Chapter 8 #2
Ah, was he jealous? I believe he was. Matt had never been very good at hiding his emotions. His determination to control me had been one of the reasons I’d broken off our… entanglement before things had gone too far. “Are you talking about Beck or Ford?”
“The man you concentrated the piece on.”
“That would be Beck Kendrick, a former player with the Cincinnati Icemen. He’s not a bad guy from what I can tell, but I don’t know him, only what he agreed to share.
Liking the personality of someone doesn’t mean I’m planning a wedding, Matthew.
I learned long ago to be very cautious when it comes to men.
Most are snakes.” I cocked my head, offering him a look and he knew exactly what I was getting at.
When he dared take another step closer, I refused to back down.
He’d never tried to intimidate me before because he knew better.
I might be a woman with integrity and someone who understood authority, but that didn’t mean I would succumb to bullshit.
He didn’t try to come closer, running his hand through his hair instead.
“There is no reason for us to be adversarial, Sloane. The article was amazing and captured the heart of hockey fans and the hard work required to become a star in the sport. All I’m saying is that the Kendrick brothers are different.
Unusual. Now, maybe they don’t overtly advertise using their significant skills, but don’t you think there’s a remote possibility that when push comes to shove, they resort to who they really are? ”
“Who they really are? You mean humans who just happen to have wolf DNA in them?”
His face lit up again as if I’d just figured out what he was trying to tell me.
Now I had the need to vomit all over his shoes.
“Exactly. They do. They can shift into creatures most of us would be terrified of. I give them credit for not doing so on the ice. However, that doesn’t give them a pass if they utilize their extra strength, keen eyesight, hearing.
I’m sure they have other… skills that the puck bunnies love as well. ”
I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation. “Did I mention I’ve been to a number of games?”
“You did.” He was growing as weary as I was with the conversation.
“There are other shifters in the league, including another set of brothers. Right here in Chicago.”
“I’m aware.”
“Not once have I seen or heard about a single player shifting. I also haven’t heard anything from a totally human player about being angry they had a shifter on their team. That has to say something.”
He nodded, clearly frustrated I wasn’t accepting his point.
“The best journalists cover all sides, no matter how disturbing or even if some versions are against their beliefs. You know that because you’re one of the best journalists I’ve worked with.
I’m not just saying that because we were close once. ”
Now his forlorn look pissed me off.
“So what do you want, Matthew? Revisions on the article?”
“Not necessary. You have a prime opportunity to provide a well-rounded article on two sets of brothers with the upcoming game in Chicago.”
“I can’t interview all four. I won’t be allowed that kind of time or access for an in-depth interview. Who do you prefer I cover?”
“There are countless articles on the Masters brothers. Ad nauseam. They are a beloved icon with fans all over the world.”
I laughed. “Let me guess. The powers that be, the ones that keep you in the lifestyle you’ve come to require are a little fearful of tearing down icons. However, until the Kendrick brothers win a Stanley Cup, they are fair game.”
He checked his watch.
Obviously, Tawny had an expiration date.
“I’m glad we understand each other. I’m certain you’ll weed through the lies and find the truth.”
“That’s the only reporting I will do.”
“You’re being watched, Sloane. People can see how incredible you are. Just keep in mind sometimes we must do things we feel go against our beliefs.”
I didn’t bother answering right away. Why bother?
Only when he started to walk away did the appropriate retort come to me. “You mean like selling our souls for the almighty dollar?”
His sudden stop was followed by a laugh before he walked away.
Once he did, I realized how much I desired a shower. I felt dirty. What in God’s name had I seen in the man?
I returned to my seat, staring at my handwritten notes, The truth was that I wasn’t a fan of social media.
Yes, as part of my job, I was required to pay attention to what was being said and what was trending.
Usually doing so helped with details of my article.
I’d done so before meeting with Beck, finding one too many accounts especially on Instagram that reminded me just how popular the game truly was.
Had I actually been jealous?
With a little laugh, I saved what little I’d written on the article and switched to social media. I’d hesitated to pay any attention to what was happening with the Hellions team, although I had caught on the news they’d won their last two games after leaving Arizona. One at home.
Okay, so maybe I did know a little more about what was happening than I wanted to let on. However, that didn’t mean I was eager to read about any additional escapades Beck might have gone on.
What we’d shared had been… special. Okay, I could admit it.
I rose to my feet, peering over the partition to ensure Matt wasn’t walking up on me again before surfing for the Hellions’ page. Whoever they’d hired to be their social media director was doing a very good job.
He or she had managed to capture some incredible photographs. Including of Beck and his brother.
I couldn’t tell a lie. Both men were hot as hell. They also looked very much alike. As soon as I pulled up a picture of just Beck after coming off the ice, I heard my heavy sigh and frowned. Yeah, I’d enjoyed myself a little too much with him.
Including the silliness about the massage. What kind of guy would think of something like that?
The crowds were wild. So were the women.
Wait. Was the one girl wearing balloons under her bra? Or were those her real tits? I leaned in, completely uncertain. What was clear was how hot the hockey players thought she was. Another cringeworthy moment.
I flipped through a few more, finding several of them outside of the Portland arena. There appeared to be a few protestors, but for the most part, there were fans lining the parking lots and sidewalks.
The Charlotte game was different. As I moved from one screen to another, you would have thought I’d accidentally found a group of photographs from a political rally or God forbid, an event highlighting social injustice from decades before.
Here, the ridiculous comments being made by supposedly intelligent people were… Wow.
Let’s just say the signs were not kind.
No Beasts Allowed
Hunt and Kill
And my personal favorite.
Animals Should Only Be in Forests
I sat back, struggling with the concept, black and white right there in my face. While there were plenty of signs of support, those made me laugh out loud, not wish I had a spear to do a little hunting of my own.
Thankfully, the less than stellar welcome to the area hadn’t daunted the team’s playing abilities. They’d been magic on the ice.
I’d enjoyed writing the article on the Hellions, but obviously, my favorite part of penning the piece had been my initial meeting in the locker room.
And fucking under the stars.