Chapter 45: Oh no, I would rather fuck you!

"Taking care of Evans? Since when did you two become close enough to start taking care of each other?"

Before Reid could answer, a massive, chaotic roar erupted in the background of the call. It sounded like the speaker was in the middle of the locker room, and the rest of the Seattle Serpents were eavesdropping.

"I knew it!" Russo’s voice yelled over the noise, completely loud as hell. "Hey, McCoy! So that’s why you’ve been acting like a snobbish, hard-to-get prick this whole time? Because you actually liked the Captain?!"

"Man’s playing nursemaid!" Gerald shouted from somewhere further back, followed by a chorus of loud hoots, wolf-whistles, and the distinct sound of hockey sticks banging against metal lockers in pure mockery.

I froze under him, my face instantly burning with a mix of absolute mortification and panic. The phone was on speaker, and every single one of my teammates was currently rewriting our entire locker-room dynamic into a cheesy romance.

I glared daggers at Reid, but the bastard just smirked, thoroughly enjoying the chaos he had intentionally caused.

"Shut up, you idiots!" Coach Devin barked in the background, presumably throwing a towel at Russo before his voice cleared up near the receiver again. "Evans? Evans, are you there? Put the Cap on the line, McCoy. I want to confirm this."

Reid nudged the phone an inch closer to my face, his eyes dancing with a lazy, dominant amusement.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to sound as professional, stern, and captain-like as possible despite lying completely naked and filled with my rookie’s seed. "I’m here, Coach."

"Evans! Thank god. Are you alright? Is this brat actually helping you, or is he just squatting in your kitchen?" Coach asked, his tone instantly shifting into genuine concern.

"He’s... helping, Coach," I lied through my teeth, gripping the blankets tightly. "No broken bones, like the doctor said, but I can barely move my torso today. McCoy is just making sure I don’t pull anything trying to get around."

"Alright, good," Coach Devin sighed, sounding relieved. "Listen to me, Evans. You rest well and do not overdo it. We have a two-week gap before the next game, so I want you at one hundred percent. And McCoy—" Coach’s voice hardened into a strict, paternal warning. "—if that rookie causes you any trouble instead of helping, you report him straight to the team. The boys and I will set him straight, you hear me? We’ll make his life a living hell at the next practice."

"Understood, Coach. Thank you," I said.

"Get some sleep, your voice doesn’t sound too good. And McCoy, don’t screw up," Devin ordered, and the line clicked dead.

The second the call ended, Reid burst out into a low, rumbling laugh, his chest vibrating heavily against my back. "Set the rookie straight, huh? If only they knew what kind of ’trouble’ I was actually causing you, Cap."

"You are a toxic, manipulative son of a bitch," I hissed, turning my head to glare at him, though the movement made my neck stiff. "Did you seriously have to put it on speaker? Russo is never going to let this go. By Monday, the entire arena is going to think we’re a couple."

"Let them think whatever they want," Reid chuckled, completely unfazed by my anger as he slowly began to shift his massive frame away from me.

He stretched his arms over his head, his muscles flexing under the morning light as he sat up on the edge of the bed. "Besides, like I said... outside the ice, we’re basically enemies. But in here? We make a great team."

The knot finally receded, and he pulled out. He stood up, completely unbothered by his nakedness, his messy blonde hair sticking up in every direction.

He looked back over his shoulder, a lazy, snobbish smirk pulling at his lips. "I’m going to take a shower. The Captain can join me if he wants."

I pulled the blankets all the way up to my chin, burying half my face in the fabric. "No, thank you. Go fuck yourself in there." I hissed.

"Oh no, I would rather fuck you!" He growled, tilting his head, and I turned my gaze away.

Reid let out an amused chuckle, shaking his head as he walked toward the bathroom, his heavy footsteps fading before the sound of rushing water filled the silence.

The moment the bathroom door closed, I let out a long, exhausted sigh and sank deeper into the pillows. My whole body felt wrecked, a strange, dizzying combination of the dull ache in my ribs and the heavy, pulsing warmth of his pheromones still settling deep inside me.

I just wanted to catch up on a little more sleep, but I also desperately needed to clean up before the scent of frozen pine and orchid permanently bonded to my bedroom furniture.

I rolled my head to the side, looking toward the kitchen door.

"Thank god I already cooked," I mumbled into the pillow, my voice muffled by the sheets. At least I wouldn’t have to drag my broken body to the stove later.

I could just crawl out, heat the tupperware, and try to survive the rest of this weekend.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, staying in bed was no longer an option.

The heavy, suffocating weight of the morning had faded into a lazy, quiet lull, and the steady rush of the shower had long since stopped.

I woke up and finally dragged myself out from under the covers and into the bathroom, getting rid of all the dried stuff.

Where did Reid go? I hope he went home.

After a long shower, I carefully eased my limbs into a fresh pair of sweatpants and a loose gray hoodie that wouldn’t rub against my bruised side.

Walking down the hallway felt like a chore, but once I reached the living room, I found Reid already entirely at home.

He didn’t leave, like I had hoped. He was sprawled across my leather sofa, his long legs propped up on the coffee table, flipping through the sports channels until he settled on a live broadcast of an East Coast divisional match.

Such a hassle.

I went to the fridge and took out my Tupperware, turning on the microwave and letting it work its magic.

Once I got to the living room, the broadcast was already in full swing.

"Took you long enough, Cap," Reid murmured, not even turning his head as I gingerly sat down on the opposite end of the couch, keeping a safe distance. "I thought you were going to sleep forever."

"Shut up," I muttered, leaning back into the cushions.