Luchek’s eyes widen when he realizes I’m almost on top of him. He’s got no chance as my momentum sends him crashing into the boards in a clean hit that thunders into the stands, sending the fans near the front flying to their feet.
There’s no time to pause, even see the look on his face. I skate off, but my lips twist in a satisfied smirk when I pass the dirty defender. That’s how it’s done.
Excitement is swelling. This is looking promising. Cole snatched the puck and is racing down the ice clear of his tail. This could be it. First blood. But then he falters, frozen into place, staring at the crowd. Split seconds matter in hockey, and the pause gives the other team time to swoop back in for the steal.
Fuck. What the fuck was that all about?
I turn to Beau, but he’s already on it, dressing down Cole with an angry shout as the play continues.
Jameson sets his sights on our rookie with an attitude problem, while I’m trying to figure out what the fuck is going on with Schaeffer. I sigh, nope. Not on my watch. He might be a big guy, but I’m bigger and, even more important, smarter. I blast up behind him and interfere with his plans, whatever they might be. He backs off our winger, glaring at me. His face is red, and I’m sure his knuckles are white under his gloves he’s clutching his stick so hard.
I shake my head at him, skating away as Hail pulls away from the snarl.
Whatever extra speed I’ve gained is nothing to Schaeffer and Hail. Before now I would have said Schaeffer’s got the edge this year, but honestly, the way Hail moves on the ice is almost liquid. Shame he’s such a shitty team player, because that cocky asshole is going to be a star one day. If he can scale that massive ego.
They spend the entire game trying to one up each other, which only makes my job harder in the long run. I have to keep a constant eye on both of them when they’re on the ice together. Cole’s a bit distracted by his own drama, and Hail seems hellbent on proving his dick is bigger, so they keep getting themselves in dangerous situations. Situations I have to handle as the enforcer on the team. Nothing I’m not used to. I may not always get the glory as a D-man, but half these goals wouldn’t happen if I wasn’t looking out for these guys.
My constant vigilance pays off. I’m distracting the defender that was tracking Hail, leaving him open to snag the puck. The lamp and our home crowd lose their shit at the same time before the puck has bounced off the back of the net.
Fuck yes. Beau barrels into me with a quick hug and we count down the seconds to the end of the game, playing a game of competitive keep away. He rips his helmet off, running a slightly shaky hand through the damp strands of dark blond hair.
“You okay, man?” I ask him quietly. The shakiness could be the adrenaline, but the glittering sheen in my best friend’s eyes sets off an internal alarm.
He laughs off my concern. “I’m fine.”
I narrow my eyes at him, but he skates away to congratulate the rest of the team before I can dig deeper.
The team’s riding on a high after kicking ass in our first game of the season. As a result, the shenanigans in the dressing room are extra even for these guys, so I’m trying to slip out the door without anyone noticing me. At this point, I’d rather take thebus home than deal with JJ and Grant anymore. Not to mention Hail’s attitude. Cocky fucker.
Unfortunately, sneaking around is not such an easy task when you’re my size, and Beau, our ever-vigilant captain, catches sight of me as I’m pushing the door open. He breaks off his conversation with Cole to call me out. “Lucy, you got somewhere to be? If you hang out a little longer, I can give you a ride. I’m going to finish up here and have a quick convo with Coach, but I won’t be long.”
I duck my head down, rubbing a hand over my close-cropped hair to avoid looking him in the eyes. I’ve gotten surprisingly adept at that since the start of our senior year. “Nah, I’m good. I’ve got a couple of things to do before I head home.” Great. Now I’m going to have to stall and hang around campus for a while when all I really want to do is collapse on my bed with my graphic novel.
“Okay, man. I’ll text you before I leave, in case you’re still on campus and ready to head out.”
“Thanks.” I dip my head, trying to ignore the sour curdling in my stomach.
I’m in such a hurry to escape I’m pushing out the back door without thinking. I was planning on leaving out the side entrance in case my dear father is still lurking out back.
Looks like my carelessness didn’t bite me in the ass this time. I glance around the parking lot. A handful of students loiter near the small grouping of statues in the little grassy area off to the right of the building, but that’s it.
I breathe a sigh of relief and pick up my pace, legs eating up the pavement as I make a beeline for the North block of buildings where the library is located. I can hang there for a while, catch up on some of my assigned work before I head home.
But I’m only halfway across the lot when someone walks around the side of a black pickup. The low-level dread that’s been lurking in me since he first showed up on my doorstep flares into a helpless mixture of fear and rage. I hate that he can still make me feel this way.
“Devlin,” he calls out. His all too familiar eyebrows are lifted in a pleading expression. Everything about him is familiar, like a reflection in a warped mirror. He’s an older, more faded version of me, with all the evidence of his rough life etched into his features. It’s an unsettling reminder of what I could become if my luck runs out. If someone realizes I don’t really belong here. At college, and especially not in the pro hockey league. I don’t deserve that. Everything about my upbringing taught me that.
“I told you to leave.” My spine stiffens, and I cross my arms over my chest, taking an involuntary step back even as I’m glaring at him.
“Please, I just want to talk. I stayed for the game. You played so well. Without you, your team never would have gotten those goals.”
“I don’t need your praise.” The time for that would have been a decade and a half ago.
“Just one drink. We can grab a coffee and talk. And then if you never want to see me again, I’ll leave you alone.” His brow is pinched together, lips tight. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was sad at the thought of never seeing me again. But I do know better. Didn’t he tell me he wished I’d never been born enough times? He can’t fool me with this act.
But I waver. If I say yes, there’s a tiny chance he’ll follow through on his promise and I’ll never see him again.Isn’t that what I want?
As I’m going back and forth, shifting from one foot to another, a shiny red car coasts up beside me, and a familiar face stretches through the driver’s side window. I swallow hard as I take in her features. Her white-blonde hair is pulled back in a high ponytail, curved cheeks stretched in a smile to show her shockingly white teeth. Her eyes are narrowed, flicking back and forth between me and him as if she can sense the tension.
