The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife (Blair and Grayson) novel Chapter 224

Chapter 224

NUCA-

Charlotte had insisted on a second check up, so I was in a hospital bed I did not need, wearing a gown I hated, staring at the same short skirt that had put me in the wall.

Every time she shifted I groaned inside, because that damn thing was the reason I had arrived too deep at/ Turn 3, the reason a perfectly good Saturday had ended against a barrier, and now I had to look at it under fluorescent lights like the universe had a horrible sense of humor.

I told her I was fine for the tenth time.

She told me I had hit a wall and that a man could be fine and still needed to be scanned, which was how I had ended up here after a doctor had already said concussion protocol was clear, no fracture, go home.

Charlotte had smiled at him like he was.a child and asked for one more look anyway.

The doctor had looked at me for help.

I had looked at her and lost.

So. Hospital bed. Beeping I did not need. A gown that opened in the back.

I watched that skirt again and thought about tomorrow. I needed her fully covered if I did not want to destroy another corner.

Then the door opened and I was surprised to see so many people.

Nico first. Blair. Olivia. Grayson. Roman. They came in with bouquets bigger than I needed. It looked as if someone had raided a florist on the way here and then argued about who cared more.

I squinted. “For me?” I teased. “Thanks, Roman. Didn’t think you cared.”

Roman’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t. Olivia forced me.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Stop lying. You panicked when you saw him crash. You kept asking if he would be okay.”

I stared at him.

Then I laughed, and it hurt my ribs a little, which made it worth it. Roman looked at the ceiling like someone owed him an apology.

“I asked once.”

“You asked four times,” Grayson said. “I counted. It was embarrassing.”

“I will end you,” Roman told him, without a real threat in his tone.

Blair set flowers on the table. “You scared everyone. Don’t do that again.”

“I’ll put it in the notes,” I said. “No more crashes.”

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Nico sighed and dropped into the visitor chair. “That was unlike you today. You sure everything’s good? Felt like your mind wasn’t on the track.”

Charlotte went very still by the bed.

I tried not to look at her legs.

I failed.

There were too many men in this room. Nico. Grayson. Roman. Marco would make four. All of them had eyes. All of them could see that skirt if they looked down at the wrong second. The thought made my pulse race in a way the monitors did not need to catch.

“I’m good,” I said. “Too cocky. Late on the wheel. That’s all.”

It was a lie.

It was not like I planned on telling them I crashed because I could not get Charlotte out of my head.

Olivia snorted. Grayson set his bouquet next to Roman’s like they were competing.

“Blackridge would have benched you for that,” Grayson said. “Just saying.”

“I’m not on ice, captain.”

“Lucky. You’d be doing laps of shame.”

Blair elbowed him. “He’s in a hospital.”

“He’s in a hotel with extra beeping,” Grayson said. “Look at him. He’s already flirting with the nurses, I’m

sure.”

I stiffened.

Charlotte’s head snapped toward him.

“He is not,” she said, too fast.

The room noticed.

I noticed that the room noticed.

Roman muttered that he had not even wanted to buy the flowers. Olivia said he had chosen the expensive ones. He said they were closest to the door. She said he had read the card twice.

I grinned at him. “It’s okay. I care about you too, Vale.”

“I will leave.”

“No you won’t,” Olivia said, and he didn’t.

Marco came in with bags. Food. Drinks.

Did they think this was a party?

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The Nockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife

He announced family delivery, then saw the room and said, “Ah. The whole crew,” like he had expected nothing less.

He nodded at everyone, clapped Grayson’s shoulder, gave Roman a look, and dumped containers on the tray table.

“Eat,” he told me. “Mom is freaking out and calling every minute. I have a headache. I need to send her pictures of you eating so she does not book a flight while I am holding this bag.”

“I will end you,” I said.

“You should be the last person making threats right now.” My brother grinned. “Now eat. Smile. I need proof of life or she will arrive with a priest and a lecture.”

He greeted the others and then started asking about the pregnancies like this was Sunday lunch and not the aftermath of me attacking a wall.

I ate because he would stand there until I did.

Charlotte hovered.

Skirt. Crop top. My name across her chest, because that was where they had chosen to put it.

Every time she moved I tracked her. Not because I thought she would fall. Because I thought someone else would look..

Nico watched me watch her.

I looked at the wall. Trying to play it off.

Charlotte bent to pick up a napkin that had slid off the tray.

The skirt climbed.

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