’s been with. And I resent the way he flirted and fell all over you, only to screw you over immediately after sex.”

“Yeah, I resent that, too,” I said, sipping my latte. “I don’t know that he fell all over me, but he definitely made me feel like I was more than a casual fuck. But why did I fall for it? He’s just better at gaming women than your average man. Why didn’t I factor that in?”

“I know every guy on my team pretty well, and he had me fooled, too, Sadie. The way he sat an inch away from you at the fundraiser dinner and couldn’t take his eyes off you? I thought you were the one who finally got through. I was practically crying on the way home that night because I was so happy that you guys were finally getting together.”

“Why do I write a column called
Sadie Says
?” I mused. “I have no business saying anything about men. Clearly I’m total shit with them.”

Dell pointed a chocolate-covered pretzel rod at me. “You are beautiful and smart and … just so many other things, Sade. Sweet. Loyal. Kind. You deserve the best man in the world.”

I covered my face with my hands. “I’m over it. I let my no-sex plan slide and it was a huge mistake. I’ll give it to Niko — that was a well-played game.”

“You are not someone to be played with!” Dell slammed the pretzel to her plate and little chunks of it flew into the air and then settled.

“I was a willing participant. Seriously, girl, it’s over for me and Niko. I’ll be fine. I just need to get focused on my writing.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? And you’re sure you don’t want Luke to sucker punch him or something? He will, you know. Luke thinks a lot of you and this would really piss him off.”

I waved a hand. “It is what it is. Sometimes people who read the column ask why I’m so jaded. Well, case in point. This. This is why I’m so jaded.”

Niko

I tossed my sweat-soaked gloves to the ground and flopped onto the bench. I was fucking beat. I’d been pushing myself to the limit in every game and practice this week. My body needed a release, and this was all I had.

My night with Sadie had been the ultimate release. I’d let go of everything I’d been holding inside since getting to Chicago. All my frustration and longing had poured out of me when we finally connected.

And that was a problem. I didn’t want to be tied to anyone like that – in an emotional, deeply attached way. I couldn’t afford the distraction. My parents had refused to take time off and come here for Christmas, but they were still at the front of my mind. I’d just had someone from the team’s front office wire them $5,000 for Christmas. That was the only way I could get them to accept money from me – by sending it straight to their bank.

I wiped the sweat from my face and tossed my towel to the floor by my gloves. I grabbed my phone to check messages before my shower and saw a text from my brother Lyov.

Lyov
: call me asap

I pressed the button to call him back, concern making my chest tighten.

“Hey,” he answered.

“Hey man, what’s up?”

He sighed into the phone. “It’s Dad. He’s in the hospital.”

“Is he okay? What’s going on?” I stood and ran a hand through my hair, the shower forgotten.

“He’s in bad shape. It was Len’s guys. They jumped him when he was closing the deli last night.”

“What the fuck do you mean?” Anger rose hot and fast in my chest, so thick I could taste it. “What’d they do to him?”

“Broke both his legs. Fucked up his face real bad. And one of his wrists is … I don’t know man, it’s like pulp. They slammed it in the back door over and over.”

I scrubbed a hand down my face, helplessness paralyzing me. “Fuck. Is he gonna be okay?”

“He’s in surgery now.” Lyov exhaled deeply into the phone. “If I had a gun, I’d be on my way to Len’s right now. I won’t let this stand.”

“You’re not doing shit right now. Why’d he do this? Dad paid Len off a long time ago.”

“Apparently Dad’s back into debt with him. I didn’t know. Mom didn’t even know.”

“How much? I just sent them $5,000.”

“He owed twelve grand and Len says it’s now twenty grand with interest.”

“Fucking prick.” I looked up at the locker room ceiling, considering. “Alright. I’m gonna go catch a flight. I’ll have to come back tonight for a road trip tomorrow.”

“Meet up at the hospital?” Lyov asked. “I’m here already. Anna’s here, too. Mom’s a wreck.”

“Let me take care of this,” I said. “You stay with Mom and Dad, and I’ll settle up with Len.”

I could hear the sneer on my brother’s face. “No fuckin’ way. Either you pick me up here or I’m going over there alone right now.”

Lyov was a lot like me – kind of a stubborn ass sometimes.

“Alright. But Alexei’s not coming. I’m not taking a high school kid into that scene.”

“No,” Lyov agreed. “He’s at school anyway. Mom made him go.”

“I’ll text you when I land,” I said, and we both hung up.

I’d get a quick shower and head to the airport. I wasn’t sure how I’d keep myself in my seat for the flight since I felt like a caged animal right now. Len had made a critical mistake not contacting me for the money Dad owed. If he didn’t realize that already, he would soon.

Fighting was part of hockey. I’d been a natural at it after growing up in a rough neighborhood. I got bloodied and bruised all the time in games, and I gave as good as I got. But none of that had prepared me for seeing my father this way.

My eyes burned as my gaze traveled up and down his immobile form. I couldn’t see the damage beneath the sea of white bandages that covered his body, but his face …

He was unrecognizable. Eyes swollen and bruised, lacerations bandaged and a row of stitches on his hairline. Len’s guys had gone way too far on a 58-year-old man who had no chance of defending himself.

He’d been beaten within an inch of his life. Dad had a bad hip, and he and Mom had never been able to afford health insurance. We all worried he’d fall in the walk-in refrigerator at the deli and no one would know he was there. Never had we imagined this happening to him at the place he and Mom had built over the past two decades.

“Pop,” I said, clearing my throat as my voice broke. His eyes lit with recognition, but he couldn’t seem to open his mouth to speak. “It’s okay, you just rest.”

His fingers lay limply at his side, and I brushed my hand across them softly. Mom stood beside me, and she wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned into me.

“You’re a good boy for coming, Nikola,” she said.

“Of course I came.” I squeezed her back and met my Dad’s eyes. “Pop, I’m paying Len off and I already told the hospital to send me all the bills for this.”

His eyes watered as he looked back at me, tearing a hole in my chest. This man was strong and proud, and Len had done far worse than the injuries we could all see on his body. He’d humiliated my father, who prided himself on taking care of his family. It’d been tough sometimes, but my Dad was the hardest worker I’d ever known.

Dad moved his head to the side slightly, wincing from the pain.

“Listen, Pop,” I said. “It’s already done. I love you. We’re a family. I wouldn’t have all this money if not for the sacrifices you and Mom made for the family. Things are gonna be different from now on. We’ll hire someone to manage the deli for a while so you and Mom can be home while you recover. I’m paying off every dime you owe to anyone.”

He closed his eyes, and a tear slid down his purpled cheek.

“Nothing’s more important than family, Pop,” I said. “I learned that from you. This family—” My voice broke and I cleared my throat again. “It’s all any of us have. Each other. I’m not a kid anymore. I’m the man you raised, and I’ll do everything in my power to protect and support my family. Just like you always have.”

Another tear slipped from his watering eyes, and his fingers curled around my hand. He squeezed it as hard as he could, pulling my hand against his soft bandages.

I sniffed and wiped the corner of my eye with my sleeve. Leaning down, I kissed the thinning gray hair on top of his head – the only spot I knew wouldn’t hurt him.

“I love you, Pop. I’m sorry I can’t stay. When you’re better, you guys are coming to visit in Chicago. I don’t really give a shit if you want to, you’re coming anyway. And I’m sending Lyov to get you guys a better apartment while you’re in the hospital. You can’t do stairs like this.”

I kissed Mom on the cheek and pulled her in for a tight hug. “I love you, too, Mom. Everything’s gonna be okay. We’re all gonna lean on each other from now on.”

She didn’t say anything, but I felt her sniffling against me.

“Keep me updated on how he is, okay?” I said, pulling back.

“We’re proud of our boy,” she said. “We’re proud of all of you, but you are the oldest. You’ve always been the protector, Nikola. Thank you.”

“I learned from you guys. I’ll see you soon.”

I hugged my sister Anna, who’d been watching silently from a chair by the window. Then, with a glance at the wall clock, I nodded at Lyov and we left. My flight home left in two hours, and I had business to take care of before then. I’d have to get my mind in the right place on the ride to Len’s.

Len Petrovich’s cover business for his illegal activities was a pawn shop. Hell, the way he ran his legitimate business should’ve been illegal, too. He took advantage of people in desperate situations, holding their most prized possessions for pennies on the dollar and then changing the loan repayment terms. Our neighbor lady Mrs. Maslov had lost her wedding ring to Len in one of those loans.

When Lyov and I walked in the dingy, overcrowded showroom of the shop, Len was sitting at a table in the back with two of his employees. His gray-streaked black hair was a little thinner now, but was still combed back in his trademark style.

I met Lyov’s eyes as I turned the lock on the front door. It was just us and them now. Blood pumped fast and hard in my veins, but it wasn’t from fear. It was all I could do not to launch myself on top of Len and beat his fat head against the table he sat at.

“Nikola Vereshkova,” Len said, amusement in his tone. “To what do I owe the honor?”