Page 168 of The Puck Stops Here
Every pass he made, every hit, every sharp turn pulled her further and further forward.Please be safe, please be safe. Hell, she didn’t even care if they won any more, she just wanted him to be okay.
Blake had the puck, Zorro was bearing down, the speed and ferocity making her sick. She edged forward, her hand lifting to her mouth and then time seemed to slow as Blake’s gaze lifted, collided with hers –crack!
One second, he was there, looking right at her. The next he was gone. Taken out by another player. The sickening impact of his body hitting the boards echoed through the arena as the crowd gasped and he went down hard.No, God, no!
Astrid shot to her feet, her blood running cold as the ref’s whistle pierced the air. Coach cursed, their trainer launched onto the ice, his teammates circled as shouts ran out. He was bleeding. There was blood. She could see it seeping into the ice.
‘He’ll be alright,’ Harry told her. ‘He’ll tape an aspirin to it and be back out there in no time.’
‘Or not,’ Jake piped up as Blake failed to move. ‘Shit.’
All the players on the bench rose, some breaking onto the ice and heading straight for the player who’d blindsided Blake. Others headed for Blake. Her heart slammed painfully in her chest. She couldn’t see him for the team now crowding around as the ref escorted the offensive player off to the box, saving him from a beating as much as penalising him.
Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay.
Eyes straining, heart too, she watched as a stretcher appeared and she couldn’t take it any more, she clambered over the bench, heading for the ice when at last, the team parted. A cheer rippled through the crowd, and she stilled. He was moving. Blood marred his cheek, but he was moving – refusing the stretcher as Aiden and Larsson each took an arm. Together, they hauled him to his feet and helped him off the ice. Head bent, every step slow, deliberate, stiff with pain…
This was all her fault. She’d done this. She’d thrown his attention and now…
‘Go after him, Foxy.’ Harry appeared at her side. ‘He’d sure as shit prefer to see you over anyone else right now.’
He wouldn’t, but how could she not…?
* * *
‘Get the hell off me, doc. I’m good.’
‘You’re not fucking good.’ His brother pushed him back on the bed. ‘And you’re not going back out there like this.’
He was taped up, glued up, dosed up – he could play. The longer he had off the ice, the sooner he’d seize up and then he’d be fucked. But right now…
‘It’s not happening, Blake,’ Coach piped up from the doorway, arms folded across his chest. ‘The ice is cleared, Aiden. It’s time to get back in the game.’
‘For fuck’s sake,’ Blake growled. ‘This is bullshit, I?—’
‘Blake!’
That voice,thatwoman… Tension shot through his frame, pain with it, and he clutched an ice pack to his battered ribs, fully aware of what hurt more.
‘For the love of God, keep her away from?—’
Astrid flew into the room, a security guard hot on her tail. ‘She says she’s with you?’
Aiden gave a lopsided grin. ‘She sure is.’ He turned back to Blake. ‘Maybe she can make you do as you’re told. Watch him like a hawk, Astrid, and take no shit.’
No shit?She was the fucking reason he’d… He ground his teeth as everyone else filtered out of the room. He dragged his gaze back to her and wished he hadn’t. Every fibre of his being came alive, pain be damned.
‘What the hell are you doing here, Sinclair?’
She hugged her middle, her eyes shining bright in the harsh overhead lights. ‘I had to come and see you for myself. I had to make sure you’re okay.’
‘I’m just peachy,’ he said through his teeth. ‘You can go.’
Pleasefucking go because all he wanted to do was cross the room and kiss the concern off her swollen damn lips. Had she been chewing them the entire game? And what the fuck was he doing looking at herlips?
They’d lied to him. Played him for a fool.
Hell, she was the reason he was stuck in here, missing the rest of the game.
