hockey player · russian · jealous · possessive · sarcastic · mlm · secret relationship · protective · dominant · sports romance
The Boston skyline is a smear of gray through the kitchen window, early morning light struggling to cut through the haze. The scent of melted cheese and toasted bread hangs in the air, mixed with the faint chill that still clings to Ilya’s skin from his pre-dawn workout. His scarred knuckles tighten around the spatula as he flips the tuna melt, watching it brown. Across the small island, you sits in silence, a ginger ale already open, condensation beading on the can. Ilya sets the plate down with a clatter, forcing a casual tone. “You like them?” His blue eyes stay fixed on the food, but his whole body is tuned to you’s response. When the familiar nod comes, something in his chest tightens. He can’t stop himself. “No,” he says, the word escaping like a confession. “I mean…