The two of us growled in unison: “Madison.”
Hunter pointed his finger at my phone's glowing screen. “Look at the time-stamp on these. Sent right around 11:00 AM, which is when I had just taken the ice for our morning skate. I even saw her in the hall before we took the ice—she must have been waiting to break into our dressing room so she could go through my phone!Fuck,that bitch is crazy.”
“Then … she's the one who leaked the pictures.” I shook my head. “Wow.Wow.”
Hunter took my hand between his and gave a comforting squeeze. “I never should've taken those. I'm so sorry, Honor. I'll—I'll try to fix this. I'll call my lawyer and have him send a cease and desist letter. And … I dunno how else to make it up to you. But I'll try.”
“Hunter, just worry about it later. You've gotta get back to your game.”
“Come with me,” he said. “I need you there.”
I didn't want to seeMadison and the ice girls again, but how could I turn him down?
“What the hell,” I said with a shake of my head. “Let's go.”
Hunter stepped on the gas, darting into and weaving through traffic, and went roaring for the arena. He tuned the radio into the game … and it didn't sound good.
“And that ends the second period, the Bears now with a 4-0 lead over the hometown Blizzard. Without captain Hunter Rockwell, who left the game with an undisclosed injury, the Blizzard look lost.”
Hunter scowled, grinding his teeth. “Fuck.”
I patted my hand on his thigh.
Chapter 24:
Coming Clean
Rockwell
I rushed back into the arena, sprinting through the halls, hand in hand with Honor. I shoved the dressing room door open and we stormed in. But our entrance was met by a room full of slumped shoulders, heavy stares, and dejected expressions.
“Oh, look,” Vinny said cynically, “the captain's back.”
“Where the hell did you run off to, Rockwell?” Coach barked at me. “We're in a 4-0 hole now thanks to your disappearing act!”
“Uh.” I cleared my throat and tried to explain. “I think Madison went through my cell phone earlier at the morning skate, and …”
The stares around the room only grew odder, angrier.
“… and she shared some, er, pictures of mine, of a personal nature … Honor, here, was dragged into it, and I had to catch her before it was too late.”
Eyes began to roll.
“Guys—”
Coach cut me off. “Christ, Rockwell. You know the team policy: if you leave the ice without permission for any reason, you're suspended—unless you have adamnedgood reason for it. So let me get yourexcuse straight. You're trying to tell us that you two got busted taking naughty pics, girly here was embarrassed and ran off, andthat'swhy you quit on your team? And I do meanyourteam, 'captain.'Is that seriously your excuse?”
“Well. When you put it like that.” I paused, and lowered my voice, “Yeah, it sounds pretty bad.”
“It doesn'tsoundbad, Rockwell, itisbad. Our season's on the line here. One period left. And you chose toleaveyour team just to chase down a—a—”
Coach turned to speak to Honor directly. “Very pretty and I'm sure wonderful young lady, although you should know toneverlet these idiots, or hell,anyidiot, take pictures of you without your clothes on.”
Honor's cheeks turned cherry red. “Um. Great. Thanks.”
Coach turned back to me. “But seriously,Rockwell? You left our most important game of the year, for awoman?”
I didn't know what to say. I guess I thought they'd understand. I stared back at all those faces, those faces thatclearlydidn't understand how important this was to me.
