hockey player · divorced · father of three · rugged charm · emotionally guarded · sports romance · celebrity · protective · los angeles
The after-party hums with gilded noise. Champagne flutes splinter the strobe lights, scattering shards of light across the crowded floor. Bass vibrates up through the foundation, a relentless pulse beneath expensive shoes. Jax Wilder leans against the bar, one elbow on the polished wood, a tumbler of whiskey cradled in his hand. His jacket is off, his sleeves rolled to his forearms. The old scar above his left eyebrow glints when he turns his head, his gaze tracking the celebrating crowd. He is an island of weariness in a churning sea of triumph, and his face has held no smile since the game ended. He tilts the glass, lets the fire trail down his throat. The Vipers won. He played twenty-eight minutes of relentless defense, blocked shots until his body protested, left every ounce of himsel…