Chapter 24
My back hits the locker hard enough to rattle the whole row. Ace's forearm presses against my throat, his eyes wild with a rage I've never seen directed at me before.
"You piece of shit." He shoves harder. "You absolute waste of—"
"Ace." Grey's voice carries across the locker room. "Let's take this down a notch."
"Stay out of it." But Ace's voice shakes. "All of you stay out of it."
The rest of the team hovers uncertainly. We've had locker room fights before, like Grey and Matt. Countless number of times, but never between best friends. Never between me and Ace.
"She cried every single day." Ace's words hit harder than his hands. "Every single day, Knox. Wouldn't eat. Barely slept. Shut down. Tuned everyone out!"
"I know."
"You know?" He laughs, bitter and sharp. "You know how it felt watching my little sister break? Watching her doubt herself?"
"I fucked up." My voice is steady. "I know I fucked up."
"I warned you." His grip tightens. "I told you to stay the fuck away from her."
"You're right." I meet his eyes steadily. "But I love her, and I'm not letting her go again."
"Letting her go?" Another shove. "Like you have a choice? Like you didn't throw her away the moment things got real?"
"I was wrong, Ace."
"Damn right you were wrong!" His fist pulls back. "You—"
"ENOUGH!"
Coach Evans' voice booms through the locker room. He takes in the scene – me against the lockers, Ace ready to swing, the team watching silently.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Nothing," Ace says, but doesn't release me.
"Doesn't look like nothing." Coach's eyes narrow. "Looks like you’re about to punch our enforcer two days before playoffs. After said enforcer already made an idiot of himself at the combine."
The words hit home. I'd almost forgotten about the scouts, the tests, everything I might have thrown away with that microphone.
"Speaking of which." Coach turns to me. "What were you thinking, Thompson? NHL scouts watching your every move and you pull that idiotic stunt?"
"There was no other way." I straighten as Ace finally steps back. "She wouldn't answer my calls. Wouldn't let me explain. Wouldn't—"
"So you hijack the combine?" Coach throws up his hands. "Put on a show like some lovesick puppy? Waste everyone’s goddamn time?"
"Yes." The answer comes easily. "Because I needed to make things right. It’s been eating at me. None of it matters without her."
Silence falls over the locker room. Even Ace looks thrown by my conviction.
"You really mean that?" Ace asks quietly. "You would give up the draft for her?"
"Already did." I wipe blood from my split lip. "The moment I grabbed that microphone."
Coach sighs heavily. "Grey, clear the room. These two need to figure their shit out before we lose two of our top guys."
The team files out slowly, Grey lingering until Coach pushes him through the door.
"Look." I face Ace fully. "I respect you. Love you like a brother. Would take a bullet for you any day of the week."
"But?"
"But if you ever put your hands on me like that again, we're going to have a real problem." I step closer, letting him see the enforcer everyone fears. "And while we're at it? Stay out of me and Kennedy's business while we figure this out."
"She's my sister."
"And I'm the man who loves her." The words feel like freedom. "The man who fucked up but is trying to make it right. The man who just risked his entire future to tell her that in front of the world."
"You hurt her once already." His voice roughens. "What’s different this time?"
"I choose her…Ace." I meet his eyes steadily. "Every time. Every day. I will choose her. I fucking swear I won’t ever pull this bullshit again."
He studies me for a long moment. "I don’t know if I can trust that, Knox. Do you even love her?"
"More." I inhale. "More than hockey. More than the draft. More than anything I thought before her."
"Fuck." He runs a hand through his hair. "I want to hit you so bad right now."
"I know."
"Want to hate you for hurting her."
"Hate me."
"But..." He sighs heavily. "But I've never seen you like this. Never seen you want anything more than hockey. Never seen you so fucking low, man. Seeing you two both like this is killing me."
"She changed everything." The truth feels like a confession. "Made me want to be better. Not for scouts or coaches or anyone else. Just... better. For her."
Ace is quiet for a long moment. Then, "If you hurt her again—"
"You'll kill me." I almost smile. "Get in line. I’ll hang myself first. Pretty sure Sawyer is right after you."
"I'm serious, Knox."
"So am I." I grab my bag. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find your sister. Convince her to take another chance on the idiot who loves her."
"She's not at her dorm." But his voice lacks the earlier anger. "Already asked."
"I'll find her." I head for the door, then pause. "We good?"
He considers this. "No. But... maybe if you do right by her this time. It’ll take some time. I don’t think she’s ready."
I nod in understanding. "I will do right by her." It's the easiest promise I've ever made. "Or you can kill me yourself."
"Deal."
The search for Kennedy takes hours. She's not at her usual spots – the library, the coffee shop. Her phone goes straight to voicemail.
Night falls and rain starts as I circle campus again. My combine scores are probably trash. Scouts are probably writing me off. My future is probably in shambles.
None of it matters in this moment. I’ll deal with it when it comes.
I’m at the girl’s dorms, glancing up. And my heart pounds in my chest because there's a light on in Kennedy's dorm room window.
It’s time for me to seal it.
I start climbing.