Ice Bound Passion

Emilia POV Despite being an adult who had heard of b**m and seen it in movies, I had always considered it fictional. I had never imagined that people would actually engage in these activities and derive pleasure from it. Not until I experienced it myself. With a total stranger. My body felt heavy, sore in places I didn’t even know could ache. The sheets were tangled around my legs, and there was a warm, sticky fluid between my thighs. I blinked at the ceiling, confused for a second, until the memories crashed over me all at once. The way he’d f****d me like he needed me to survive. I sat up with a soft hiss. There were hickeys all over my breasts and inner thighs, dark little marks that stood out against my skin. I could feel the dried evidence of him on my stomach and between my legs. He had come on me. Inside me. Everywhere. My cheeks burned. I had never been touched like that in my life. Not even close. My boyfriend.. Ex boyfriend, Ethan, had always been gentle, like he was afraid I might break. But last night… that stranger had taken me apart and put me back together again, rough and hungry and relentless. I had come so hard I saw stars. Multiple times. For the first time in my life, I actually understood what all the fuss was about. Thankfully, I would never see him again. No names. No numbers exchanged. Just one reckless, mind-blowing night to forget the worst day of my life. That was the deal I made with myself when I followed him to that hotel room. I hugged my knees to my chest, staring at the messy bed. Part of me wanted to feel ashamed. The old Emilia would have been horrified. But right now, all I felt was a strange mix of satisfaction and deep, aching sadness. No matter how incredible last night had been, it didn’t erase what I walked in on yesterday. Ethan and Lilian, my best friend, bathing together. The pain came rushing back, giving me a numbing headache. I pressed my face into my knees to stop the oncoming tears. When I lifted my head, I wiped my eyes, and stood up. I had a new job waiting for me in a new city. I quickly showered, got dressed, and checked out of the hotel. Two hours later, I was on a plane heading to Manhattan, watching the clouds pass by the window. My heart still hurt, but there was also the comfortable assurance that things would get better. It always did. As soon as we landed, I called my mom. “Hey Mom,” I said when she picked up, trying to sound brighter than I felt. “I just landed. I’m going to head straight to the Frosthammer Rays facility to introduce myself before I come by the house. Is that okay?” She sounded thrilled. “Of course, honey! I’m so proud of you. Be safe, okay? I can’t wait to see you.” A small smile tugged at my lips as I hung up. This was my dream for as long as I could remember, being a physical therapist for a top NHL team. I had worked so hard for this. When I arrived at the Frosthammer Rays training facility, I was stunned by how warm the reception was. The staff greeted me with genuine smiles and handshakes. One of the assistant coaches even clapped me on the back like I was already part of them. “Welcome aboard, Emilia,” he said. “We’ve heard great things about you.” They introduced me to several players I had been watching on TV for months, studying their movements, their injuries, and how I could help them. I felt a little starstruck but tried not to show it. These were the guys whose games I had analyzed late into the night. One of them, Nelson, the kind alternate captain with a gentle smile, shook my hand warmly. “Glad to have you here, Emy,” he said. “If you need anything, just let me know.” I smiled back, feeling a little more assured. He was already even on a first name basis. “Thank you so much, Nel.” I responded in kind, then asked. “Actually… where’s the captain? I’d love to introduce myself to him too.” The coach chuckled, exchanging a look with a few of the players. “Captain’s always right on time. He’ll be here soon. Probably wants to make a big impactful entrance for the new therapist.” The guys laughed lightly, and I joined in, the sound a little shaky but genuine. Just as he said it, the locker room door swung open. I turned to look at who it was and … My heart just stopped. Walking in with a confident stride was no one but the stranger from last night. What the hell was he doing here?! Wait… was I mistaken? Definitely not! It was the same messy dark hair. The same sharp jaw and intense eyes that had looked down at me while he was buried deep inside me only hours ago. The same lips that… He scanned the room casually until his gaze landed on me. I expected a lot of things to happen, but not the polite professionalism he addressed me with. He walked straight toward me and extended his hand. “Ace Gillian,” he said, voice low and smooth, eyes locked on mine. “Captain of the Frosthammer Rays.” Ace Gillian? THE ACE GILLIAN?! I swallowed hard, my hand moving on pure autopilot. When my palm met his, a jolt of pure electricity shot straight up my arm. His grip was firm and dominant. He looked entirely unaffected. "Emilia Benefort," I choked out. My voice sounded strained, like it belonged to someone else. I was getting dizzy from how fast my heart was hammering. I wasn’t supposed to meet this guy ever again in this life or the next. Thankfully, he did not seem to remember who I was or he was a very good pretender. Either ways, I was royally f****d.