I puffed out a breath. “Didn’t have that one on the bingo card for today. What if Coach doesn’t want us on the same team?”
Klaus stopped walking and looked directly at me. His expression was completely serious. “Then I’d retire.”
“You’d what?” I stammered. My drink and Holly’s threatened to slip out of my hands.
“I’d retire.” He stepped into my space until we were practically chest to chest in the middle of the sidewalk. “Things are different now, Flurry. It isn’t just the two of us having some silly little competition on the ice and fucking like rabbits behind the scenes. I’ve had my moment in the spotlight and now it’s time to focus on other things. And even before meeting Holly, this had been on my mind.”
The mate bond thrummed and warmth radiated through me. Gods, he could be a complete and total asshole, but he was one of the most romantic assholes I had ever met.
“I don’t want to hide my love for you anymore.”
“You mean that?” I asked, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes.
“Absolutely.” He cupped my face, bringing me in for a sweet kiss, not caring that we were out in public.
As he pulled away, the scent of Holly’s arousal swirled in the air between us. We both looked up, neither one of us surprised to see her standing there blushing.
“See something you like, Princess?” Klaus asked, giving her a wink that made my cock jump to attention.
“She does like watching.” I chuckled and passed her drink to her. “Hi, angel.”
“Hi,” she murmured, accepting kisses on the cheek from Klaus and me.
When we pulled away, I noticed that her head was on a swivel, her gaze sweeping across the park like she was looking for something—or someone. Something about her felt off. I had expected more excitement over our reunion, and I hoped to gods we hadn’t scared her off last night.
Klaus cleared his throat and gestured to the path that snaked through the park. “Shall we?”
We walked on either side of Holly, slowing our monstrous pace to meet hers. Even post-snowstorm, it was a beautiful day. There was a massive Christmas tree at the center with glittering lights, a small frozen pond behind it where kids were zipping around on ice skates. It was picturesque, like a holiday postcard. This was one of my favorite seasons. I had a large family and so the holidays were always an event for everyone.
I couldn’t help but imagine taking Klaus and Holly with me to a family get together. Everyone would love the two of them so much. My ma would be so pleased.
That thought was ruined by me wondering if Holly was going to end things between us already. The silence worked its way under my skin until I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Is everything okay?” I asked Holly, watching her eyes scan the park once again.
She looked down and traced her finger over the lid of her to-go cup. “I—There’s something we need to talk about. Something that involves the three of us.”
Fuck, I thought. This was it. The moment that she rejected the mating bond and utterly destroyed Klaus and me.
Klaus must have been thinking the same because his expression dropped. “Let’s take a seat and talk.” He placed his hand on the small of Holly’s back, directing her toward a monster sized bench that would accommodate all three of us.
We sat on either side of her and waited for her to speak.
“Well.” She puffed out a deep breath. “I don’t know how to even say this.”
Klaus and I tensed.
“Maybe it would be easier if I showed you.”
Showed us?
Her manicured fingers tapped on her phone screen, bringing up her photo gallery. An image of the three of us filled the screen—a very explicit image.
What the fuck?
White-hot rage filled me and I gripped my cup so hard it crumbled, spilling milky espresso over my clenched fist.
“Motherfucker,” Klaus hissed, sharing my anger. “Who took these?”
“I got an email from an unknown address,” Holly whispered. From the waver in her voice I could tell that she was on the verge of tears. “They’re blackmailing us.”
She pulled up the email so Klaus and I could read it.
The asshole was demanding $150,000, or they were going to release the photos of us together at our game against the Furries.
A protective growl rumbled out of my chest. I was horrified, enraged, and concerned. “Do you have any idea who could be doing this?”
Holly shook her head. She sniffled, setting her phone down on the bench. “I don’t know, but I feel—I feel violated. I’m sorry this is happening. I feel–”
“Princess, this isn’t your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for. They had no right,” Klaus snapped, and possessively gripped Holly’s trembling thigh.
I hated seeing her upset, hated that our mate felt exposed and unsafe.
“Holly,” I said, fighting to rein in my anger. “Whoever is doing this, we’ll find them and put an end to this. They aren’t getting that money and no one else will see these pictures.”
Klaus nodded in agreement. “You have nothing to worry about, princess. We’ll handle it.”
“How?” she asked, looking up at Klaus with watery eyes.
He stroked his thumb over her red cheeks. “Don’t you worry about that. I have my ways.”
His lips curved into a smirk and something devious flared to life in his eyes. Whatever it was he had in mind, I knew I was on board.
“Come on,” Klaus said, rising to his hooves and extending his hand out to Holly. “You look like you’re freezing to death. Why don’t we go back to my place and we can discuss this further?”
“Okay.” She took Klaus’ hand and he helped her to her feet. “I can drive my car and meet you there. I don’t want to leave it here at the park.”
“Do you want me to ride with you?”
Holly grinned despite everything. “I’ll be okay.” She slipped her arm in mine, leaning into my body and giving me a sense of reassurance. “I’ll meet you both there. Walk me back, though?”
“Of course,” I said.
As angry as I was, I felt a sense of relief as we walked Holly back to her car. A stalker we could handle, but rejection from our mate would tear Klaus and me apart.
CHAPTER 9
KLAUS
What Holly had revealed to us stoked a fire in me I had never felt before. For the first time in my life, I felt the full weight of being a public figure. Someone had watched us last night. Someone had taken moments that were precious to the three of us and turned them into blackmail.
I pulled into my driveway and got out, slamming the door hard enough that the entire truck rumbled. Flurry got out and came around to me as Holly pulled in behind us. I felt Flurry’s hand on my shoulder, rubbing my tense muscles. I couldn’t relax.
What if they were watching us now? What if they were waiting in the trees somewhere, trying to get more photos?
Rage had my hands curling into fists.
“We’ll figure this out,” Flurry said. “But for right now, I think we could all use a little relaxation. We’re all scared and angry. I’m worried about Holly.”