Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
DYLAN
There’s sweat slicking my neck by the time we hit the third period. The crowd is roaring, and the overhead lights are hot and overbearing, but all I can feel is her.
Every second I’m skating, I’m chasing the ghost of Mia’s hands on me, Mia’s mouth on mine.
The imprint of her nails digging into my skin, and the way she whispered my name when she broke apart.
It’s burned into me, and won’t shake loose.
I can still taste her when I breathe too deep.
Still hear her soft, wrecked sounds in my head, taunting me under the noise of the game.
The puck slaps the boards behind me and Murphy yells something across the ice.
Focus, Diesel. Focus. I grind my teeth and snap back into it, chasing the play, hammering toward the net with a ferocity that’s got their defence flinching.
I score. The crowd loses it; I raise my stick in the air with my heart thundering. My boys surge around me, slamming into me, shouting, shoving, and laughing. But even when they’re piling on, slapping my helmet, grabbing my shoulders, my gaze finds its way to the bench.
To her.
Mia’s there, arms crossed over her chest, that familiar determined line between her brows. But there’s a softness too, tucked into the corner of her mouth, hidden under the professional mask she’s forcing herself to wear.
She’s trying not to look at me like she’s still feeling me under her skin. But I see it. I feel it. And it wrecks me.
After the win, it’s chaos. The locker room is a mess of sweaty gear, laughter, and a whole load of shouting as we celebrate another win.
Murphy’s swinging his stick around like an idiot, and when I look around the room Danny’s flexing like he’s just scored a goddamn hat trick, he didn’t, and Ollie’s blabbering about something no one’s listening to.
I should be hyped. I am hyped. But it’s a background buzz.
Mia’s somewhere in this building. And my body’s wound so tight from being near her and not touching her that I’m half a second away from snapping.
I shower real quick. Pull on jeans, a T-shirt, and grab a hoodie. Scruff my hair dry with a towel and then yank the hoodie over my head. My movements are sharp and clipped, like they’ll bleed out this restless energy.
Murphy clocks me the second I shove all my shit into my bag.
He’s lounging by his stall, arms folded, grinning like he knows something he shouldn’t.
Shit.
I ignore him, or at least, I try to. But Murph isn’t one to let something slide when he’s got leverage. I sling my bag over my shoulder and head for the door, and I almost make it.
“Diesel,” Murphy calls out casually, like he’s not about to drop a bomb on me. “Got a sec?”
I stiffen and look back, trying to make it casual but figure I’m failing miserably.
“Yeah?”
Murphy pushes off the wall, grabs his own bag, and falls into step with me.
We walk out together, through the halls filled with staff, families, and arena workers. He waits until we’re far enough away from the others to say it.
“I saw you earlier.”
My stomach drops. Cold and fast.
“In the corridor,” he adds. “Right before you dragged Mia into the physio room.”
My heart kicks against my ribs, hammering painfully. “I didn’t…” I start, but he cuts me off with a sharp look.
“Mate. I’m not stupid. Neither’s Jonno. Or Coach.” He scrubs a hand over his jaw, dropping his voice lower. “You were lucky it was me and not someone else.”
I drag a hand through my hair, pacing two steps away from him, trying to breathe.
“You don’t get it, Murph,” I mutter, my voice rough.
“I can’t…” I stop. My jaw’s tight. I can’t stay away, or pretend she’s just another physio.
I can’t shove what’s happening between us back into a box now that I’ve had her, tasted her, felt her break open against me.
Murphy’s quiet for a second, then steps in closer. “I do get it,” he says, softer now. “More than you think. But you need to be smarter.”
I rake my hands over my face. Every part of me is thrumming, desperate to get back to her, to touch her, to make sure she’s okay after everything with her dad.
But he’s right.
What if Jonno had seen us, or Coach had?
She could lose her job. She’s worked her ass off to be here, and I’m not about to be the reason it gets torn away from her. I glance sideways at him, voice rough.
“You gonna tell anyone?”
Murphy snorts, slinging his bag higher on his shoulder. “Of course I’m not, we’re mates and this is none of my business,” he says. “But you gotta be more careful, Diesel. For her sake.”
His words land harder than anything.
For her sake. Not for me. Not for the team. For Mia.
I nod, swallowing against the burn in my throat. “Yeah,” I rasp. “I know.”
Murphy claps me on the back, all casual again like he hasn’t just ripped a hole through my chest.
“Good. Now c’mon. Drinks are on you tonight, goal scorer.”
I force a rough laugh, following him down the corridor. But inside, everything’s tight and tangled. Because I know damn well he’s right. And the brutal truth is, I’d burn the whole fucking world down for Mia. But if I’m not careful, I might be the one who costs her everything.
We head to the small bar inside the stadium, it’s players and staff only, and most game days the team congregates here for a drink before we all make our way home.
True to his word, Murphy announces to the gathered few that the drinks are on me.
With a groan, I head to the bar and hand over my card, adding just enough cash to the tab so everyone can get a drink.
I’m thanked by a whole load of shoulder grabs and slaps on the back as my teammates order a drink.
Danny sidles up beside me. “I have no idea what’s going on with you recently, but whatever it is, keep doing it. You are on fire at the minute, D!”
I’m leaning on the bar next to Ollie and Murphy, and staring into my beer glass. My shoulders lift on a shrug at Danny’s comment. I can’t bring myself to answer, so instead, I raise my glass and tap it against his. He seems content with that and moves around me to talk to Ollie and Murphy.
When the noise fades and the team thins out, I head back into the stadium to find her. She’s sitting on the edge of the bench by the entrance to the gym, scrolling absently through something on her phone, her brow furrowed.
God, she’s beautiful, and she has no idea. I move toward her before I can stop myself. She senses me coming, and looks up, her whole face softens when she sees it’s me.
That’s all it takes.
One look.
One smile.
And I know I’m already hers.
There’s no hiding it now.