Chapter 36
TYLER
The puck dropped, and three seconds later, so did the gloves.
Bruge squared up against one of Boston’s enforcers.
The problem was that the Grays had one enforcer.
Boston had four on their team. The Grays only played against Boston twice in the season, playoffs not included.
But New York played them a lot more, so I was used to their enforcers.
When the first penalties were handed out and Bruge went to the box, along with one of Boston’s players, my line got on the ice.
The crowd went nuclear. “YOU RAT BABY, GRIFFIN!”
I lined up for the face-off against Rain’s brother and bent over, ignoring whoever that fan was. I was impressed with his volume level, but not his taunt. I’d heard that one when another of their players got traded to Florida. They needed new material.
“How’s it feel to be a bigger loser than you already are, you defecting piece of shit?”
I looked up, met Dane’s ice-cold eyes, and realized they were the same as Rain’s. Except there was a void in Dane’s while Rain’s were warm. Kind. There was so much humanity in hers, along with pain. I realized that with a start too.
“Is that what they’re saying about me?”
“You boys ready?” The ref held the puck between us, waiting.
Dane ignored him. “Isn’t that what you did? Running back home to your family? I don’t believe it for a second. What are you hiding from, you fucking coward?”
I didn’t understand any of what he was saying and shook my head. “As if you can talk about family. At least mine’s proud of me.”
He straightened abruptly. “What the fuck does that mean?”
I straightened too, and the crowd went nuts again, thinking their star had decided to take on enemy number one, forget using the enforcers.
“You know exactly what that means.”
He skated forward, his chest bumping mine. “No,” he spat. “I don’t. Enlighten me.”
“That’s a big word for you, Connors. You sure you used it correctly?” I taunted right back. Fuck him, I wanted to fight. I didn’t usually go out of my way to start them, but if something needed to go down, I was ready and willing.
“Okay, boys.” The ref got between us. “We already did that. We’re not doing it again. Sully. Ray. One of you is up.”
Connors continued to glare at me. I smirked as we moved to our new starting places and our replacements took the face-off.
A second later, the puck dropped. Boston won it.
I pushed off after it, because that was going to be the only thing Boston won for the rest of the game, if I had anything to do with it. Tonight, the thirst for good, old-fashioned violence was in my blood, and I looked forward to unleashing it on the ice.
God, I loved this sport.