Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I loved playing for the Arizona Vengeance but I’m stoked to be part of the legacy the Pittsburgh Titans is building. A team that has risen from the ashes, I’m eager to help them achieve their goal of winning a championship. I’m also looking forward to becoming part of a new hockey family. A night out with my new mates introduces me to the little sister of our goalie, Drake McGinn, and I’m powerless to resist her.
Keira and I have an instant and insatiable attraction and it doesn’t take long before we find ourselves tangled up in one another. While Drake has declared his sister off limits, I’m not deterred because I always go for what I want. I refuse to heed Drake’s warnings and take great pleasure in goading him every chance I get. It’s become one of my favorite hobbies, outside of making his sister scream my name.
As things with Keira get hotter, feelings start to develop making it a little more complicated than we intended. But a bucket of ice-cold water is tossed on our relationship and we’re forced to reprioritize everything. Neither of us were looking for more than a hot fling but fates get twisted all the time. Faced with tough decisions, Keira and I know that no matter what choices we make, our lives are never going to be the same.
Bain contains subject matter that may be sensitive to some readers. If you would like additional details, please visit the book page for Bain on my website.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER 1
Bain
Parking my car a few blocks down, I walk through the posh neighborhood toward Brienne Norcross’s mansion for the team Christmas party. Although I’ve been with the Pittsburgh Titans for a month and a half, I’m still getting my social bearings. On the ice, I’ve seamlessly integrated as a defenseman onto the first line, replacing Nolan Carrier in a trade that took me from the two-time champions, the Arizona Vengeance.
The trade was a lucrative deal for me. On a personal level, I’m still not sure. My time with the Vengeance was more than meaningful as we were a patched-together expansion team thrust into a competitive league. We defied all odds and won back-to-back Cups, and within those two years, our team bonded like no other.
It was painful to leave.
But trades happen all the time and in this business you can never really set down solid roots. Your fate is mostly in others’ hands.
As I approach Brienne’s house—aglow with thousands of festive lights on the outside that give me a tingly feeling because I fucking love Christmas—I take a moment to consider the similarities between her and the Vengeance owner, Dominik Carlson.
Both owners take a very personal interest in their players. They’re hands-on in their concern for our welfare but otherwise trust the general manager and coaches to make us good. While they’re both incredibly wealthy, they’re also down-to-earth and approachable. Hell, Brienne Norcross is dating our goalie, Drake McGinn. She’s a multibillionaire CEO of an empire and while he’s important to our team, he’s just a regular guy compared to her level of success.
As I trot up the front steps to the massive double doors, I hear music and laughter from within, telling me this is going to be a fun party.
I expected no less because Brienne is just good people.
It’s three days before Christmas and I’ve been hyped up for the holiday for a while now. I decided on renting a downtown condo until I can figure out the city. Plus, my parents are coming in for a visit and to catch a game. I’ve already got my tree up and all the necessary ingredients for my mom to make her decorated sugar cookies that will ensure I have to do double duty at the gym.
I don’t bother knocking on the door but enter a cacophony of raucous laughter and a group of people singing Christmas carols from somewhere in the house. It’s hard for me to focus on anyone in particular because I’m momentarily stunned by the grandeur of Brienne’s home. I understand it was her family home, but it doesn’t fit the sleek, modern woman who is the Titans’ owner. It’s opulent in an old-fashioned way. It reminds me a bit of the Biltmore Estate I visited one summer. Dark-paneled walls and elaborate embellishments grace the ceiling, showcasing intricate designs of flowers, leaves and vines. The floor is marble, the tiles creating a round pattern in the foyer. A chandelier the size of a car and covered in thousands of shimmering crystals hangs above the sweeping main staircase. The furniture looks like the type not meant for sitting and the massive oil paintings look like they should be in a museum.