Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Hope’s POV

I had work tomorrow while Levi didn’t. Even so, I was inside his car while he drove us to his house.

55 vouchers

“Is your house inside Central Manhattan?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the fact that his hand rested on my thigh, gently caressing it every time we stopped at a red light.

“Just a little farther out,” he answered, his eyes fixed on the road while his hand remained exactly where it was.

When the light turned green, and he finally placed both hands back on the steering wheel, I let out a quiet breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

“I don’t want anyone to know where I live,” he continued, shaking his head. “People already know about the condo I own.

“Oh,” I muttered, suddenly feeling awkward.

Why was I even feeling awkward?

Was it because I knew what would probably happen once we arrived at his house?

Heat crawled up my neck. I quickly shook the thought away before it could settle any deeper.

Instead, I focused on something much safer.

I was actually excited to see where Levi lived.

/

His room inside the rink had always been plain. It was neat, clean, and looked more like a hotel suite rented for convenience than a room someone genuinely called home.

I wondered if his house would be the same.

After a while, we entered a neighborhood where the houses stood like monuments, towering over perfectly trimmed lawns and separated by generous stretches of land. My breath caught as I turned toward the window, watching one breathtaking estate after another glide past.

This looked like a millionaire’s street.

Then again, Levi wasn’t one of the highest-paid hockey players for nothing.

He had spent four years earning contracts that most athletes only dreamed about. Add his endorsements, sponsorships, and brand deals to the mix, and owning a place like this suddenly didn’t seem impossible.

When we finally stopped in front of a sprawling modern home surrounded by towering gates that silently slid open at Levi’s command, surprise still stole the air from my lungs.

I stared as the gates slowly closed behind us before turning to him with wide eyes.

“Your gate knows you?” I asked.

He shrugged as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

“It’s a hassle opening the gate every time. I live here alone anyway, so no one would come and open or close it for me.”

I pursed my lips.

The difference between our lives suddenly became impossible to ignore.

13

16

2

G

|||

O

Thu, Jul 16

Chapter 100

As we drove farther down the private driveway before finally parking, it became even more obvious.

The driveway alone was probably bigger than the parking lot beside my apartment building.

Levi stepped out first.

I followed him in complete silence, unable to stop looking around.

Everything felt really expensive.

“Is that a heated pool?” I muttered, pointing toward the shimmering and steaming body of water.

He glanced over.

“Yeah.”

“I haven’t used it yet,” he simply added.

It sounded so unbelievably Levi.

He walked toward the front door and unlocked it with a quick tap.

I hesitated.

For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to step inside.

55 vouchers

This place felt so private. Like crossing the threshold meant entering a part of him almost nobody else had seen.

I remained standing on the patio.

Levi clicked his tongue.

“Hope.”

Before I could respond, he reached for my wrist and gently tugged me inside.

The moment I crossed the doorway, my mouth fell open again.

It was… exactly what I had expected. And somehow, not at all.

The house was enormous!

Everything looked carefully chosen, from the stone walls to the polished hardwood floors.

Yet despite how luxurious it all was, it still felt strangely empty.

The furniture was elegant but minimal. Decorations were almost nonexistent. The walls held very little personality beyond the paint on them.

It was beautiful, but I felt lonely.

It reminded me so much of Levi.

“Hope.”

My name pulled me out of my thoughts.

I looked at him.

215

THU

16

O

2

G

|||

11:11 Thu, Jul 16 D d D

Chapter 100

55 vouchers

He was leaning casually against the kitchen island, watching me with the smallest hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Are you just going to stand there?”

I smiled sheepishly before walking toward him.

“This is…” I looked around again, nearly laughing at myself. “…your place?”

His lips curved into a smug little smile.

“Do you like it?”

I nodded before I could stop myself.

“It doesn’t even feel real.”

Instead of answering, he simply watched me continue taking everything in.

His gaze lingered on me longer than necessary. Then, I caught how his expression softened.

“It’s my first time showing this place to someone.”

My head snapped toward him.

“The first time?”

He nodded.

“Even Matthias?” I asked.

“Especially Matthias,” he answered without missing a beat.

I laughed.

“I wouldn’t let that guy in here even if he begged.”

“He’d walk around barefoot, raid my refrigerator, steal my snacks, and would definitely start acting like he owned the place.”

I couldn’t help giggling. That sounded exactly like Matthias. Within five minutes, he’d probably be lying across Levi’s couch with the television remote in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

“And Zayla?” I asked, still struggling to believe I was the first person standing inside this house aside from him.

He shook his head.

“This place was only finished a few months ago. So, she never got to see it.”

I stared at him.

“Then…”

The question escaped before I could stop it.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify