Page 133 of Playing Her Game

“Come on.”

“All right, all right.”

I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand, adjusting the crown so it doesn't slide off. Lucy takes my hand again, apparently determined to escort me downstairs herself.

At the door, I pause.

“Lucy?”

She looks up.

“Thank you for waking me.”

She smiles. “Happy birthday, Aunt Anna.”

Something warm settles in my chest.

“Thank you.”

Then we head downstairs together, where I can already hear the Hen House chicks laughing, plates clattering, and someone insisting the coffee isn’t ready yet.

I have a feeling the crown is only the beginning.

CHAPTER 24

FAULKERS

Daniil

Anna had already told me that she loved Lenzin and Hildy’s home, that it was very Brooklyn, and that it had apparently once been the Puck Pad, where a bunch of the Bears players, all single at the time, lived.

I have to give it to Lenzin Faulker. After seeing his Oma’s home, I’m honestly impressed he hasn’t built a castle in the middle of Brooklyn. The place is large without being ridiculous, warm without looking like someone hired a decorator to convince people they have a family. It feels like people live here.

“Nice pad,” Gabe says as he gets out of the vehicle and heads for the door.

It swings open, and a gorgeous little redhead appears, scowling at me.

Gabe chuckles.

“Before you come in, you gotta pinky promise me you don’t fight my Daddy again.”

Gabe laughs, as I squat down to get eye level with her, holding out my pinky. “Only on the ice.”

She looks at my finger, then at me. “I can skate now, so if you hit my Daddy on the ice, I’m coming for you. And you can’t hit a girl, even if she hits you. Got it, mister?”

I try to mask my amusement. She is obviously completely serious.

“I’ll take whatever I’ve got coming.”

She glances back as if someone is saying something to her, though I can’t hear a thing. Then she turns back to me.

“And Uncle Aleks.”

“Is he making you add him?”

She nods once.

“Tell him this is a one-man promise, so no deal.”