Chapter Thirty-Seven
Carlos
Nerves shot through me as I entered the New York Ice Training Facility in Manhattan. Last night Saoirse and Fiona had stayed at their place in Boston while Hale, Dusty, and I returned to New York.
Dusty had gone to his moms’, since he had some explaining to do.
As did I. I’d gotten my new phone, but my family was out of range still. While I thought about using the satellite feature to contact Anita, it would be fine.
I had texted Coach Atkins, who was pissed at me, as well as Jorge, Clark, Grif, and Dimitri–who were more concerned than anything. Also, I’d talked to my agent so we could get ahead of things, and asked my lawyer to draft a mating agreement for me and Fiona.
Also, I’d gotten a haircut.
Going up the elevator, I went to Coach Atkin’s office on the second floor. This and the third floor were exclusively for the New York Knights and the Manhattan Maimers.
This floor had weight rooms, dining rooms, the training rooms, coaching offices, conference rooms, and the dance room the Maimers used. The floor above us had all the executive and business offices. Downstairs were three ice rinks, which were often open to the public, along with other rooms.
The door to Coach Atkins’ office sat open. He was an older guy, but still kinda fit, with grey hair. I knocked on it.
“Rodriguez, sit down.” He rubbed his forehead.
I closed the door behind me and dropped to the seat in front of his desk. His office was full of memorabilia from the Knights and the other teams he’d played for and coached. He’d even played at the Olympics.
“Coach, I’m so sorry about missing two games.
Like I said, I lost my phone and it got damaged by snow.
We were stuck in a blizzard in Switzerland, and then my girlfriend’s dads kidnapped us and tied me to a chair.
Gwen will back up my story, because she and Mercy came to trade lasagna for my life. ” I might as well be honest.
Coach sighed heavily. “If this was anyone but you, I’d think you were lying.”
I frowned. Lies did have smells, though you could circumvent it if you were zen enough. “I don’t lie.”
“I know. This is also very you. I talked to Gwen. Did you know she has a team now?” he asked.
“She’s on my cousin’s team.” I nodded.
“Back to you. Missing games without even a text usually means you don’t get paid. Also, I am in my rights to fine you. I should bench you as punishment, too. You have to be responsible, Rodriguez.” He rubbed his forehead again.
Oh shit.
“Please, can you mark me as snowed in instead of an unexcused absence? Also, please don’t fine me.
I have a family to feed now. Not only do I have two mates, but I have a whole pack to take care of.
Fiona’s parents cut her off. Saoirse’s job fired her.
Hale’s a student. Dusty’s a musician.” I laid it on thick, even though I could pay the fine, though it would be easier to pay the fine if I got paid for the games I missed.
“Also, please don’t bench me. I want them to come to my game tomorrow. ”
Coach Atkins sighed again. “Fine. But only because I’m going to look like the bad guy because of that statement your people released. Kylee wants to talk to you.”
“I’m sure she does. I need to go upstairs and add everyone to my health insurance and see about tickets and family passes and shit, anyway. Gotta be responsible now. People depend on me.” I had to keep saying it. Because I had a pack now.
The door slammed open and Kylee, our head of PR, stalked in. She was a beta in her thirties, but carried herself like someone who should not be fucked with.
“Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Rodriguez? You disappeared and missed two games. We had no idea where you were, other than a mumble from a skate smasher that you might have gotten caught in a snowstorm in Europe. Then you return for me to find out that not only did you pack up, but you have the most chaotic pack ever. Your entire pack is going to be media trained, because so help me, I do not have the patience for this,” she snapped.
“What? My pack is lovely. I think Dusty is media trained. Also, I asked the press to give us privacy. One of my packmates is shy.” I didn’t identify any of them. What was she talking about?
“If BroKen is media trained, he needs a remedial class.” She looked to Coach Atkins.
“His pack has BroKen, the musician whose entire brand is chaos. Also, someone who races cars and does crazy shit. A Boston socialite omega. And the shy one? Would that be the one who married BroKen on stage at a rave? I don’t get paid enough to deal with it. ”
I sucked in a breath. “How do you know?”
No one was supposed to know.
“Because your pack went viral. Pack Himbo, the internet is calling you. Chaos to lovers is the trope I never needed in my life. Which pretty much sums up why I should be resigning instead of dealing with this bullshit. You need to tell me things ahead of time, so I don’t wake up to this.
” Kylee looked like she was going to tear out her hair.
“Oh.” I frowned. “I’m sorry. My agent wanted to release something last night. I thought he told you.”
Pack Himbo?
“You, Carlos. When you woke up mated, you should have called your agent first, me next,” she snapped.
I winced at her anger. “My phone broke. I was going to tell Grif I couldn’t make the game, but then Fiona’s dads kidnapped us. They were mad that we bonded.”
“As they should be. Are you un-bonding?” Her eyes bore into me like judgmental lasers.
“No. I love them. We’re going to make this work,” I told her. “Um, you do know the one that races is Hale Thorne. He’s Verity’s brother and a student.”
“Fuck,” she muttered.
How would she react if she knew Fiona and Saoirse were assassins?
Also, how did we go viral? It wasn’t Dusty.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to make anyone’s lives harder,” I apologized. “We’ll be good. We promise. Fiona will be a model MASO and we’ll attend any training you need us to. Dusty’s singing the national anthem tomorrow, and he’s also captain of the Brooklyn Box Munchers.”
“That name.” She rubbed her forehead. “I know they’re a rec team, but how was that approved?”
“His company is called Box Munch. They’re the team’s sponsor. The company headquarters is in Brooklyn. It’s funny,” I replied.
“Is anyone pregnant?” Kylee added.
I pushed down the desire to say me just to see her reaction. Smart choices, Carlos.
Instead, I just shook my head.
“How long is he benched for? And what’s the fine, so I can release it?” Kylee asked.
“No fine. Not benched. He was caught in a blizzard with no phone reception. It happens. The Knights extend their congratulations to him and his mates. But feel free to make him do some charity work as penance.” His eyes focused on me.
“You might want to buy the back office something special as an apology–and cover drinks at Tito’s for your teammates after the game tomorrow. ”
“Good idea.” I got on my phone to place an order for really fancy pastries.
As for Tito’s, sure.
Kylee made a strangled noise. “I see. What does Constantine think of this?”
“Constantine told me to handle it how I see fit.” Coach shrugged. “If that’s all, I need to meet with Constantine, we have a player to sign.”
Kylee made a face, obviously unhappy with that. Her eyes narrowed at me.
“Behave or else.” She left, leaving the door open.
“New player?” I asked. The free agent deadline was tomorrow at midnight, so I understood the urgency. Unless it was a trade, that deadline was later. But then he’d probably say trade to make.
“Yes.”
“Are you replacing Mitchy? I thought you’d just use someone from the Bantams until Sarah was ready to come back from maternity leave,” I replied.
Mitchy had been part of the drug scandal and after he was kicked off the team, we’d been using someone from the Bantams. Mitchy had originally been filling in for Sarah anyway.
She only had her baby a couple of months ago, so we probably wouldn’t see her until next season, unless she wanted to come back early from maternity leave.
“Jasper was injured the other night. I don’t know if you heard that,” he said quietly.
“I did. It’s worse than they’re making it out, isn’t it.” I had a feeling it was. Jasper was the oldest player on the team and didn’t play a ton anymore due to injuries. We’d all thought he’d retire after we won the championship last year, like our previous team captains did.
Coach looked grim. “We’re trying to be prepared.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll make sure you get paid. I don’t want your pack to starve.” He sighed again.
“Thanks, Coach.” Since I still had time before practice, I went to HR to start doing paperwork and make sure my pack had passes for the family room and tickets to the game.
By the time I finished, nearly everyone was down in the locker room getting ready for practice.
“Carlos, shit. You’re back. Are we going to get fucking punished today?” LeeAnn groused. She was also a forward.
“I hope not. I didn’t cause a snowstorm on purpose.” I started changing.
“That would be a really interesting power to have,” Clark replied, as he took off his shirt. He was a little obsessed with superheroes. “Your new haircut is nice.”
“Thanks. Are you doing okay without Mariquita?” I checked my phone. Fiona and Saoirse were going to head to the townhouse to start figuring out what we needed.
Clark gave me a look, his glasses moving down his nose.
He had the fit nerdy guy thing going on.
Like he’d take off the glasses and suddenly be a superhero.
“I’m fine. Though I’ll be better when Tenzin comes home.
Are you okay? Gwen came all the way out from the West Coast to trade lasagna for your life. ”
“That means the world to me. I can’t wait for you to meet my pack.” I looked around for Dimitri, who looked sad and gloomy. “Are you okay? Did your brother go back to school already?”
“Bad dreams,” he brushed off. “Also, Valya is going to be moving into the dorms.”