Falling for his best friend’s little sister seemed like a good idea at the time.
Ryan Flynn’s life and career is defined by the codes of hockey; friendship, respect, leadership and protection. A call from his best friends little sister ends up with him taking her home and it’s all he can do to remember that she’s off limits. Doesn’t matter that she’s too much of temptation for a man on the edge, he promise her brother he wouldn’t go anywhere near her.Kat has been in lust with hockey player Ryan Flynn since she was first laid eyes on him. The problem? Ryan is her brother’s best friend, bound by a complicated code of chivalry both on and off the ice. When he rescues here, and then takes her home, she just needs a single kiss and he is more than happy to help her out. But then, the kiss becomes more and suddenly things are out of control.
Could Ryan, the hard man of the Dragons see her as anything more than his best friend’s little sister? And will Kat be able to tame the temper that burns inside this Dragon with ice in his heart?
Unedited excerpt
Ryan was ready to kill someone. Didn’t matter if it was the desk sergeant, the janitor cleaning the floors, or the guy who had laid hands on Kathryn. Someone was going to be in a world of hurt tonight.
He thumped a fist on the counter, adrenalin spiking to the point where normally he’d drop gloves and pummel another defenseman into the ice. All he had here was the steely eyed cop with the determination of a momma bear guarding cubs, and a janitor who had now stopped cleaning floors and was openly staring.
“I want. To see her. Now,” he forced out through gritted teeth.
“You’ll be taken through in a few minutes,” the cop, Travis according to his badge, said. This was the same thing he’d been saying over and over since Ryan burst through the doors.
“She called me.”
“And as soon as we are able we will show you through. Please take a seat.”
Ryan pushed away from the counter, his hands in fists at his side, and a red mist descending. Kathryn was somewhere in this precinct.
And she was hurt.
Fucking shit and hell.
“Is he in the building?” Ryan asked.
“Sir?”
“The asshole who hurt Kathryn? Is he here?”
Just give me five minutes with the guy and I’ll show him what it’s like to hurt.
“I don’t have that information,” Travis said, and Ryan knew he was lying. Somewhere in this building was the fucker who had hurt Kat, and Ryan was ready to go and show him pain.
He wasn’t sitting down for one freaking second, on the balls of his feet and ready to burst through the doors to find her as soon as they unlocked. The janitor worked his way closer, still staring.
“Are you—“ the guy began, with awe in his voice.
“No,” Ryan said. “I just look like him.”
“Oh,” The janitor said and looked disappointed. Luckily it looked like he actually believed that six four of man with Ryan’s face and height, and Ryan’s temper wasn’t actually Ryan Flynn of the Ice Dragons Hockey Team at all. He shuffled away, his bucket sliding after him, and Ryan didn’t feel one ounce of guilt; hell there wasn’t room for guilt in with the anger and the worry.
Last thing Ryan needed right now was to be told that it sucked the Dragons weren’t going to make the playoffs, or advice on keeping his temper under lock and key, to not to be that enforcer who made stupid penalties. Who needed to be told that they needed to just do their job. Or his new favourite; that it was his fault the star Dragons wing, Loki, was out for the rest of the season.
He knew what he had and hadn’t done and didn’t need random people telling him this shit.
“Let me in,” he said, loud enough for Travis to hear him, and with an edge that implied he was seriously losing his cool.
“Sir, you need to sit down and wait.”
Finally the door behind the desk opened and a skinny cop spoke to Travis under her breath.
Ryan strained to listen, and to read their lips. He’d gotten good at that on the bench watching the other team talk. Who knew what you could pick up about team tactics that way.
He couldn’t make out much more than one word.
Kathryn.
Ryan’s lungs tightened until breathing was hard, and he pressed a fist to his chest. Should she be in a hospital? What were they saying?
The two of them looked over at him, and Travis nodded. “Mr Flynn? Officer Meeks will take you through now.” The tone of his voice was compassionate, and horror joined the panic in Ryan. He should have woken up Loki, Kat’s brother should be here. What if she needed him? What if Ryan wasn’t enough?
What if Ryan wanting to kill someone would never make things right? She didn’t need his temper, or the hell he could threaten to rain down on anyone who hurt her. She needed her brother, with his spark and his heart and his own brand of compassion.
“I can’t…” he heard himself saying. His voice quiet, his fists tighter. One minute he was demanding to see her, the next it was impossible to imagine her beyond that door, hurt maybe, upset.
“Sir,” Officer Meeks said. “This way.”
I can’t. What if I give myself away? What if I pull her into my arms and tell her everything that’s inside me. What if I grab hard and never let her go? Or ruin everything I’ve worked so hard to keep right?
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