21. Luka
Luka
"Maverick Miller is a fucking beast," Grady says as we change out of our gear.
He isn't wrong. Miller kicked our ass. You could tell their whole team just played well together.
While we looked like we were still trying to get our shit together in pre-season and not almost heading into playoffs.
Every time Tucker was on the ice, he did everything he could to fuck up without looking like he was fucking up.
I am sick of it, but I don't want to go to Coach.
We should be able to handle this shit ourselves.
"We play North Carolina in two weeks. Are you ready to be on your old stomping grounds, Tucker?" One of the guys next to me starts chatting with the asshole in question. I totally forgot Tucker was from NC.
"Yeah, my brothers will all be at the game." Tucker slides his skates off and sets them in his bag.
"Did they ever play?" the guy asks, and I watch the anger sweep over Tucker's face. What the hell is wrong with this guy?
"Yeah, my older brother was a Goalie in High School and some College. He was gonna go pro, but he couldn't."
"He couldn't? Did he get hurt or something?" Jake asks him as he packs up the last of his things.
"Nah, someone younger pushed him out of the slot. He never got his chance." Tucker shoves his things in his bag, clearly pissed off.
"Then he wasn't good enough," Grady says nonchalantly.
"What the fuck did you just say?" Before anyone can react, Tucker has Grady by the collar and is pushing him into the locker.
"Back the fuck off." I grab Tucker by his arm and pull him off.
"Fuck you, Rizzoli." Tucker shoves against me and Jake steps between us.
"One day, Rizzoli, you won't have all these people around to protect you." Tucker grabs his bag from the bench.
"I don't need all these people, Tucker. I will kick your ass anytime." I shout back.
"That's enough!" Coach's voice comes from the door.
"Everyone to the bus. Rizzoli, Webster, stay behind.
" Everyone makes their way out the doors while Jake and I sit on the bench and wait for Coach to talk.
He paces in front of us and runs his hands through his hair.
Right before he goes to say something, the door to the locker room opens, and Madison walks in.
Her eyes go wide when she realizes she interrupted him.
"Fucking knock next time, Madison." Coach yells at her and she flinches.
"Sorry, Kincaid. I was just going to do a final check to make sure we got everything." Madison turns to leave.
"Sorry, Mads." Coach says, but she has already shut the door.
"Fuck!" Coach looks at us. "You two. I have had enough of this bullshit. I am not sure what the hell is going on with Tucker, but it is starting to show on the ice. Fix it."
"Coach, I don't know what his issue is. We haven't done anything. There is nothing to fix." Jake tries to explain to Coach.
"I don't think he likes me," I say, and they both look at me. "I don't know why, but it's clear his issue is with me. Let me step away from the Alt Captain position for the rest of the season. He only started acting like this since I took it. It's worth it to keep the peace on the team."
"Rizzoli," Coach glare feels like he is trying to burn me where I sit. "I have already told you, I made the decision to have you as Alt Captain. I don't make mistakes. You are a leader. Fucking fix it." He starts to storm off, "make sure to do a final check since I am sure Madison is pissed."
I stand to look through all the lockers. "You told Coach to strip you? What the fuck were you thinking?" Jake looks pissed.
"I am trying to keep the calm." I keep looking through lockers until I reach the last one, finding a family photo one of the guys must have missed. I smile when I look at him, his wife, and two kids. I really hope Adrianna wants to have kids.
"It sounds like you went to him before." Jake keeps following me around the locker room as I check everything.
"Are you going to help me or just follow me around?" I don't even look at him.
"Rizzoli, stop." Jake raises his voice at me and I turn to look at him.
He never raises his voice. Even when we are getting pumped before a game, he does his speech and I rally the boys into a screaming fit.
"You don't go to Coach again. If it has anything to do with this team, you come to me first. Understand?
" He crosses his arms and waits for my answer.
"Fuck off, Jake." I chuckle and go back to looking for anything we missed.
Jake grabs my shoulder and turns me around. "I don't know what is in that head of yours, but I am your fucking Captain. You don't go to Coach again." Before I can say anything else, he grabs his bag and heads out the door.
Well damn.
I head straight to Adrianna's when we get off the plane.
I don't even care it is after midnight and she is sleeping.
I messaged her before I got on the plane.
I know she has an early showing tomorrow.
I just can't wait to see her. Thanks to Mr. C, I slide my newly acquired key into the door.
I step into the doorway of my girl's room.
Moonlight shines through the crack in her curtains.
Making her red hair glow. She looks like an angel.
My angel. I quietly step into the room and shed off my clothing.
I am about to lift the covers when Adrianna sits up and screams.
"Gattina, it's okay. It is me." I quickly place my palm over her mouth. Her eyes are wide with fear. I never want to see that look on her again. I slowly pull my hand away.
"Fuck, Luka. You scared me. What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
"I couldn't wait to see you, Baby. I used a key." I smile at her as she glares at me. "You said that I would be able to get in without you giving me a key."
"Who gave you a key? Was it Coleman?" I hate hearing her say any man's name while I am in bed with her.
"No more talking. I am here now. Let's sleep." I lay down and pull her down next to me. "Please, Baby."
She curls up into me and I love feeling her breath across my chest. "I missed you," she whispers as she traces my tattoos.
"I missed you too, Gattina."
"Don't call me that." She whispers and falls back asleep.
We just lost our first home game in a while.
The team shouldn't have been able to beat us, but I wasn't having a good night.
We lost 0-2. I am sitting in front of the microphone beside Jake and Coach.
I am pissed. I don't want to be here. I never want to be here after a loss, but tonight, I sent Adrianna home after the game with Lacey.
They were planning on doing something for Lacey's dance studio and needed to finish it tonight. I just want to be with my girl.
"Rizzoli." My head snaps up as I look at the reporter I hate the most. He is an arrogant asshole and he knows it.
"Even though most of the fans think you got the Alt Captain position because of who your family is to Chicago," I catch Coach's hands ball into fists on the table.
"You have proven that you fit the position when you were blocking pucks.
But now. Your head seems like it is somewhere else.
Could it be the new girl you have been seen with?
I believe her name is Adrianna Holloway?
" Before I can tell him to shut his mouth, he continues.
"Do you really think a bunny is worth the playoffs? "
I stand up so fast my chair falls to the floor and the room goes quiet. "That's enough. That was out of line and you know it." Coach yells at the reporter. "No more questions."
Coach is pushing me and Jake out the door. I push against him and lean into the mic, making sure to look right at the asshole. "She isn't a bunny and she is worth everything."
I storm out of the room. "What the fuck was that?"
"It's what happens when a star player all of a sudden has a woman he is being pictured with all the time." Coach squeezes my shoulder. "Tell her about it before she reads it on a damn website."
"Hey, Gattina. You and Lacey get everything figured out?" She is standing in the kitchen doing dishes. I stand beside her and take a piece of her hair between my fingers, rolling it through them. I love how silky it always feels.
"Are you ever going to quit calling me that?" She sighs.
"Nope." I twist her hair around my fingers again. "I need to tell you something, Adrianna." She turns off the water and looks at me.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, Baby." I push a strand of her hair behind her ear. Running my fingers down her neck. "A reporter said some shit tonight. Asked me if I was distracted by you. I just wanted to let you know before you saw it." I watch her eyes, waiting for her anger to come, but it doesn't.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, Luka. Okay." She reaches up and cups my cheeks. "Do you think I am the reason you are distracted?"
"Fuck, no."
She rubs her thumb over my cheek. "Then, okay." Her phone starts ringing. She reaches over and grabs it from the counter. Her eyebrows scrunch together as she looks at the caller ID. "I am sorry. I have to take this." She kisses my cheek, walks into the bedroom, and shuts the door.
What the hell?
I lean against the wall outside her door, straining my ears to hear. After a couple of minutes, I heard her raised voice.
"You can not ask me to do that." She pauses for a minute.
"I won't do it. You will have to spin it another way.
" She pauses again. I place my hand on the doorknob and realize she didn't lock it.
I wait again. Not wanting to barge in on her.
"I can't do that." I can hear her voice hitch and I realize she is crying.
I don't care about her wanting her space.
"Because I care about him, Dad. Everyone else uses him for his name.
I won't do that." I go still with my hand twisting the knob.
There is silence. "You can come in, Luka. I know you are out there."