“Patrick, do you have a moment?” Viktor asked after an exhausting training. They would face the Nashville Predators the following day for their first playoff game. They were anxious to get started, but Jonathan had made sure that they had an extra long practice. Fresh out of the shower and with his bag slung over his shoulder, Viktor was now standing in front of Patrick.
“Sure. What’s up?” Patrick looked up and grabbed his bag.
“Let’s put our bags in the cars and go for a walk, okay? I think we can both use some fresh air while we talk. It’s about Jane.”
Patrick tensed up visibly. The tone of Viktor’s voice made him anxious and curious. Something was up, and when it had to do with Jane, he definitely had to know.
After they’d put away their bags, they went for a little walk. Viktor didn’t know how to approach the subject, so he kept quiet for a little longer, until Patrick’s patience snapped and he gave an exasperated sigh.
“If you don’t want me to punch you in the throat, you better speak up now. I’m getting more and more worried here.”
“I’m sorry,” Viktor sighed. He rubbed a hand over his face before he turned to Patrick. “You already know that Jane mustn’t have had a good childhood and she gave me the go to tell you about it. Her father abused her constantly. For years. He hit her, cut her and whatnot. One day he pushed her through a glass door and her grandma kinda saved her, took her home from the hospital.”
Patrick heaved a sigh. He dug his hands deep in his pockets to keep from doing anything rash. “I thought something like that was the case. I was hoping that I was wrong, and I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but when I saw the scars on her back, I was pretty sure I knew what was up.”
“That’s not all.” Viktor looked off in the distance. “Yesterday she got a call that her father will be released next week. She wanted to run away. She wanted to get somewhere where her father wouldn’t find her, because he’d said that he’d do just that. She’s scared. I could calm her down and I said that we’d protect her.”
“Hell, yes we will. If that man comes near her, he’ll find out what real pain feels like.” Patrick was angry. More than angry, actually. He was furious. Being a father himself, he couldn’t understand how anybody could hurt their own child. It was unbelievable.
“I’ll be the first to drive my fist through his body. You’ll see me flying to get to that guy. I won’t let him hurt someone I love. He’s done enough damage as it is.”
Patrick stopped dead in his tracks, making Viktor stop and turn to look at his teammate. Had Viktor really referred to Jane as someone he loved? Patrick had hoped that they’d both be able to let go a little bit, but he hadn’t expected Viktor to end up being in love with Jane.
“Did you just say that you love Jane?” Patrick asked, his lips curling up in a little smile.
Viktor’s cheeks grew flushed. He’d said this without thinking about it. Not that he didn’t stand by his words, but it was enough, that Niklas knew about this.
“Yes, I did.”
“How does Jane see this?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her about this.” They slowly started walking again, now back towards their cars. “You know her opinion about relationships. It took her long enough to even admit to herself that she enjoyed spending time with me, you know?” Viktor didn’t want to spell it out, seeing that Jane was like a sister to Patrick. “I don’t want to scare her away. Especially now. She has a job with the Blackhawks organization from now on. She’ll start tomorrow. And the situation with her father…” he trailed off, not sure what else to say about this.
“You’re probably right. Give her a little more time. I know that you’ll take great care of her.” Viktor was a good guy. Even though Patrick hadn’t expected him to fall in love with her, it was kind of a relief to imagine him with her. His feelings were genuine, or he wouldn’t have said a thing, or rather blurted it out. “I have to say that I didn’t think I’d hear something like that out of your mouth, but as long as you two are happy, so am I.”
“Will you talk to Abby about Jane’s father?” Viktor tried to steer the conversation back to the problem at hand. His feelings for Jane didn’t change anything about the situation they were in. He’d said that he’d let both of them know, but it was probably better if Patrick talked to his wife about this.
“Of course I will.” Patrick nodded in agreement.
When he got home later, Abby was already waiting for him, a big smile on her lips. Their daughter was fast asleep, giving them some time to themselves. Patrick quickly took off his jacket, shoes and embraced her tightly. Even before he sighed, Abby had known that something was wrong.
“What is going on, Patrick?” she said, running a hand through his hair. He wasn’t smiling like usual when he got home. No matter how practice went, Patrick usually had a smile on his lips when he got home, shaking off everything bad that might have happened during practice and looking forward to spending time with his little family. Especially now that Abby was pregnant again. They hadn’t told anyone yet, because it was still too early. They would announce it when the third month of her pregnancy was over.
“Come one.” He took Abby’s hand in his and led her on the terrace, where he sat down and pulled Abby in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, letting one of his hands rest on her belly. “Viktor wanted to talk to me after practice.”
“I was wondering where you were. I expected you an hour earlier.” Abby started playing with his hair, gazing down at her husband’s handsome face.
“He wanted to talk about Jane.” Patrick sighed and told her everything Viktor had said to him earlier. He told her about the abuse, the release from prison and that Viktor loved Jane.
“He was damn right to tell her that we’d protect her.” Abby was angry, which made Patrick laugh. Her face looked just too cute when she was like this.
“You won’t fight anybody.” He tightened his arms around her. “You’ve got to take it easy, Abs. But we’ll be there to fight him off, should he really be so stupid to get close to Jane again. Don’t you worry about this. I don’t think that we’re the only ones who’ll make sure that he won’t hurt her again.”
Abby breathed a sigh of relief. “Did he really say he loved her?”
“He said that he won’t let the guy hurt someone he loves. He hasn’t told Jane, though.”
“I think she’s confused. Before she can admit that she has deeper feelings for Viktor out loud, she has to admit it to herself.” Abby closed her eyes when she leaned her head against Patrick’s.
“She’s too stubborn and scared of commitment. Maybe that’ll change now.”
“I really hope so.”