Page 157 of These Wicked Hearts

“What does?” I ask.

“My job being done.” He laughs softly. “Usually, I still have to perform everything after recording it. Now I just—” He motions vaguely to the computer. “Hand it off.”

“That has to feel good, though, right?” I ask.

“It does.” He smiles slowly. “A little terrifying too.”

“Yeah, well,” Chen cuts in. “My vocals sound better anyway.”

Gage flips him off immediately.

I laugh, running my fingers absently through Gage’s hair. “Are you nervous?” I ask Chen.

His confidence slips enough for me to notice. “No,” he says, too quickly. Then his shoulders sink. “Okay, maybe a little. It’s weird doing this solo.”

“You know you’ve always got me,” Gage tells him. “Anytime you want company on tour or whatever, I can be there.”

Chen snorts. “Yeah, right, you’re too busy playing house these days.”

I grin shamelessly. “Guilty.” Although we aren’t officially living together. We’ve both kept our own apartments through the rest of my season, but I’ve debated asking him to move in with me permanently. It’s not like we don’t spend most of my off time together anyway.

“If you need a road buddy, I’m sure Knox will more than volunteer.”

Chen thinks about this. “You know,” he says slowly. “I’ve never hooked up with a hockey player before.”

“Ten out of ten,” Gage laughs.

“He is kind of cute too,” Chen continues. “Maybe I’ll think about it.”

That makes me laugh. “They’re going to be here soon,” I say to Gage.

“Call me tomorrow. Let me know what they think of it.”

“You got it. Love you guys.” Chen disconnects the call.

Gage swivels around to me. “Hi.”

“Hi.” I grin back and lean down to kiss him. I pull back, but Gage tugs me closer, deepening the kiss. There’s something different about him lately. Lighter and happier. Not healed fully, but I don’t think either of us are. He’s alive in a way he wasn’t before, though.

For months after everything came out about Riot Heart and Jim’s abuse, I worried I’d lose him to the weight of it all. Instead, little by little, he’s started finding pieces of himself again. Not the Riot Heart version of himself. He’s his own person now, and I love getting to witness who he’s become.

“You better stop,” I murmur against his mouth. “My friends will be here soon.”

“Okay.” His hands slide briefly around my waist before they drop. “Fine,” he huffs. “I’ll be out in a second.”

I drop one last kiss on his forehead and head out to the kitchen.

The counters are already covered with food, because apparently Gage copes with the stress of throwing a get together by cooking enough for a small crowd. I mean, we’re athletes, but still, this is a lot of food even for us. There are trays of snacks, dips, vegetables, and homemade vegan sliders just waiting to be heated up.

Thank god he’s good at cooking, because I absolutely cannot.

Voices boom from the front entryway a moment later, and I head into the living room just as Oli and Andre walk through the door carrying bags and arguing about something. “There he is,” Oli says, opening his arms.

I pull him into a hug first then Andre. It feels strange having everyone here like this. Not bad, just different.

“No one else here yet?” Andre asks, glancing around.

“Knox is on the way,” I answer. “Grey and Felix⁠—”