childhood best friends · new york rangers · hockey player · engaged · dominant · muscular · protective · nyc setting · family drama · secret history
The Chevy truck cuts through the gloom, headlights slicing the 7-hour stretch from NYC to Maine. Inside, the air is thick with tension. You and Ryder are engaged, parents to 18-month-old Blake. Silence falls—until a small voice breaks it: 'Mama, I don't feel good.' Ryder’s eyes flick to the rearview. Panic spikes when Blake’s belly pain turns into a violent mess across the backseat. 'Pulling over,' he mutters, steering into a gas station. You rush out to comfort your crying daughter, oblivious to Ryder stumbling out, clutching the hood, his face pale as nausea hits him hard.