End Game_Bellevue Bullies Series Read online

  Fuck, I’m in trouble.

  I lean on my stick as the ref comes to the face-off, puck in hand.

  Arkansas is in town, and they are kicking our asses.

  I don’t know what is going on. The forwards aren’t vibing, they aren’t taking any shots, and they look like toddlers on skates. It’s pathetic. Defense is strong, but we can’t block everything. And fucking hell, no one is watching their man, so they’re screening our goalie like mad.

  It’s fucking bullshit.

  When the puck drops, Walsh wins it back to Moon, and everyone is moving. Moon skates the puck back, passing it to me, and I hold it as our forwards change. We were under pressure, so we cleared the puck, and now we need the change. When an Arkansas player comes toward me, I pass it back to Moon, and his voice fills the rink. “Maky, set up! Move your ass.”

  I look to where he wants to pass it, but Maky is snailing it to his position. Fucking bastard. I tap the ice with my stick, and Moon looks to me and shoots me the puck. Cradling it, I start up the ice, my eyes on Maky and our other two forwards. They’re trying to break the zone, but Arkansas is on them. When one comes for me, I pass it over to Moon, who carries it into the zone.

  But he’s cut off. The player pushes the puck away, and thankfully, Maky is there to catch it, taking it back as Moon skates around. Coach hollers for us to change, but not yet, we have to break their zone first. I don’t want to be caught on a bad change. I slap my blade to the ice once more, and Moon sends it back to me. I’m so fucking frustrated that I swing my stick back and crash my blade to the puck. The blade shatters, pieces going everywhere, and I let my head fall back.

  Fuck.

  But before I can shake my broken stick in complete frustration, I hear the horn.

  The goal horn. The crowd is going crazy.

  My teammates have their arms up, Moon is attacking me from the left, and I still have no clue what just happened.

  “Attaboy, Justice!” the boys yell.

  Holy hell, I scored.

  I tap their helmets. “We’re in this. Let’s fucking go!” Heading to the bench, I tap my buddies’ gloves, telling all of them we can win this. I thought I felt great before the game—after rubbing one out flooded with thoughts of Sofia and then a nice nap—but now… Now, I feel fucking great.

  Sitting down, I take a long pull of my Gatorade as my eyes fall on a gorgeous brunette who has her pom-poms in the air and a large Bullies sweatshirt on. Her lips are tilted in the sexiest of ways, and I know she’s looking at me.

  ’Cause she’s all mine, and she’ll be waiting for me after the game.

  Man, nothing can bring me down from this high.

  When Coach grabs a fistful of my jersey, I hold my breath. “Didn’t I call you off the ice?”

  I don’t dare look at him. “I was making a play, and I didn’t want to get caught on a bad change.”

  “You didn’t even know it went in until the horn sounded. You took a chance when the Arkansas forwards could have broken that play and rushed it up the ice.”

  “I would have stopped them.”

  “With a broken stick?” he asks, and I nod.

  “I’d use my body. I wouldn’t let them score.”

  “Moot point. I told you to get off the fucking ice.” He shakes me angrily.

  And there went my good mood.

  We lost the game. No surprise there.

  Not only did we get our asses handed to us by Arkansas, we also had the fun of Coach doing the same. He was not happy with our efforts, but then, I don’t think any of us is. It was a shit game, and we need to put it behind us. That’s what I said when I left, but no one was listening to me. Our normal party night had been canceled. We have to come in for a morning skate at the ass-crack of dawn. I’m pretty sure after that ass-chewing, none of us would dare come in hungover.

  Tucking my hands in the pockets my hoodie, I head out of the locker room, but before I can get anywhere, Moon is calling me back. “Justice.”

  I stop, and he catches up with me, a misplaced grin on his face. We just had our asses whupped; why is he grinning like that? “What’s up?”

  He smacks my chest. “Dude, I got a meeting with the South Carolina IceCats. Coach just told me. Can you believe that?”

  My heart drops. He has a meeting? I haven’t had shit. What the fuck? But I mask all that for my buddy. I slap hands with him. “Dude, that’s badass.”

  “Right? Hopefully I can sign with them.”

  “For sure. That would be awesome.”

  He nods. “Yeah, I gotta go tell my parents. Coach is taking us out for a late dinner.”

  Before I can comment, he runs off. I’m happy for him. He’s my buddy, but what the fuck? Coach has been on me like white on rice lately, and I want to believe it’s because he is trying to make me the player I want to be, but it doesn’t seem like that. I feel as if he’s treating me like someone he just has to deal with. Meanwhile, he’s taking Moon out and getting him meetings. What about me? What about my career? Dread fills my gut as I head out into the foyer. I want to believe that I’m good, that I’m going into the NHL like I want, but why does it feel off?

  When a pair of arms comes around me from behind, the grin on my face is quick and effortless. I cover Sofia’s hands with mine and exhale hard as she squeezes me tightly. “Man, I need this hug.”

  She presses her lips to my back before coming around to hug me. I wrap my arms around her, hugging her back tightly and holding her like she’s what is keeping me afloat. I nuzzle my nose in her hair, inhaling before she looks up at me, a grin turning up her sweet lips. “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “Tough game?”

  “Awful game.”

  Her bottom lip pops out. “I’m sorry.”

  “Eh,” I say before kissing her temple once more. “I’m better now.”

  Sofia searches my features, and I expect her to pry, but she goes up on her tippy-toes, kissing my jaw. “I thought you were amazing. Even Amelia said that goal was badass.”

  I smile. “It was all luck.”

  “Hey, a goal is a goal.”

  “Amelia say that?”

  She beams and winks. “Yup, I’m learning the lingo.”

  I chuckle as I squeeze her tightly in my arms. “Where is my sister?”

  Her lips turn down a bit. “She had something to do.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah,” she says, but then she is grinning at me. I feel like she’s trying to distract me. She succeeds, of course. “Let’s get out of here.”

  I let out an annoyed groan. “I’ve got a stupid early practice. I can’t be out late.”

  “Okay,” she says softly, cuddling into my side. “I have an idea.”

  “What?” I ask, chuckling a bit, but she’s already moving, pulling my hand as she heads out the door. “Where we going?”

  “Surprise.”

  I scrunch up my face. “I don’t like surprises.”

  She flashes me a bright grin. “Oh, too bad I don’t care.”

  She pulls me as her eyes burn into mine, and all I can do is laugh.

  Funny how she can make me forget about everything but her.

  It’s pretty fucking great.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Sofia

  I don’t have to pull Ryan far before we’re where I want to take him. I know he’s bummed, and I hate that. While I may not know much about hockey, I know losing six to one doesn’t do much for the ego. Because of this, I want to cheer Ryan up. I don’t want him to have such a defeated look on his face. It’s killing me.

  I punch in the code for the gym while my other hand holds his. His thumb runs along the back of my hand, sending shockwaves up my arm. “Why are we going to the gym?”

  “Shh,” I demand before pushing open the unlocked door and pulling him in. I hit the switch, and when the gym fills with fluorescent lighting, I know I’m home. My happy place. I grin back to him, and he perks a brow at me. “Come on.”

&n