The Contract We Never Wanted

Kieran Hayes The sound of skates cutting across the ice had always calmed me. Tonight, it only made me angry. The arena roared around me as I slammed the puck into the net. The red light flashed. Thousands of fans jumped to their feet. I didn't celebrate. I simply skated away, my jaw tight. The Wolves had won another game. Another victory. Another headline. Another day pretending my life wasn't falling apart. "Captain!" one of my teammates shouted. "At least smile for the cameras." I forced a grin. The cameras loved me. The fans loved me. Sponsors loved me. Nobody knew the truth. Nobody knew I hadn't slept more than three hours a night in months. Nobody knew that every time I looked at the Wolves logo, I remembered him. Five years later, and Rowan Wolfe still haunted me. The billionaire who had once promised me forever. The man who had looked me in the eyes and told me he never wanted to see me again. The man I had never stopped loving. I pushed the memory away. Some wounds weren't meant to heal. An hour later, I sat inside the locker room, pulling off my gear. The air smelled of sweat and victory. Everyone else was celebrating. I wasn't. My phone buzzed. Unknown Number. I almost ignored it. Almost. "Hello?" "Kieran Hayes?" The female voice was sharp and professional. "This is Olivia Carter from Wolfe Enterprises." My stomach dropped. Five years. Five years without hearing that name. And somehow it still had the power to wreck me. "What do you want?" I asked. There was a brief pause. "Mr. Wolfe would like to meet with you." I laughed. A bitter sound. "Tell Mr. Wolfe to lose my number." "I'm afraid that's not possible." "Then that's his problem." "Kieran." The way she said my name made my chest tighten. "This concerns the future of the Wolves franchise." That got my attention. "What happened?" "I can't discuss details over the phone." Of course she couldn't. Corporate people loved secrets. "When?" "Tomorrow morning." "No." Silence. Then— "He specifically requested you." I clenched my jaw. Requested me? After five years? After everything? The nerve of that man. "Tell Rowan Wolfe that if he wants to speak to me, he can go to hell." I ended the call. Then immediately regretted it. Because curiosity was a dangerous thing. And Rowan Wolfe had always been my greatest weakness. The next morning, I found myself standing in front of the tallest building in Manhattan. Which was exactly where I didn't want to be. The headquarters of Wolfe Enterprises towered over the city like a king watching his kingdom. Glass. Steel. Power. It was so Rowan. I adjusted my jacket and walked inside. The receptionist smiled politely. "Mr. Hayes. They're expecting you." Of course they were. I followed an assistant through endless hallways until we reached a pair of black double doors. My heart hammered against my ribs. I hated that it did. I hated that he could still affect me. "Mr. Wolfe is waiting." The assistant opened the door. I stepped inside. And forgot how to breathe. Rowan Wolfe stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Six-foot-three. Dark suit. Broad shoulders. Cold gray eyes. Five years had changed him. Somehow he looked even more dangerous now. More powerful. More untouchable. For a second, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched. Heavy. Painful. Familiar. Then his gaze met mine. And every memory I had spent years trying to bury came rushing back. His first smile. His first kiss. His first promise. His last goodbye. The expression on his face never changed. "You look well." His deep voice sent a shiver through me. I hated that too. "I wish I could say the same." A muscle ticked in his jaw. Good. Let him feel uncomfortable. For once. "What do you want, Rowan?" No greeting. No small talk. No pretending. His eyes darkened. Then he walked to the desk and tossed a folder toward me. It landed with a soft thud. "Read it." I frowned. "What is this?" "Your future." I opened the folder. The first page made my blood freeze. MARRIAGE CONTRACT I stared at it. Then at him. Then back at the paper. My brain refused to process the words. "What the hell is this?" For the first time, Rowan's perfect composure cracked. Just slightly. Not enough for anyone else to notice. But I noticed. I always noticed. "A proposal." I laughed. Once. Twice. Then I realized he wasn't joking. My smile vanished. "You're insane." "Possibly." "You dragged me here for this?" "Yes." I stared at him. The man who had shattered my heart. The man who hadn't spoken to me in five years. The man I had spent years trying to forget. And now he wanted to marry me? I looked down at the contract again. Then back at him. "What game are you playing?" Rowan's expression hardened. "This isn't a game, Kieran." His eyes locked onto mine. And suddenly, for the first time since entering the room, I felt something dangerous beneath his calm exterior. Desperation. Fear. Need. "The future of the Wolves depends on this." My pulse quickened. "What happened?" Rowan was silent. Then he said five words that changed everything. "We're both in trouble." To Be Continued...