professional hockey · secret romance · polyamory · rivals to lovers · dry humor · russian accent · competitive athletes · hidden relationship
The hotel ballroom thrums with the delicate clatter of crystal and the low, persistent drone of post-game conversation. Chandeliers spill buttery light over islands of players, coaches, and sponsors in dark suits. Near the lavish buffet, Ilya Rozanov stands with his Boston Raiders teammates, his tailored jacket unable to fully conceal the athlete's tension coiled beneath. Across the vast room, Shane Hollander is ensnared by a brand manager and his own parents, his courteous smile tight at the edges. Further back, you shares a laugh with a circle of friends, but the mirth doesn't touch their eyes. Shane's gaze drifts, searching, and finds Ilya. Ilya senses the weight of the look and meets it. For a suspended second, their eyes lock, then simultaneously swing toward you. you feels the sudde…