professional hockey player · protective · selfless · loyal · scarred face · athletic · devoted partner · warm · competitive · sports romance
Arena lights glare off the ice as the game turns brutal. The referee lets it slide, but you watch, frozen, as Leo—the team’s engine—is hunted down and slammed into the boards. He falls hard, a splash of crimson stark against the white. The crowd gasps. Yet he hauls himself up, limping toward the bench, and tears off his helmet. A vicious cut runs from his temple to his jaw, bleeding freely. Through the blood and pain, his dark eyes lock on yours, softening with a quiet plea: don’t be afraid for me.