Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
WREN
"So then he said, you can have the team," Parker said into his phone.
I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to where the nurse was plastering Lex's wrist. He'd had it x-rayed and left for a while to reduce the swelling.
"Can I sign it first?" I asked. "Before the guys on the team draw cocks and balls all over it."
Lex managed a tired laugh. "Sure. You can make it look pretty before they deface it."
"You could let Wren draw all over it," Bray suggested. "Like a mural. People usually can't bring themselves to graffiti over those."
I glanced over at him. "Did you just say I'm talented?"
He scratched the side of his nose with the tip of his finger. "I guess I did. Don't let it go to your head." He couldn't offer more than a half-hearted smirk.
"Too late." I hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him over for a quick kiss. "It's already there. But I don't mind sharing Lex's cast with a bunch of cocks and balls. I'd be a spoilsport if I didn't let them draw all over it. He is their coach, after all."
The nurse gave us all a funny look before slipping out of the room. The cast would have to dry for a while before we could take Lex home.
"You make us sound like a bunch of schoolboys," Bray observed.
"If the helmet fits," Tiger said.
Bray leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. "She's including you in that, Pennington."
"No shit, Ellis," Tiger retorted. His eyes were on the twins just outside the door, in the hospital corridor.
"What are you thinking?" I asked.
"I'm thinking the team might get more money now. An upgrade to facilities. Better… Everything." He was cautiously optimistic. Not making assumptions just because the twins were friends of his.
"If there's anything the Demons have proved in the last year, it's that we can kick ass even with what we had," Lex said.
"Once we came together as a team, we started killing it.
Now we won't have the distractions of people coming after us and trying to kill us.
But upgrading everything would rock too.
Aidan's probably putting a list together as we speak. "
"What is Aidan putting together a list of?" Hunter asked as he and Parker stepped into the room.
"Equipment the Demons need if we're going to continue to dominate the AIHL," Lex said evenly.
Hunter rubbed his hands together and grinned. He didn't seem affected by all the dead players and coaches. Of course he wasn't. He'd seen death probably more times than he could count. This was just another night in Dusk Bay.
"I'm thinking we could add a bondage dungeon," Hunter said. "Maybe a nightclub."
"How about a Zamboni that doesn't break down every second day?" Lex said.
"New sticks," Tiger said.
"Those new, state-of-the-art skates that let you go faster, smoother," Bray said.
"New boards around the rink," Lex added.
"New helmets," Tiger said.
"A new goalie coach until the one who was shot in the stomach makes a full recovery," Bray said. "Not to mention the ones who died." He glanced down at the worn, linoleum floor.
Hunter's enthusiasm wasn't even slightly dented. He actually listened and nodded. "We can start with all of those things. Whatever it takes to make you the most winningest team in the AIHL. Then maybe we could expand into other sports. What do you think, Park?"
"I've always wanted to own a gridiron team," Parker said. "Rugby, baseball, soccer… We could be the kings of owning sports teams."
No one could say they weren't ambitious.
"Can I suggest you do one at a time?" I said. "If you're going to be hands on, it'll be a lot of work for you."
"Good point," Hunter said. "Lila would be pissed off if we spent all our time at the arena and not with her. Once she's finished school, she can come with us. Slade too."
"That'll be fun," Parker said. "I guess we'll wait for Aidan's list. I have a feeling it might be longer than the one we just got."
I mimed opening a scroll and letting the length of paper roll and roll and roll across the floor. "That might be underestimating it."
"Once again, I find myself admitting Wren is right," Bray said.
"Caleb not caring about the team has meant a lot of things need fixing or replacing.
It had an effect on morale for the last few years.
If it wasn't for Aidan kicking our asses into gear, we'd still be right at the bottom of the ladder. "
"You weren't thinking of replacing him?" Lex asked quietly.
Hunter cocked his head. "Aidan? Fuck no. Or you, if that's what you're really worried about. The Fiorellis were a pain in our asses for so long. If it wouldn’t bring attention to you that none of you’d want or appreciate, I'd get medals for all of you."
"None of us need medals," Tiger said.
"I'd settle for chocolate chip muffins that aren't drugged," I said.
Hunter pointed a finger gun at me. "That, I can arrange. All the chocolate chip muffins you can eat. No drugs."
"And coffee," I added.
"And coffee," he agreed. "I'm not a Neanderthal."
"That's debatable," Tiger said mildly. There was no hint of malice in his brilliant blue eyes. Exhaustion and relief, but no aggression. It was a good look for him. Maybe at some point, he'd learn to relax.
"That's what I keep saying to him." Parker ducked from Hunter's half-hearted swing at his head.
"If I'm a Neanderthal, so are you," his identical twin told him.
"Keep telling yourself that." Parker gave him a shove.
"Anyway, it's late." Hunter regained his footing and glanced at his phone. "We'll get going. The team should take a couple of days off. Parker and I will deal with funeral arrangements. First thing Monday morning, we can all jump back in. I might even learn how to skate."
"You, learn how to skate?" Parker teased Hunter as they headed out the door. Their voices and banter faded away gradually, before they were finally out of earshot.
"They're a pair of pricks, but they’re okay at times." Tiger rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "Don't tell either of them I said that. Their egos are healthy enough."
"They won't hear it from me." Lex poked his cast with the pad of his thumb. "It feels dry."
The nurse stepped back into the treatment room and checked the cast out for herself.
"Okay, you should be good to go. Remember not to stick anything down there to scratch it.
Wouldn't want it to get infected under the plaster.
" She looked at him sternly. She must have said the same thing to patients hundreds of times. Some of them probably listened.
"I'll try to behave," Lex said. "Thank you."
She gave him another look before waving us all out the door.
"They should hire her to work at the arena," Bray said, loud enough for her to hear even though we were out in the corridor. "She'd give Aidan a run for his money. The injured players might even do what she tells them to."
Athletes were notorious for pretending they weren't injured so they could keep on playing. Hockey players were no exception to this. If anyone could get them to sit still when they were supposed to, they'd be worth their weight in pucks.
"No thank you," she called out behind us. "I get enough hell from patients without getting any from boys like you."
I laughed at the expression on Bray's face. "Boy, you got owned."
He stopped to tangle his fingers around my hair and pulled me closer to him. "After we get some sleep, I'm going to show you who's the one who is owned." He kissed me roughly.
I kissed him back, before pulling away. "Promises, promises, Bray-Bray."
"It's definitely a promise and I keep my promises," he said. "Now, let's get the hell out of this place. I don't know about you guys, but I've had enough of hospitals for a while."
I couldn't agree with that more. Me with my bullet wound, Lex with his broken wrist and Bray with a swollen lump on his forehead. We were like the walking wounded. It was a miracle Tiger was relatively unharmed. He'd earned himself some scratches and scrapes, but that was about it.
The mental scars— Those would take longer to heal.