Hannah Peter

My boss’s brother is the father of my child, and he has no idea.

Three years ago, I was the scholarship girl in a borrowed dress. He was the stranger who pinned me against the elevator wall, and I can still feel the intensity of that moment. I didn't know that night would leave me with a son who has his father's dark eyes.

Now, Alexander Thorne is back. He’s walking through the corridors of Thorne Empire, staring at me with a gaze that burns. He thinks I’m just Elena, the efficient assistant. He doesn't know about the toddler waiting for me at home.

"You look familiar," he said, cornering me in the breakroom. His scent—expensive cologne and musk—flooded my senses, dragging me back to that night.

If he finds out, he could take everything. My job. My son.

But tonight, in the empty office, the air is thick with tension. He leans close, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "I can't stop thinking about you," he growled, his eyes darkening as they dropped to my lips. My body betrays me, and I’m left longing for him.

Rule one: This is my side of the room. Jack Carter—that arrogant, messy, insufferable hockey captain—stays on his.

Rule two: He's full of himself, lazy, and gets under my skin like no one else. I hate him. That's not up for debate.

Rule three: ...Absolutely, never notice the way his hair looks when it's still wet from the shower. Or the rare moments when his guard drops and he almost seems... human.

My name is Luca Rinaldi. I came here to win championships and go pro. I can handle anything—even sharing a dorm with Jack Carter, my biggest rival on and off the ice.

He mocks my accent, steals my breakfast, and grins that infuriating "what are you gonna do about it?" smile every time he tramples another one of my rules. On the rink, he plays me like a fool, chirping "too easy" every time he steals the win. The tension between us could set the whole rink on fire.

But here's the thing—when the rest of the team laughs at my accent, he's the first one to shut them down. When I'm dead on my feet after practice, he slides a water bottle into my hand and pretends it was nothing. The harder I push him away, the more he winds his way into my life like ivy I can't tear down.

In this place, rules are everything. And Jack Carter? He was born to break every single one of them. But breaking the rules might cost me everything I've worked for. So tell me—do I shove him away and protect my future, or do I risk it all for the one person who makes my heart race?