My entire spirit feels deflated.

It was the final deciding game in the first round, and we lost it. By one point, one hat-trick.

We didn’t make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years, and I feel so damn defeated and exhausted.

It’s an exhaustion that’s been building, and I feel it more and more after each game, even when we do well.

The game just doesn’t give me the same rush anymore. Doesn’t fill me the same way.

When I think about what I look forward to when I wake up in the morning…I think about my friends. I think about Addi.

I think about Keyra.

This game takes a toll on your time. Your body. Your future. There are guys in the league every day who play one game that changes their lives forever, and no one can predict when or what or how.

I’ve found myself wanting to take that chance less and less since I found out about Addison, and I don’t really know what to do about it.

I unlock my door, dropping my bag carelessly to the floor.

It’s just me. No exciting little girl running to latch onto my leg.

She and Natalie went back to Minnesota since I was going to be away for a few days.

That’s why I still when I hear a noise from the back.

I’m too tired for this shit.

“Hello?” I yell, tense, but my shoulders slump again when Keyra pops her head out from behind a wall. “I forgot you still have your key.”

“I needed the container I gave you for those cookies, then I just fell asleep. I’ve been so tired lately. I hope that’s okay.” She says, doubt creeping into her voice.

“Yeah.” I nod. “Doesn’t bother me.” I shrug my jacket off, throwing it over the back of the couch. “I’m gonna grab a shower.”

“Okay.” She nods, pulling the oversized throw tighter around her and walking ahead of me to my room. She crawls in the middle of the bed, and Nova hops up using her little staircase, curling right next to Keyra’s stomach.

I make it to the bathroom door before I stop and turn back around. I might feel like shit, but that’s no excuse not to at least greet her.

“Hey.” She turns from petting Nova as I get closer to the bed. I brace one knee on it, caging her between my arms. “I’m happy to see you, just tired.” I drop a kiss on her lips.

“I know.” She strokes a finger over my jaw. “I know the game didn’t go as expected, it won’t hurt my feelings to give you a little space. I can even leave if you want to be alone.”

I drop my forehead to hers, exhaling heavily. “You’re so sweet.”

“I don’t know if you’ve ever called me that before.” She teases.

“Don’t leave.” I kiss her again, briefly, an idea coming to mind. “Matter of fact, you’re tired. I’m tired. Maybe a hot bath is what we both need.”

“Ooh, with bubbles?” She asks.

“As many as you want,” I say. “Within reason.”

“Say no more.” I move back as she sits up. Nova barks and Keyra smiles at her, moving to pet her again. “Your Daddy’s gonna let me give him a bubble beard. Isn’t he just so manly?” She coos.

“I didn’t agree to that.” I frown, and she sets Nova on the floor before heading to the bathroom ahead of me and turning on the water.

“And I didn’t ask.” She yells back. I look up at the ceiling and sigh.

I should probably get used to it.

* * *

“So…my dad has been letting me handle some non-fluff work stuff that I wrapped up this week.” My tub is deep and sunken, and Keyra and I lean against opposite ends, but our legs are tangled together.

“Oh?” I lean my head against the cushion and close my eyes.“Was it good being back in the fray?”

“Yeah. I discovered Charlie was blackmailing my dad to pay him not to reveal that my Dad isn’t my grandfather’s biological son. I would’ve advised just letting it fly as long as we released it, but since my grandfather is dead and there was already the affair stuff, my Dad has a real thing about keeping the legacy that’s left blemish free.” The words fly out of her mouth so fast that I just gape.

“You say things like this as if they’re just normal occurrences in peoples lives, and I feel like I’ve stepped into a soap opera since I met your family.”

“I guess there has been a lot going on in the past year, huh? I promise things were pretty tame before this.” She pushes bubbles around, blowing some towards me. “After my sister being sold of course. That was crazy. Oh and some woman claimed my dad had gotten her pregnant, and a man claimed Sina sexually harassed him for his sperm. Smooth sailing aside from those things.”

I blink.

“And you took care of all of that. And regular, day-to-day campaign stuff.”

She slides down into the water some until I can only see the tops of her breasts. “Yep.”

“So who makes your life easier?” I ask quietly.

Her nose wrinkles and she meets my eyes, sincerity in hers. “Me? I don’t know. I don’t think about it much. I just…do my job.”

“But you do a lot more than just your job. You’re…this loving, capable, protective dragon that holds not only an administration together, but a family.”

I see her throat move as she swallows, lowering her eyes. I move in the water closer to her, pulling her to me so we meet in the middle.

“All these damn bubbles,” I grumble, swatting them out of my way. I trail my hands up and down her sides under the hot water. “What I’m trying to say is, you’re the most formidable woman I’ve ever met and I want to support you in every way I can.”

“You do. Even when we were just friends, you listened and stroked my ego and were just all around surprisingly way more understanding than I ever thought you’d be.” She whispers.

“Well you’re my woman now and I just need to make sure you know that if it’s bothering you, it’s bothering me and we’re in this together.”

“So if I said I wanted you to get rid of Nova, that’d be okay with you?”

I jerk back, horrified, and she bursts out laughing. Until I splash her with water and she sits there sputtering like a drowned rat, making me burst out laughing.

“That’s what you get for m—.” A wave of water drenches me and I swipe my hand over my face quickly, shaking my head. “That ass is mine.”

She tries to stand, but I’ve had years of reflex drills and I yank her towards me. Her body slides against mine and I wrap her tightly in my arms, trapping her arms between us.

“Where are you gonna go now, huh?”

She pouts, her eyelashes clumped together by the water and droplets clinging to her lips and face.

“I have a sudden urge to roleplay a demanding king and a reluctant, but curious handmaiden.” She murmurs, and I cackle out of pure surprise.

“You’re five different people, I swear.”

“That means the I just wanted something different excuse is out if you ever cheat on me.”

“There’s an excuse that’s in?”

“No, but that one will definitely guarantee you losing both of your balls instead of just one.” Her voice is cool and serious, and I grimace.

“Noted.”

“Sire, could you release me now?” She softens her voice to a near purr and I’m immediately hard as a rock.

The woman is full of surprises.

“I’m not done with you just yet, wench.” I go for the most dulcet, commanding tone I can and I figure it works when she rises against me some.

“What are you going to do to me, Sire?” She settles herself more firmly in my lap as I let her arms go and twist a hand into her hair.

I have a flashback to that first night we were together in this exact position and I bring my lips down hard on hers, hungry now. There’s a slightly fruity taste and I delve my tongue into her mouth teasingly, moving my hands to pinch her nipples and she pulls away on a gasp.

“Wow…that, do that again.” Instead of pinching them again, I lean down and lick one, taking it between my teeth and biting down as she whimpers. “Yes.”

I stand and help her rise with me, snatching towels from the rack. I step on the tiles and dry off the quickest I ever have, dropping my towel to the floor at the same time as she does.

“Bend over the bed. Now.”