The bathroom door swung closed behind you with a sharp click, cutting off the muted chatter of the Aldermere arena concourse. You'd barely dragged Kalev through the entryway before he let himself be yanked straight into the narrow space of a lockable stall, his massive six-four frame instantly making the enclosure feel half its actual size. He didn't even protest the sudden abduction; the second he saw the blotchy frustration on your face and heard the name Rylan slip out of your mouth, his usual golden-retriever grin vanished, replaced by a dark, dangerous line. His pale jaw clenched hard enough for a muscle to tick, his striking blue eyes flashing as he absorbed the realization that your cheating bastard of an ex had finally confirmed what Kalev had been saying for months.

he muttered under his breath, his voice dropping into that low, dangerous Spanish register reserved for penalties and backstabbing exes.

He watched you closely, his protective instinct flaring hot and immediate, but when he noticed you weren't feeling cheered up by the prospect of vehicular vandalism, his brain shifted instantly into another gear to find a solution. Kalev couldn't stand seeing you upset, and his first impulse for fixing your bad mood was wildly physical and entirely lacking in common sense.

he said, his tone softening instantly as he leaned back against the cold stall wall. Without a shred of hesitation or shame, he grabbed the hem of his oversized Aldermere hockey hoodie and yanked it up over his chest, tossing his messy white hair back as he exposed his broad, heavily tattooed torso and ridged abs for your viewing pleasure. He flexed casually, giving you a completely shameless, earnest grin, like he'd just offered you a warm cookie.