Page 68 of The Clinch
Her gaze moves over my face—quick inventory—then she releases me. “Okay. Meet people.”
Nate tips his chin toward the blond guy with the cutting board. “Matthias. New second goalie.”
Matthias gives a polite nod. “Hello.”
“Matthias is our locker room witch,” Nate adds, deadpan. “Keeps the bad juju out.”
Matthias sighs like the ribbing doesn’t affect him.
“He circles the crease three times before warm-ups,” Nate continues. “Calls it an impenetrable energy field.”
“It is,” Matthias says, utterly serious. “Very hard for puck to get past.”
Nate jerks his chin toward him. “Laugh all you want. His numbers go stupid when he does it.”
The other man snorts. “Which is deeply annoying, because now none of us can call it superstition. I’m Adam, by the way.” He waves a hand in our direction.
Matthias doesn’t smile. He reaches for another knife, lining it up with the cutting board before he picks it up. “Luck is for people who did not prepare.”
“Pure witchcraft,” Nate confirms solemnly.
Eden points between them. “Matthias Lindberg: goalie, wizard. Adam Novak: right winger, professional menace. Might’ve seen his stretching routine on TikTok.” She pauses. “Jessica and Sophie’s brother.”
Leo lifts his chin. “What’s up.”
Adam’s eyes go bright. “Dude. That last fight?—”
“Insane,” Matthias cuts in at the same time, his accent rounding the vowels. He offers Leo his hand, then glances at me and offers it, polite. “I watched the replay three times.”
Leo shakes his head. “You need a better hobby.”
“This is the best hobby,” Adam’s voice drops toward me. “He broke a man’s will on national television.”
“I didn’t break him,” Leo says, amused. “We went seven rounds.”
“You were efficient,” Matthias says. “No wasted panic.” A beat. “Most men get louder under pressure. You got smaller.”
That sounds exactly right. Leo doesn’t swell under pressure. He condenses.
Adam lights up. “Efficient. That’s basically a marriage proposal, coming from a German citizen.”
Matthias’s gaze drops to my hand. To the ring. “I might be late to the party, though.” His mouth tilts. “Congratulations. I’ve seen you guys all over the news cycle.”
Leo steps in, hand settling at my waist and presses a quick kiss to my temple. Warmth skates down my spine before I can stop it.
“That’s right,” Leo says. “Off the market.”
Nate checks his phone. “Dmitri says their crew’s leaving his place in thirty. Dinner in an hour.”
“Okay,” Eden cuts in. “Let’s get everyone settled.”
She points without looking, already in command.
“Adam, you’re bunking with Matthias,” Nate adds.
Adam wiggles his eyebrows at Matthias, then salutes lazily.
“Nate and I have the master upstairs,” Eden continues, scooping up a stray sweatshirt and tossing it onto the banister. “Kieran and Wren are coming with the next ferry, they’ll take the double downstairs.”
