Felicity

Car doors slamming jolt me awake. There’s a puddle of drool right above the frog on Ares’s shirt, and I recognize my brother’s voice outside the window.

I leap off Ares’s lap, trip on the arm of the couch—don’t ask, I don’t know, but I’m dangling over the side of the couch, my head on the ground, shirtless, my ass in the air, and I have approximately two seconds before Nick walks in and catches me here in just a bra.

My shirt floats to the ground above my head. I duck, roll, snag, and I’m thrusting my arms into the armholes when Gammy’s door opens.

“Fuck, Ares, answer your phone,” Nick says. “Half the team’s looking for you.”

I peer around the corner of the couch.

Nick’s glaring at Ares.

Behind him, Duncan Lavoie and Manning Frey—yes, Prince Manning—are watching me.

Shit.

“Felicity? What the fuck are you doing?”

“She’s vacuuming the carpet with her ass, idiot, what do you think?” I vent as Lucy.

Nick doesn’t always bring out Lucy’s best side.

Duncan and Manning share a look.

I’ll kill them both if they breathe a word.

Nick’s brow wrinkles.

I roll my eyes. “Have you ever lived with a monkey?” I ask.

“Messy little chaps,” Manning offers in his smooth European-Viking accent. “Has he taken to throwing your toothbrush yet?”

“Why do you think I’m digging under the couch?”

His light blue eyes smirk at me.

Duncan looks like he can’t decide if he wants to scowl or high-five Ares.

Who’s not looking at me.

Or his teammates.

“Are we having a party?” I vent as Lucy. “I love parties! Felicity makes these amazing tofu cakes with bean dressing.”

Nick recoils. Manning grins.

“Black bean or garbanzo?” Duncan wants to know.

“Navy,” Tim answers for me. “There’s a color balance.”

Ares turns that intense blue gaze on me, and I suppress a shiver.

Because he’s not just asking what the fuck’s wrong with me that I’d talk about tofu cake with bean dressing. He’s asking if I’m going to flip the hell out because Nick almost caught us snuggling. If this was a mistake. If I can still fix him.

“I’ll order pizza,” Nick says.

“Gracie’s not in town yet?” I ask Manning.

Surely I can get rid of at least one of them.

His grin goes sappy, and all three of the other men grunt, groan, or roll their eyes. “Tomorrow. You’re coming to the game? She’s not made many friends here yet.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem for long.”

He grins wider. “You’re undoubtedly correct, but I happen to know she’s taken a liking to at least one of your personalities.”

“Come with,” Ares says, cutting a look at me again.

Going to the game with Ares and Gracie—who will undoubtedly be trailed by at least one of Manning’s guards—most likely means seats in the team’s box.

Maren, Kami, and Alina would kill for seats in the team’s box.

“No,” Nick says before I can open my mouth.

Like I’m going to ask his permission.

“I have some friends Gracie should meet,” I tell Manning.

“No,” Nick says stronger.

“He objects merely because all three refuse to sleep with him,” I vent as Tim the Goat.

Duncan and Manning both crack up.

Ares gives me another look.

I’ll sleep with you.

I somehow doubt sleeping would be involved.

And while my very satisfied pussy would be on board with this plan, my brain is running through a list of all the reasons I need to get my ass off the floor, grab an ice pack and painkillers, make Ares a well-balanced dinner, and then lock myself in Gammy’s room for the rest of the night.

But I can’t abandon Ares.

Anguished isn’t a strong enough word for the expression he’d had on his face when he banged into the house calling my name.

He’s always so quiet. When he moves. When he talks.

Even when he’s growling or glowering, he’s quiet.

Being off the ice is killing him.

And for some reason, he thinks I’m the one who can fix it.

I cannot make him heal any faster.

But if I can make any part of coping with the injury easier for him, I will.

“You don’t have to bring Felicity with you,” Nick’s telling Ares. “She’s obnoxious when she watches the games. Won’t shut up.”

“Asshole,” Ares says.

Nick’s lips part in a partial curl, his head tilted.

I crack up.

Duncan and Manning are grinning too.

“Some people appreciate my commentary,” I inform my brother.

Not that I think Ares heard any of it during either game this week. He’s so focused, he probably wouldn’t have noticed if the house burned down.

No, Gammy’s ghost, that’s not me making a plan.

“Your sister’s fucking hilarious,” Duncan says.

“You wouldn’t think so if she used Lucy to tell your entire freshman high school class that you still wet the bed,” I let Tim say for me.

“Nobody believed me,” I reply to myself as Lucy.

“Everyone believed you, you mangy cat,” I inform her as Harold.

Nick sighs.

“If he won’t get you in the team’s box, I will,” Duncan offers. “And I want video.”

“With me,” Ares says.

“Bring your friends,” Manning adds. “I rather suspect Gracie will like all eighteen of you.”

“Just three friends,” I tell him.

“Three, plus Ares and you and all your personalities make eighteen,” he finishes.

Nick chortles. “Ha! Got you there, you pain in the ass.”

“Sleep with your eyes open, jackass,” I reply in my Ares voice.

Everyone looks at Ares.

Then back at me.

“She’s a fucking nightmare,” Nick mutters.

The house groans. He looks at the ceiling. “I don’t know how you live with her.” A spoon bounces off his head and clatters to the ground. He spins.

Loki grins from the steps.

“Such a good monkey,” I exclaim as Lucy.

Ares slides me one more look.

He’s amused.

And that’s enough to get my heart into the equation with my head and my pussy.

This is a mess.

A total and complete mess.

But I’m realizing I don’t actually mind.