Chapter 33
Brody
Practice, followed by a full day of classes and studying, had been a nightmare. I’d barely managed to wrestle my cock into submission when I’d smell a hint of Selena’s pussy on my fingers and be rock-hard again.
But tonight, there was no time for hard-ons that could cut glass, or fantasies about the rude, rebellious woman who had taken up residence in my head. The messages we’d exchanged earlier replayed in my memory.
Me: You’ll be at the game tonight.
Heathen: You’re telling me or asking me?
Me: Come on, cheer captain, don’t pretend you don’t like to watch me win.
Heathen: I’m surprised there’s room on the ice for you and your massive head.
Me: I might have a massive head, but we both know how perfectly proportional I am. Be at the game. I need my good luck charm.
She hadn’t replied, the little minx. Now, it was the Hellions’ first game and time to concentrate. The team we were playing tonight, The Rioters, weren’t the toughest challenge, but it was our first real game as the new Hellions team.
It started strong, with Cayden performing as his reputation would suggest, sinking an early goal. The Hellions’ defense, led by Anderson, held off a goal just after for The Rioters, and then an assist from Cal on the wing saw me scoring my first goal for the Hellions.
I swung around, nodding to Cal, as the rink erupted in cheers. I couldn’t stop myself glancing over at the seats just behind the players’ bench, where usually the players’ significant others waited.
Winter De Laurie’s white-blond hair caught my eye. Where she went, Selena was usually not too far behind. I scanned over the people next to her, and there she was.
Selena, sitting next to her best friend, her gaze fixed on me. People were still cheering, and Selena was no different. She was smiling, and fuck, she was beautiful.
That smile hit me like a gut punch. The announcer called out my previous stats, reminded the audience that me and Cal were newcomers to the team. People stood and cheered, celebrating a new player’s first goal.
Slowly, Selena rose to her feet, clapping. It felt like the only goal I’d ever scored. The only goal that had ever mattered. The only goal someone I cared about had come to watch me score.
Everything in that moment felt right. This team, this moment, my girl, watching me play. Only one thing was missing. I’d make it right at intermission.
By intermission, the Hellions were four up and feeling confident.
The rhythm was good, we were gelling, and the audience was loving the game play.
Instead of resting and heading to the locker room to hear Coach Williams’ tactics for the next period, I took off in the direction I’d seen Selena and Winter go in.
Stares followed me as I strode down the hallway. Players don’t leave the locker room between periods. It doesn’t happen. But I had something important to see to.
Luckily, I didn’t intend on breaking the rules for too long. I found Selena at the top of the hallway that led to the team locker rooms. It looked like I wasn’t the only one skipping out on the Coach’s talk. I paused and took them in.
Fucking Nick standing far too close to Selena, smiling at her like he hadn’t had his face broken for doing the same thing not too long ago. And he was holding a jersey. Was he trying to get her to wear his number? An incredulous scoff left me.
I strolled closer, my anger toward Nick simmering.
Selena glanced up and saw me approaching.
“Don’t let me interrupt. It looked like riveting stuff,” I drawled, reaching Selena’s side.
She rolled her eyes. “I’d tell him not to be a dick, but it just comes naturally to him,” she said to Nick.
“Yeah, so I’m starting to see.” Nick shot me a displeased glare.
“So, what are you guys talking about, or is it a secret?”
Selena quickly shook her head. “No, we were just talking about being friends, and uh—hey!”
I’d bent and lifted Selena over my shoulder, making her cry out.
“I’m sorry, heathen. I want to hear all about this new BS attempt to sidle up to you, but I don’t have time.”
“Where are you taking her?” Nick called, annoyance oozing from his barely restrained tone.
“Don’t worry about it,” I tossed back at him. “She’s not yours to worry about.”
I carried Selena down the hall toward the locker room.
“Hey,” Selena said and tapped me on the shoulder. “Maniac. Care to explain yourself?”
“Close your eyes. We’re going in,” I warned her before pushing into the locker room.
Luckily, since it was just an interval, there weren’t any players stripping off. In fact, they were disappearing out the other door, the one that led to the rink. Time was running out.
“Brody!” Selena protested.
I lowered her carefully to the bench in front of my locker and opened it, digging around inside my bag.
“What is your problem?” she demanded and then cut off when I tugged her to her feet. “You wanted me to come to your game, I’m here—”
“Yes, you are. Good girl,” I murmured, enjoying the flash of fire in her eyes.
“But you’re not wearing the right thing, and I can’t concentrate on anything else.”
I tugged her jacket off her shoulders, then slid my hands under the hem of her oversized T-shirt and up her abdomen. The underlayer she always wore was smooth and cold, and I wanted nothing more than to feel her skin against my fingers.
“Don’t tell me you made a huge scene over a jersey,” Selena muttered as I threaded her arms through my spare jersey.
“Not just a jersey. My number and my name… emblazoned on your back. That’s worth making a scene over.”
She shook her head. “What would Daddy say?”
“I’ll just tell him you were acting out and I was disciplining you. He put me in charge of you, remember?”
She rolled her eyes again. I got the jersey settled and used it to pull her into me.
“Besides, you not wearing my number is distracting. This is in the best interest of the team.”
“Right. I might be the one in the play, but you’re the drama queen, Brody Sinclair.”
I pinched her cheek, and she swatted my hand away.
“Save that back talk for later, when I have more time to deal with you, you difficult woman.” I couldn’t tear my eyes from the sight of her in my jersey. It was the same one she’d been wearing when we’d had the phone call. Just the thought made me hard.
“Well, I don’t mess with losers, so you better make sure to win,” she goaded and then checked her watch. “What happens if you’re late back to the game?” She arched a brow at me.
Shit.
As soon as the buzzer rang for the start of the second period, Nick was on my fucking list. Not only had he been attempting to corner her and chat with her during the break, but he’d had the audacity to hold his shirt toward her, like he was going to ask her to wear it.
It was an aggressive move for someone who had barely had one date.
The wanker needed to understand that his little attempt at romance with Selena was over.
We were only a few minutes in when I had my chance to teach him.
He got in the way as I went in to swipe the puck out from the opposite team’s stick.
I sent it flying across the ice toward Asher, who raced it down the side of the ice, while I used my momentum to crush Nick into the boards.
“Sorry, man,” I tossed at him and skated away.
A few minutes later, I had another chance, and then one more to check him, sending him into the boards, and then down on the cold icy rink.
“What the fuck?” Nick shouted.
One of the Rioters had gotten in Beckett’s face, and I knew it was only a matter of time before the ref was distracted with their fight.
Nick was recovering from his fall. I stuck out a hand to help him up.
“Here, man. Sorry about that.”
He took it slowly, and I pulled him to his feet.
“But stay away from Selena, and we won’t have any problems, going forward.”
“What?” Nick demanded, pushing against me and getting far too in my face for his own good.
“I said I don’t like you sniffing around Selena. Stop it, now, or I’ll be forced to make you.”
Nick appeared to lose it at this statement. He lunged for me, and we tussled a little. He was pretty ineffective, honestly. How was this guy a hockey player?
I slammed him back against the plexiglass partition behind us.
Nick scoffed, but there was fear in his eyes. “Make me how?”
“How?” I mused, still holding him in place by the shoulder. “I’m not sure,” I confessed.
Relief filled Nick’s face, but it was premature.
“There are so many ways, really. Getting you kicked off the team, or expelled from school. Having your family go bankrupt, or get your house foreclosed on. There are so many options when you’re a Sinclair.”
“You’re a fucking bastard,” Nick snarled.
I nodded. “Surely, you’re not just working that out now. I am a fucking bastard, and I’ll do anything I have to, to keep you away from Selena. Got it? So, just drop it now, before you really piss me off.”
Nick skated away as the game restarted. Only a few minutes passed before he took a long, leisurely loop and saluted to Selena, sitting with Winter again in the stands.
Motherfucker. It looked like he was choosing the hard way.
He might be starting with a face only a mother could love, but I was about to make it that much worse.