Chicago Storm Series by Piper Cross

Chicago Storm captain Luca Moretti may be the NHL’s golden boy, but off the ice, he’s living a lie. Disciplined, stoic, and fiercely private, he's spent sixteen years building a fortress around his life to protect his legacy and his father’s approval. He has one rule. Never let the world see who he really is. The last thing he expects is for his carefully constructed defenses to be shattered by a rookie with a sunny smile and zero filter. Rookie winger Theo Callahan lives his life out loud... moreChicago Storm captain Luca Moretti may be the NHL’s golden boy, but off the ice, he’s living a lie. Disciplined, stoic, and fiercely private, he's spent sixteen years building a fortress around his life to protect his legacy and his father’s approval. He has one rule. Never let the world see who he really is. The last thing he expects is for his carefully constructed defenses to be shattered by a rookie with a sunny smile and zero filter. Rookie winger Theo Callahan lives his life out loud. He’s everything Luca isn't—bold, open, and dangerously charming. He knows he should be intimidated by his grumpy captain, but he can’t stop looking for the man beneath the armor. He hasn't forgotten the electricity that sparked between them in the locker room, and the forbidden chemistry simmering during early-morning practices is becoming impossible to ignore. Theo is more than happy to show Luca what life looks like without the mask. Between stolen touches in equipment rooms and quiet moments away from the cameras, Luca is feeling a freedom he hasn’t experienced in a long time. But maintaining his perfect image has taken its toll on his soul, and a future with Theo may mean burning down the very legacy he spent a lifetime building. less

A disgraced NHL forward with nothing left to lose. A goalie who sees everything. And one apartment, one investigation, and a season neither of them expected to survive. Nico Varis lost everything — his team, his name, his reputation — when a gambling investigation he had nothing to do with destroyed his career overnight. Traded to the Chicago Storm under a cloud of suspicion, he's assigned to live with starting goalie Kieran Walsh, who's been ordered to monitor him and report back to management... moreA disgraced NHL forward with nothing left to lose. A goalie who sees everything. And one apartment, one investigation, and a season neither of them expected to survive. Nico Varis lost everything — his team, his name, his reputation — when a gambling investigation he had nothing to do with destroyed his career overnight. Traded to the Chicago Storm under a cloud of suspicion, he's assigned to live with starting goalie Kieran Walsh, who's been ordered to monitor him and report back to management. Walsh is controlled, private, and impossible to read. Nico doesn't trust him. He doesn't trust anyone. He sleeps on the floor because floors can't be taken away. But Kieran Walsh pays attention the way goalies do — constant, precise, and unrelenting. He notices the nightmares. He notices the 3 AM tea ritual. He notices that Nico rearranges his mugs at four in the morning like a man trying to impose order on a world that keeps pulling the rug. And when the media comes for Nico again, Walsh doesn't step aside. He steps in front. And Nico is terrified — not of the investigation, not of the press, but of what it means to let someone stay. ✓ Roommates / forced proximity. ✓ Hurt/comfort. ✓ Goalie leaves his crease. ✓ He fell first. ✓ Found family. ✓ Touch-starved. ✓ Dual first-person POV. Heat Explicit. Intense, tender, earned. Chicago, NHL. HEA. Chicago Storm Series, Book 2. Can be read as a standalone. Some saves happen off the ice. less