She shook her head. “No, you sit here and be a hockey star. Let me see if—” She was cut off as Chelsea yelped and lost her balance, trying to move away from the creepy journalist.
I was already on my feet as Lennox yelled to Luke, “You stay with Dax, you hear me?”
Luke nodded, eyes round as we watched Lennox run over to Chelsea, pulling the guy away from her.
“Your Highness, you must go.” Some guy I’d never seen before had Luke by the arm.
“Dude, I don’t know you.” Luke tried to wrench his arm away.
“Your father has sent me to get you. Now.” The man started to pull him, but I was already over the table and on the move.
To Luke’s credit, he’d been well-prepped for something like this, and he dug his feet in, giving me time to get to him. The guy holding him had a firm grip on his upper arm, but there were people everywhere and he couldn’t move fast enough with Luke resisting. I reached them just as Luke threw himself on the floor like an insolent toddler, giving me the perfect opportunity to swing my fist into the older man’s jaw. He swung back but had to let go of Luke, and Luke screamed for Lennox. Then everything was chaos.
35
Isla
I’d only been a few feet away from Chelsea when the strange-looking reporter got in her face again. Chelsea was working, but not as much now that the game was over. Everly was a professional photographer and had offered to take pictures for her, since Chelsea hadn’t been able to bring a photographer along, and they’d been talking shop, so I’d moved away to get a few more autographs on the jerseys I’d brought. I’d paid full price for them back in Vegas, wanting to leave the limited supply that would be available here today at a discount, for the locals, so I was focused on getting every player on both teams to sign them and I only had a few signatures left to get.
When Chelsea shrieked, I spun around, startled to see her on the floor, rubbing her ankle as the creepy journalist who’d been following her around all afternoon leaned over her.
After that, everything happened in slow motion. In my head anyway. Lennox was only a few feet away and she’d hurried over to get the guy off Chelsea, but then someone else moved in and grabbed Luke. And right in front of my eyes, I’d seen the man I loved spring into action. He’d become someone else in that moment, and even as my heart clenched and my breath caught with both worry and surprise, everything kind of made sense. Who and what Dax was somehow personified, and I was frozen in place as I watched.
Dax all but vaulting over the table to get to Luke.
Luke putting up enough of a fight to give him time to get there.
Lennox handling the creepy reporter and then in a flash, turning to grab Luke.
Now people were everywhere. Half of both the Sidewinders and the Blizzard were in the middle of the concourse, surrounding both the guy who’d knocked Chelsea down and the guy who’d tried to take Luke. Lennox’s priority had been getting Luke to safety, but Dax had no qualms about punching the guy in the face and then holding him down with his foot as the wanker tried to wiggle free.
And I’d never been more proud.
Or more in love.
He was amazing, my Dax, and now I got it. The need to help, the need to do something more. With everything King Erik was doing, which impacted the million citizens of Limaj, his family was always in danger, and having people like the Royal Protectors, gave him the ability to affect change for a people who desperately needed it. I didn’t follow their politics closely, but I knew the former king had been more of a dictator and had ruled with a bit of an iron fist for over a decade. Now that King Erik had taken over, things were getting better, but there were always those who opposed him and his vision for the future.
The Royal Protectors gave him the kind of peace of mind he needed, to do what was necessary to make that happen, and Dax was going to be part of them. And suddenly, my sacrifice didn’t seem all that big of a deal. I could teach. I could write books. I could travel the world’s university circuit, giving talks on black holes. Eventually I would find my way back to science and research. But short-term, I would support this man I loved in any way he asked of me.
“You all right, lass?” Granddad came up beside me as police and security took over and tried to calm the crowd.
“Did you see him?” I whispered, glancing up at him. “Dax, I mean.”
He smiled. “I did.”
“He’s…amazing.”
He arched a brow. “You’re just now figuring this out?”
“Well, I knew, but not all of it and…” I let my voice trail off as Dax stood up and looked around. When his eyes landed on me, he came in my direction, reaching out to pull me close.
“You all right, beautiful?”
“I’m fine. Yes.” I was a little breathless as I stared up at him. Then I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. He slid both arms around me and his mouth opened, seeking out my tongue and kissing me with four months of pent-up passion. By the time we broke apart, we were breathing a little hard, and I was glad his jersey covered the erection I’d felt poking my midsection.
“We have a lot to talk about,” he murmured against my mouth.
“Yes.”
“We’ll be heading to the palace for the reception in a few minutes. Meet me there and be my date?”
“Absolutely.”
“Isla?” he called after me as I turned to go.
“Yes?” I glanced over my shoulder.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
The game had started at one o’clock
