The image of Fallon walking out of his house and getting into the taxi appeared and Lucas had to open his eyes again. He couldn’t handle the image, but it didn’t stop it from still being there. Her tear-streaked face haunted him, and he hated that she was doing this to him. Was it his payback? Was this how she figured she could hurt him? He told her everything, he basically gave her his heart again, and she threw it in his face. All because she didn’t trust him, which was bullshit! She hadn’t even tried! She hadn’t even given him the f**king chance he deserved!

He didn’t even cheat!

Lucas threw his stick down and his gloves soon joined it before he ran his hands through his hair. He was so f**king mad, so hurt that he wanted to leave and go home. He wanted to march up to her front door, pound on it until she came to it, and then promptly shake the shit out of her until she realized she had made a mistake! Didn’t she realize that he loved her? Had he told her? No and damn it, he wasn’t going to either! She would probably just throw that in his face too. She drove him f**king insane.

And he still missed her so much.

Fallon hadn’t returned any of his calls, and when he talked to Aiden, he said that Fallon had been locked up in her room all night. His heart ached to be with her; he missed her more than anything and he wished she would stop being so difficult. What did he need to do? Did he need to leave her alone? Did he need to cut his losses and find someone else?

Lucas scoffed. “As if that would ever happen.”

“What was that son?” the attendant asked.

“Nothing, sorry. Thinking out loud,” Lucas said reaching down for his gloves and stick.

“Well stop thinking about whatever, you’re on son.” The attendant threw the door open and Lucas skated out just as Shea passed the puck up for him. Lucas took it into the zone and shot. He missed but luckily Anderson got the rebound and scored! As the guys all wrapped up in a manly hug, Lucas couldn’t seem to enjoy the moment. Scoring on the ice, (and off for that matter) was the best thing about hockey and Lucas had an assist with that goal, so why didn’t he feel even a smidge of happiness?

Because he missed her.

Lucas shook his head as he skated to the bench, jumping over the board before taking a seat next to Shea. Shea tapped him on the helmet before leaning against the boards and looking out on the ice.

“You seem a little angry tonight,” he observed as Lucas got in the same position he was in. “Something you need to discuss over a beer tonight?”

“I don’t drink,” Lucas said.

Pride filled him the way it always did when he refused to drink with the guys. It meant more that time though because he never thought he could go on after Fallon left for the second time, but it looked like he could. He was actually cured from the alcoholism and that was a blessing all in itself.

Shea nodded. “I forgot, I’m sorry. How about over some pop?”

Lucas shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Well as your captain, you have to give me a good reason for why you’ve tried to kill almost every Sharks player tonight. Is it your hatred for the team you left, or is it Fallon? Or maybe Aiden, are they okay?”

Lucas shook his head again. “I don’t hate the Sharks, and Aiden is fine. Fallon on the other hand, is a big pain in my ass.”

Shea laughed. “Most women are. Mine especially.”

Lucas scoffed. “We both know you don’t mean that.”

“I do and I’ll tell you why on the ride home tonight. Sit next to me,” Shea said.

Lucas nodded. “Sure.”

“Haksson is doing well,” Shea noted and Lucas couldn’t agree more. Thankfully the goalie had become comfortable and was actually doing quite well.

“Let’s hope he stays that way,” Lucas said, and Shea nodded. “The new kid scares me.”

Lucas and Shea both looked back at where the new backup goalie sat. His name was Odder or Offer, or something, hell Lucas wasn’t listening. He just knew that the kid was a baby from the Rays and he looked scared as hell.

“I know, he looks scared to death,” Shea said before looking out at the ice.

“He does, poor kid,” Lucas muttered just as Coach Bacter called their line out.

“Don’t get put in that box anymore, Brooks,” Bacter yelled as Lucas jumped over the board and skated to his position. Lucas nodded and thought that maybe he would try not to get put in the box.

He wouldn’t promise it, though.

What a game. What a horrible freaking game.

The Assassins won, but it was close. Haksson went to block a shot and went down after getting it. Everyone was concerned but Haksson said he was fine, so they proceeded to play. Haksson let in four goals after that, giving the Sharks a one point lead before he admitted that he was in extreme pain. Lucas stood by the goal watching as they helped Haksson off the ice, and the new kid skated on. Lucas shook his head at the kid and knew they were going to lose.

But they didn’t.

The kid blocked every shot and with two goals from Phillip Anderson, the Assassins won. The new kid was to thank, too. The shots on goal were hard shots, and they should have gone in, but the kid was pulling ninja moves, catching the puck in ways that even Jordan Ryan couldn’t have done. Maybe Lucas didn’t have anything to worry about.

The kid was basically a ninja goalie.

Lucas sat beside him with Shea on the other side of him. The kid was grinning like he had just slept with Heidi Klum as Lucas threw his sweat-filled shirt off before looking over at him.