C22 Twenty two

Selena's POV

The rink was suddenly silent.

The echoes of skates and laughter had faded, leaving only the low hum of the refrigeration system and the occasional creak of the empty stands. My bag sat open at my feet, papers and medical supplies half-stuffed as I paused, unsure whether to leave immediately or linger a moment longer.

A chill brushed across my skin and the air shifted, heavy and thick, like the calm before a storm.

My pulse throbbed faster as every instinct in my body told me I wasn't alone. Slowly, I straightened and turned and froze for a second.

There was no one there..

Just as I bent down to to arrange my bag another cold air swept through me and I quickly turned around only to find..

Raymond.

He calmly stood behind me and shadows from the overhead lights painted sharp lines across his face, his eyes catching mine like a spotlight.

He leaned casually against the doorway, the faintest smile tugging at his lips, but the intensity in his gaze warned me this wasn't casual.

"Godmom," he slowly spoke with a low, smooth, almost teasing voice. "Where is everyone? And why are you standing here alone?"

I adjusted my bag, trying to seem nonchalant, but my chest tightened. "Well.. they were here's auntil a minute ago but.. They had an emergency meeting," I said cautiously, gesturing vaguely toward the locker room where Adrian and the rest of his team had disappeared into.

His smirk widened, and he pushed himself off the doorframe with a sudden grace that made my heart stutter.

He closed the distance in a few long strides, the echo of his shoes loud against the polished floor. "Ohh," he said softly, but the weight behind the word made my stomach drop.

I blinked, confused. "Wait... what are you still doing here anyways you had said you'd be going back soon?"

Raymond stopped, close enough that I could smell the faint scent of his cologne, clean and intoxicating, a mixture of pine and something warmer, something that reminded me inexplicably of him as a boy. "Are you chasing me away Godmom," he said slowly, letting the words sink in, one by one.

"No dear.. how would I do such a thing jm only curious.. I was a bit shocked when I saw you at the pack house yesterday but I didn't have enough time to ask"

"Oh well that's what I wanted to tell you last night.. I'm not leaving the country. I'm staying. Fully. Right here."

I blinked again, trying to process the revelation. "You... you mean that seriously?" My voice betrayed a mix of surprise and disbelief.

He stepped closer, letting the shadows dance across his face in a way that made him almost untouchable. "Completely serious," he said, his tone low, intimate, magnetic. "No flights, no early departures. I'm here, Godmom. Right where I belong... and right where I want to be, I missed home and being back here made me realize there's no place like home."

I felt a flutter of excitement I couldn't explain, but quickly pushed it down. "That... means you'll be around... all the time," I murmured, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yes," he said, his eyes locking onto mine, the smirk softening into something warmer, but still dangerous. "All the time.. I am now a full time hockey player not a guest player anymore."

I swallowed hard, the words catching in my throat. "Which also... means you'll be fully involved with Adrian's team's rivals, the entire season?"

He tilted his head, a slow, almost cinematic smile tugging at his lips, a perfect mixture of amusement and challenge. "Exactly. And don't worry," he added, a playful glint flashing in his eyes, " we'll survive. We never liked each other in the first place."

I laughed, half in disbelief, half in tension. "Easy for you to say."

"I know." His tone dropped, almost intimate, and he took a step closer, the faint warmth of his body brushing against mine. "But now... that also means we'll have time, Godmom. Time to... catch up. Time to make sure we don't miss a single moment."

I swallowed, my pulse ticking up, as the weight of his words settled over me. The rink suddenly felt smaller, more confined, more dangerous. "I... I see," I said cautiously, gripping my bag tighter.

He leaned casually against the edge of the bench, eyes sweeping over me, teasing, watching, waiting. "And speaking of moments," he said, his smirk returning, "my teammates are hosting a little party for me tonight a way of telling everyone I'm her to stay. You'd be free to attend, right?"

I blinked. A party. My lips curved into a hesitant smile. "I... maybe," I started. "It depends on my schedule I'm not really.."

My phone vibrated violently against my hip, cutting me off. I snatched it up, eyes scanning the message. Urgent. A patient needed immediate attention. My heartbeat doubled, frustration and duty mixing together.

"I have to go," I said quickly, my voice sharp but low. I tucked my phone away, glancing back at him. "But... since you'll be around now... we'll definitely find time to hang out. We'll spend time together and catch up on the years we were apart."

Raymond's gaze softened again, and he nodded, almost approvingly. "Good that's.. that's great. I'd hate to miss it."

I grabbed my bag, hurried toward the exit, my shoes echoing against the rink floor, but froze. At the door, standing tall, calm, infuriatingly infuriating... was Adrian.

His eyes locked on mine. A storm hid behind that gaze, controlled but deadly, as if he could see every thought racing through my mind. My stomach twisted. I barely had time to duck behind the locker row, hiding my pulse from him.

Raymond stepped closer, his hand brushing against mine almost casually, protective, possessive. "Adrian," he murmured. "I thought you were in a meetin."

I stared at both of them, my heart hammering hoping Adrian won't fling him across the room or something but I was too busy to care for now and immediately bolted.

The air in the hallway felt thicker, charged with something unseen.. anger, tension, and the looming presence of Adrian waiting at the door. I shoved through the door, my shoes squeaked faintly against the floor as I rushed out, hoping against hope he didn't follow.

Outside, the rink lights glinted on the ice, reflecting back fragments of the chaos inside. The wind hit my face, cold and sharp, but I barely noticed. My mind was spinning with Raymond's words, his cinematic declaration, and the dangerous storm that was Adrian.

I exhaled sharply. Raymond wasn't leaving. He was here, fully, in my world. And Adrian... Adrian was a storm I couldn't yet control, a storm I hated but for some weird reason couldn't resist.

And as the door clanged shut behind me, I realized.. today was going to be the beginning of chaos I wasn't ready for.

But as long as I kept my mind away from him and the pull between my legs as well as Issa's longing I would be fine.