Chapter 56
Camden
I’m on the bench catching my breath, watching my teammates battle it out on the ice with Calgary.
We’re nearing the end of the game and we’ve managed to hold them off by one goal.
Excitement simmers inside of me at how close we are to winning. I swallow it back. We’re not there yet though. There’s still three minutes on the clock, which means there’s still time for us to lose this game.
In the two years I’ve played in the league, I’ve learned that the worst you can do is let your confidence get the best of you. I’ve seen teams blow three-goal leads in the last minute of a game. We can’t lose focus.
I glance up at the stands where Ellie is sitting, watching the game. My heartbeat kicks up and I start to smile. Having her here—having my wife here, cheering me on, makes playing a million times better.
I’ve always loved playing hockey. I’ve always felt alive when I’m on the ice, chasing the puck and scoring goals.
But it’s different now that I’m married.
I saw the pride in her expression when I scored that goal earlier in the game, and damn, did that feel amazing.
I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest. There’s just something about having the woman I love cheering me on while she wears my name and number on her body.
I feel whole. I feel complete.
I watch as Luca Markov, a new center on our team this season, fly across the ice.
He’s a recent trade from Seattle and is one of the top third-line centers in the league, known for his defensive skills.
Coach Porter sent him out on the ice because Calgary has their toughest scoring line playing in these final minutes of the game.
Probably as a last-ditch effort to score so they can tie up the game and force us into over time.
That’s why Luca’s out there—he’s tough and damn good at disrupting scoring lines.
One of the Calgary wingers has possession of the puck and is headed for our goal, but Luca catches up to him and checks him. The Calgary player stumbles, and the puck goes flying. Xander runs over and grabs it, then takes off.
“Damn. That was a good hit,” I say.
Sam nods. “Luca’s a beast.”
Sam played on the same line as Luca for a while when they both played for Seattle, before Sam was traded to Denver.
Xander takes a shot at the Calgary net, but the goalie blocks it with his stick.
“Connors, you’re up,” Coach Porter hollers when it’s time for face-off.
I hop over the barrier and get set up for face off.
“Congrats on the nuptials, Connors,” the Calgary defenseman I’m covering says. “What’s it like being married to a golddigger?”
“Fuck off,” I mutter.
This guy’s been making comments about my and Ellie’s marriage the whole game, trying to goad me into a fight. I knew there would be guys on the opposing team giving me shit about all the bad press we’ve been getting. I was ready for it. Doesn’t mean I like hearing it though.
I resist the urge to cold-cock him and glance down at the A on my jersey. This is my first game as alternate captain of my team. I can’t act like an immature hothead, no matter how much I want to. I need to act like a leader. I need to be mature and even-tempered, even when shit gets stressful.
I swallow back the frustration and anger whirring inside of me. Coach Porter took a chance on me by making me alternate captain. I need to show him that he made the right choice. I need to keep my emotions in check and show him that I’ve got the strength of character to do well in this position.
When the puck lands on the ice, Theo passes it back to me. I speed ahead with it and refocus. We’re in the final forty seconds of the game. Sam’s open, so I pass the puck to him. He takes a shot, but the puck bounces off the crossbar and goes flying.
It’s a scramble to get possession of it, but before anyone from either team and get control of it, the buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the game.
The Calgary goalie shoves Del.
“Get the fuck out of my crease,” he hollers.
Del frowns at him. “The game’s over, dude. I can stand here if I want.”
Sam goes to stand between Del and the goalie, so it doesn’t turn into a fight, but the goalie shoves Del. Del punches him. Another Calgary player jumps in and hits Del. Sam pushes him. A fight breaks out between all of the guys on the ice. The crowd goes nuts.
I’m scuffling with a random Calgary player when I hear the defenseman who taunted me earlier.
“What it’s like to have to bribe your wife with health insurance to marry you?”
I turn around and shove him. He winds up to hit me, but I punch him. Fuck, that feels good to finally let that out after holding it in this whole game.
I know I shouldn’t have hit him, but whatever. My entire team is fighting. This is different from if I had just fought on my own. I’m backing up my teammates, which is always okay in hockey.
Soon the referees and linesmen break up the fight. They yell at us to separate and head off the ice. I skate off with my teammates.
“Nothing like a team brawl to kick off the season,” Theo says through a smug smile, his face red from fighting.
I catch Coach Porter shaking his head at us.
“Was that totally necessary?” He looks at us, his tone stern.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
As we head for the tunnel, the fans above us holler.
“Hey, Connors. Here’s a little gift for you.”
Cold, sticky soda and ice land on my head. I stop walking. “What the fuck…”
When I look up, I see the guy from earlier—the jackass who played “Golddigger” on his phone during warmup—staring down at me with a taunting look in his eyes.
He jiggles the giant cup he just poured on me and laughs. “Don’t worry. I saved some to pour on your gold-digging wife too.”
Anger rockets through me. Fuck this piece of shit.
I drop my stick and clear the barrier between the tunnel and the stands. In two seconds, I’m standing face-to-face with him.
That taunting look on his face is long gone. Now his eyes are wide with fear. He drops the cup and holds up his hands like he’s surrendering.
“Dude, sorry, it was just a joke—”
I drop my gloves and grab him by the throat and yank him up, cutting him off.
“It’s not funny, motherfucker.”
He shakes his head quickly. “You’re right. Sorry. I…” He makes a strangled noise like he’s choking. I squeeze his neck harder.
“Don’t ever talk about my wife again. Understand?”
His eyes look like they’re about to bulge out of his head. He nods.
When I drop him, he falls like a limp doll onto the floor, gasping.
I make my way back down to the tunnel, where all of my teammates are staring at me in surprise.
And that’s when my adrenaline starts to fade and awareness kicks in. I glance around and see all the fans with their phones aimed at me. A few are filming that douchebag, who’s still on the ground, groaning in pain.
“You okay?” Sam asks.
“Yeah. Just pissed,” I mutter.
Luca tosses me a towel. I tell him thanks, and wipe my head and face.
“That asshole dumped a drink on you and threatened your wife. You went easy on him if you ask me,” Del says.
All my teammates nod along. Even Luca, who I don’t know that well.
“Thanks, guys.”
Coach Porter glares at me. “My office.”
Fuck. Coach Porter just witnessed me losing my shit on a fan…during my first game as alternate captain.
I huff out a breath and nod, despite the anxiety firing through me. I’m in deep in shit.