Chapter 20
TWENTY
Connor
It’s the flashing bulbs all around us that cause me to break apart our kiss. Even though I’m the one who did it—I’m the one who got lost in the moment and pulled his lips to mine—it’s my eyes that are wide open in shock. My stomach drops through the ice. Gavin, however, looks amused.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asks, grinning.
“It might be too late to change my mind.” I bite my lip and close my eyes as he leans in to kiss me again.
His lips never reach mine and my eyes shoot open when I feel myself getting yanked away from him. I watch in horror as he’s brought to the ice by four large men wearing black sweaters that say SECURITY. I try to skate towards him, but I’m grabbed by my elbow, and spun around to face my father.
He whispers into my ear, “If you want your boyfriend to keep his job, your answer to everything that isn’t about hockey from here on out is ‘no comment.’”
I look over my shoulder, back to where I last saw Gavin, but he’s gone.
Spinning around and doing another quick scan of the rink I see him being escorted off the ice and led down the tunnel.
Bouchard is skating after him, but he’s blocked by another set of security guards.
Where did all of these men come from? It’s the most security I’ve seen these entire Olympic Games.
My father yanks me back to his attention and I pull my arm out of his hold. Snarling, he says, “He’s not coming back.”
“You had this planned?”
“If you think I was going to let that piece of trash stand on the Olympic podium, then you’ve gone not just soft, but stupid as well.” He yanks my arm again and positions me in front of a reporter before he growls into my ear, “This is your moment. Take it.”
When he lets go of me, he puts on his friendliest face. The face he always wears when talking to reporters. The one that has always fooled everyone into thinking he’s a nice guy.
He is anything but nice. A fact that no one, except for maybe Gavin, is more familiar with than I am.
He’s made his point loud and clear before he walks away.
If I want to protect Gavin’s career, I need to play by his rules.
So when the reporter asks me about the kiss I just shared with Gavin, I do as I’m told and say, “No comment.”
Gavin
I keep trying to get away, but I’m stopped at every turn.
Security just keeps pushing me forward, despite the fact I’ve managed to give two of them black eyes with my efforts.
When they finally push me into the locker room I’m instructed to get changed.
I try to push through them again, but they’re all standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the door.
A towel is held out to me from my side, and I hear my dad’s voice. “We can try fighting them together if you want.”
I turn to face him and see he’s grinning, but also sporting a split lip.
Now I’m really pissed, and I round on the security guards again.
My hand pulls back to punch the first one in my sights.
The moment my fist connects with his flesh, I’m tackled to the ground again from behind.
To my right, I hear my dad hitting the floor as well, cursing as they hold us down.
The locker room door opens, and through the scrum, I see Connor Kennedy Sr walk in looking like he’s the one who just won a gold medal. He tells everyone to get off of us. They do, but they stay kneeling around us, poised and ready to grab us again if we attempt to fight or make a run for it.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he says, crouching over us.
I move to grab him, but instantly my arms are kneeled on by a security guard on each side.
I look to my right and see they’ve done the same to my dad.
Connor Sr smirks. “As I was saying. You are going to get changed, then you and your father are going to be put on the next flight back to the States. Once there, you will discover that you’re suspended until you forget about my son. ”
“And if I don’t?” I ask as I struggle against the weight of his security guards, trying to fight back, but they apply more pressure.
His eyes narrow in on me. “Then myself, and the other general managers and coaches in this league who are tired of you running roughshod, making a bad name for the NHL, will come together and enact our plan to finally have you removed from it.”
“Good luck with that.” I sneer.
“I don’t need luck.” He raises an eyebrow. “I have the Marshal Rule.”
A low growl rumbles through me. “What the fuck is that?”
“A rule that says two players can’t date.”
“He’s bluffing,” my dad grunts out.
Connor Sr looks away from me for the first time and turns his gaze to my dad. He looks menacing with his nostrils flared and his grin wicked. “I told you years ago that he had no business playing with my son.”
“So you do remember,” my dad says, locking eyes with him, engaging him in a battle of wills.
“You should have kept him in Alaska where trash like you belong.” He rises to his feet, then kicks my dad harshly in the ribs. “Enjoy your flight.”