Chapter 2
Tane
Tane was walking toward Power Roast, his favorite coffee haunt in the whole city. It had been way, way too long since Tane had enjoyed a rich, strong double espresso at Power Roast, and now he was finally back home and with two working legs, it was definitely time to set that straight.
“It feels good to be home,” Tane said, muttering the words as he wrapped his heavy winter coat around his body and continued to walk down the tree-lined street in the city’s Western Quarter.
Tane had only arrived back the night before, sometime after midnight.
The flight back from Switzerland had been uneventful, boring even. But this was just how Tane wanted it.
After nearly nine months of injury hell, Tane had been through enough ups and downs to last him a lifetime. A ruptured ligament that turned out to be something even more serious had seen Tane’s entire career placed in jeopardy at one point.
The trip to the highest rated clinic in Switzerland had almost been a last chance situation for Tane. Even if the team doctors didn’t say it out loud, Tane knew it was true.
But one successful operation and rehab period later, and Tane was ready to hit the ice again for one last dance. And a sedate, sleepy flight from Switzerland was just what Tane wanted to allow him to refocus his mind on what truly mattered.
Tane Rivers might have been thirty-eight years old and in his final season as a player, but he was determined to go out a champion. A near twenty year career as a pro had seen him lift numerous personal accolades and MVP awards.
However when it came to team titles, Tane had lifted far fewer championship titles than a player with his talent should have done.
And having been part of the Toronto Enforcers sporting project for the last four years, he was ready to cap it all off by winning the playoffs and going out as a champion at the end of the season.
Well, that was the plan.
But as Tane knew better than most, there was always danger lurking around the corner in the world of professional ice hockey…
“Now we’re talking!” Tane roared, the sight of his two closest friends on the Enforcers approaching him. “You two sonsofbitches better be ready to welcome back your captain the right way.”
Tane was walking toward Power Roast at exactly the perfect moment to meet with Connor and Alex.
“The king is back,” Alex said, looking as dashing as ever in one of his many Italian suits.
“Long live the motherfucking king!” Connor bellowed, his dark beard looking thicker than ever and his eyes just as wild as his reputation.
“I’ve missed you guys,” Tane said, allowing himself an uncharacteristically soppy moment. “Fuck. I must be getting soft as I near retirement.”
“True. But we missed you too, so what does that make us?” Alex chuckled, the three men delighted to be reunited.
Both Alex and Connor were key components on the team.
Tane trusted them as his closest allies, and they were very much the trifecta of senior players who the younger squad members would come to when they had a question or needed help.
Oh, and the three of them were big cocked alphas too.
“Here’s to us,” Tane said, taking a seat inside Power Roast and toasting with his double espresso. “One more season lest for us as a triple threat. After this year, it’ll be the two of you.”
“Fuck, I still can’t believe it,” Connor said, running his hand through his swept back hair and downing his espresso in one gulp.
“You know how I feel about it,” Alex added, sipping on his espresso and arching his eyebrow. “You’ve got at least one more season after this. If you want it bad enough…”
Tane leaned back in his chair.
One more season… it’s temping.
But my body’s had enough.
I can’t put myself through another bad injury…
“This is my final season. End of discussion,” Tane replied, his tone serious and making it clear that no more would be said on the subject – at least not on that day.
“Say no more,” Alex said. “Now, let’s talk about what’s going down on the ice with this cocky young gun we signed in the off season.”
“Jacob Gosling…” Tane said, letting out a long sigh. “Cute as hell but, let me guess, a whole heap of trouble?”
“You got it,” Alex continued. “The kid can play. But he’s arrogant. Thinks he’s won five seasonal MVPs already when he’s barely out of diapers.”
“And he trains like a clown,” Connor said, an angry bristle in his voice. “No guts. No fight. Goes to the physio at the slightest fucking hint of trouble.”
Tane knew that Connor had been causing some friction amongst the team.
Although Tane had requested to not talk too much about the team while he was away in Switzerland, the odd tidbit had made its way over about Jacob.
“We’ve all seen these hot new prospects come and go,” Tane replied. “We haven’t had any tough games yet, that’s when We’ll find out if the boy has what it takes to cut it as an Enforcer.”
“Yeah, but I just want to grab him and throw him up against the glass barrier,” Connor growled.
“I bet you do,” Alex smirked.
“Nah, not like that,” Connor barked back. “The boy’s not my type.”
“Okay, well let’s hold off for a minute,” Tane said, using his experience to guide him.
“As I say, we’ve got tougher games coming up.
And maybe the kid is just trying to establish himself in the pack with his new teammates.
We’ll see where we’re at with him a couple of months down the line. Agreed?”
Alex and Connor exchanged a look between them and then nodded in agreement.
“Good,” Tane said. “Now I’ve got a meeting with Antonio Cardini in thirty minutes. I assume you two are required at practice?”
With that, the three Daddies got up from their seats and exited Power Roast.
As far as Tane was concerned, it was great to be back home – but now it was very much a case of getting back down to serious business.
The only thing was, when that business involved a one-on-one meeting with Antonio Cardini, things were never that simple…
* * *
Antonio Cardini’s office was tucked away in a corner of the Enforcers stadium’s upper echelons.
As Tane walked the familiar corridor that led to Antonio, he did his best to keep his focus on hockey – and not what Antonio might want from him that day.
But this was easier said than done, and Tane knew that all too well.
I can’t do any more favors.
The Cardini family don’t own me.
I’m a hockey player… not a fucking gangster.
The truth about the Toronto Enforcers and their rise to prominence from brand new franchise to one of the leading teams in the conference was almost solely down to the Cardini family.
And the Cardini family weren’t like a typical ice hockey owning family dynasty. The Cardini family were new money – and it was the kind of new money that you can only acquire through the most serious of criminal enterprises.
The unspoken truth was that the Enforcers were owned and run by a mafia family.
It was a far cry from the old money, East Coast families that Tane had been used to running teams during his early years as a player, that was for sure.
The Cardinis were ambitious and demanded results on and off the ice.
Yes, the Cardini family offered the most brilliant player contracts, but they expected the players to show their respect, and importantly – loyalty, in any way that the family required.
Players knew that you just didn’t say no to the Cardini family, no matter the cost. And typically, a one-on-one meeting with Antonio Cardini was a sure sign that a favor was about to be asked.
But this time, Tane Rivers wasn’t so sure.
As he reached Antonio’s office, Tane held back for a moment and took a deep breath.
Part of Tane suspected that Antonio might be seeking to call an early end to Tane’s contract.
There was only the remainder of the season left on Tane’s deal, and by releasing his hefty salary from the wage bill, it might be possible to bring in a new player or two to develop for the future.
“Okay, here goes,” Tane said, getting himself in game mode and knocking on Antonio’s door.
“Come in,” Antonio replied, his warm smile meeting Tane as he stepped inside the plush office. “It’s good to have you back, Tane.”
Tane was somewhat taken aback by Antonio’s more relaxed demeanor. But at the same time, it put him on high alert. Was Antonio trying to make this a soft landing for Tane just as he was about to release him from his contract?
“It’s good to be back,” Tane replied, friendly but his guard up. “I can’t wait to get back on the ice. The team’s doing well, but they need me out there for the challenges ahead.”
“I agree,” Antonio said, standing from his chair and walking around the desk to Tane. “We’ve missed you. On and off the ice.”
Tane felt his body tense up.
Here we go.
Here it fucking comes.
Crazy Mafia request incoming.
“It’s Jacob Gosling,” Antonio said, his green eyes and jet-black hair looking striking under the dimmed light. “He plays well. He scores. He makes things happen. And the fans love him. Which mean the corporations love him. Which means the family loves him.”
“Okay,” Tane said. “But if you think I’m making way for the kid, you can think again.”
“One day, yes, it is inevitable,” Antonio replied, attempting to reassure Tane by patting him on his shoulder. “But not this season. We still need you. But you do need to protect the boy for us.”
“Protect him how?” Tane said, arching his eyebrow. “I can tell the other guys to go easy on him in practice if that’s what you mean?”
“No, no, Jacob must learn the hard way in practice,” Antonio laughed. “I’m talking about in the city. He’s been partying too much. And not only that, but he’s drawn the attention of some less than positive people. Men who want to use him. Take advantage.”
“So how does this involve me?” Tane said, a sinking feeling coming over him.
“You will be his shadow,” Antonio replied. “And if you cannot control him, you will take Jacob to live with you when his apartment suddenly becomes… unavailable.”
Tane felt his entire mood turn.