Chapter 16
“They’re coming for everything tonight. Don’t give them an inch. Win every battle. Every puck. Every shift. They come out swinging, let ‘em. That energy is theirs to waste, don’t make it yours.” I clap my gloves together. “Let’s move.”
We file through the tunnel and onto the ice. The app was loud today. And not just mine. Nearly every team member’s fan page is exploding. Reminding us why we’re still ranking at the top.
My eyes find the stands before I can stop them. The seat I kept empty for her—even though I told her not to send love tonight.
And she didn’t. Heaven knows if she even planned to.
Hunter barged into my room when we were texting and reminded me who we were playing.
And holy fuck do I want to prove I can beat these assholes without my sure thing.
The last thing I want is Isla feeling any kind of obligation. I like her messages the way they’ve been. Free. At her own will. Honest.
You start to force that kind of thing, you’ll lose it—fast.
I shift my eyes away from the stands and onto the ice for puck drop. I line up, staring across at the opposing captain, Jake McKenna. The sea of red and white behind him is enough to sour anyone’s throat.
But if anyone hates the guy more than I do? It’s Hunter. Not just because he’s the dirtiest player we’ve ever come across. But McKenna is the guy Hunter’s ex cheated with.
He’s beyond over her. But nothing will please my best friend more than to rip this guy to shreds every chance he gets.
Opening faceoff goes our way, but that’s about the only thing that does. Somehow, we’re a step behind the first few shifts, and now I’m regretting my advice to let them exert their energy.
Their body checks come hard, forcing reckless mistakes before we can settle into our game. I clear the puck toward center ice, but their defenseman snatches it before we can get out of our zone.
“Cole, behind you,” I call loud to Leman.
He flips, but someone knocks into him.
Fuck.
Another loose puck. Another race to our end.
I start to close the gap but McKenna throws an elbow into my ribs as we cross. Low enough the ref doesn’t see it. Hard enough to throw me off balance.
That’s all he needs. Cutting to the middle, he takes the pass and snaps it past Grey before I can blink.
The red light flashes. One-nothing.
Tight jaw, I skate over to our goalie as he pushes himself upright. “Not your fault.”
We reset at center ice.
“Different game tonight, huh, Cap?” McKenna says, one corner of his mouth quirking.
I don’t give him the satisfaction of an answer. He already has one.
And it’s on our scoreboard.
A minute later, the puck’s back in my court. Adrenaline pumping through me. Focus.
Shoot.
Fucking shoot, Andrews.
But instead of taking the shot, I hesitate. It’s a heartbeat, but it’s enough. Defense closes in and I miss my chance.
My jaw locks. I grit my teeth, roll my shoulders, and shake off the voices.
But it’s hard. Hard not to believe I’m only here because of the name on my back, when I’m out here proving them all right.
Hunter skates past, arms spread in question.
The horn sounds before I can answer, and no one says much on the way to the locker room.
Coach spends the intermission reminding us exactly why that first period sucked. You know, in case we weren’t there.
I run my hand through my hair. Hunter plops down beside me, handing me my phone like it’s a bottle of water.
I draw back and set it aside. “I don’t need it.”
“You telling me? I know you don’t need it. But you’ve got it in your fucking head that you do.” He glances at the device. “Check the app.”
Grey sits on the other side of me, scrolling through his own. “No sign of her.”
I straighten with a breath. “And there won’t be.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I personally asked her not to.”
Hunter drops his head. Jackson, who’s been standing on the other side of the wall, drops his foot. “What? Why?”
At this point, my teammates have figured out she’s our sweet spot.
My sweet spot.
She was off earlier. And I don’t know if it’s something Fetcher told her or the pressure of sending love every game, but it wasn’t sitting right with me.
That and her last message reminded me that she doesn’t owe me anything.
This is my game. My fight. And I hate that I offended her by making her think I’m buying her for the semester.
I glare at him like it’s obvious. “Because it’s not her fucking job. This is our game. Our fight. Our future. And I’m not going to let a coincidence mess with our heads.”
Grey stands, muttering as he walks. “It’s not messing with our heads.”
“What?”
He turns. “Some of us want to win out there. Okay? So Shadow or no Shadow, get back out there like you want it too.” He pauses. “Because you deserve to be here as much as any of us. Not more, not less.”
Everyone but Hunter shuffles out of the room.
“He’s not wrong. I get you’re trying a no Shadow experiment. But maybe try it another night? Not against these guys, man. And if you ask me, I don’t think it’s luck or coincidence. I think her messages make you feel something.” He stands. “And it comes out on the ice.”
I nod again and he leaves me alone.
I look at my phone, scrolling through the messages. It’s another slew of motivation mixed with flirtation and the Shadow impersonators.
My phone vibrates with a notification.
new message from Shadow in
The Locker Room.
Shadow: Let me get this straight. You make me sit through a two hour practice today only to bore me to death at the actual game?
She’s here? I rub the tightness in my chest.
Kane19: Sorry it’s a bad one tonight. You don’t have to stay.
Shadow: I’m with my new friend. Otherwise, I’d walk out now.
Kane19: Ouch.
Shadow: It was something I said, wasn’t it?
Great. Now I made her feel guilty.
Kane19: My boys here think it’s something you didn’t say.
Dots jump on the screen then stop with no new message. Then reappear. And this is exactly what I don’t want.
Kane19: Don’t. I can do this.
Shadow: I assume you didn’t just become good the last five games.
Kane19: Look me up when you get a chance.
Shadow: Did that weeks ago. Could write a book. Got anything new?
Kane19: Shit. You really are a stalker.
Shadow: My friend’s back, I’ve got to go.
Kane19: Shadow…
Shadow: Still here.
Kane19: Don’t do it.
Shadow: Get over yourself, I’m halfway out the door
.
I grin and set my phone aside, ready to get back on the ice.
“Ooof,” Tisch winces when another Knight takes a bad hit.
I glance at her. “Shouldn’t you be rooting for the other side?”
“I mean yeah, but still not fun to watch.”
“So did you date any of your brother’s teammates back at Highland U?”
“Oh God no. First, my brother would quite literally beat them up, and second, Jake’s the only athlete I’ll allow in my life. I’ve been around his friends enough to know they’re all immature douchebags and only have one thing on their mind. Getting laid then moving on.”
I scrunch my nose. “They really are that cliché, aren’t they?”
“The worst. So what’s the deal with you and Kane? You like him?”
I turn to find him on the ice. Heat pooling low in my stomach the way it always does. “I mean… I’m not going to say I didn’t notice him. But…it’s all physical.”
She taps her nail on the screen of my phone. “Uh…it’s all talk if you ask me.”
I grin. “Well, good thing I didn’t.”
“Oh come on, don’t tell me you haven’t thought about letting him scratch that itch of yours. We all need it sometimes, babe.” She follows him on the ice. “And talk about a boost to the ego when you really need one.”
“I don’t need one. And we’re not getting involved like that.”
“Why not?”
I list out the reasons in my head. They flood in one after the other—and in every scenario, I’m the one left out in the cold.
We hear another slam and this time I wince. Kane is just a few rows down, pulling himself off the boards and dropping his gloves as he advances on the defense.
I have to look away, only to watch him be carried off to the penalty box seconds later.
I shake my head.
Tisch turns to me. “Where’s your phone?”
“W—why?”
“You’ve got to do it.”
“N—no. He told me not to.”
“Fuck that. This is painful, okay. And my brother is getting way too cocky out there. I love him, but he and his teammates are playing rough. Work your magic.”
I roll my lips together and open the app. Navigating to Kane’s page. The public one. The very public one.
I don’t know how to do this now that he knows who I am. That he’s put a face to the name behind the messages.
“What do I do?”
Her words are warm beside me. “Ask for what you want.”
Heat climbs into my cheeks when I think of what I want. And exactly how I want to ask for it. Because God, what would that feel like with him?
Heart pounding, I type it out and hit send before I can overthink it.
Shadow: Win this and I’ll sit on that better “seat” you offered me.
I exhale hard. “Shit.” What did I just do? I can’t take that back, can I? Of course not, everyone’s already seen it.
Panic washes over me.
Too much. It was too much. Everyone will know.
Tisch peeks over. “Eh. That one’s only alright.”
“Huh?”
“Better seats? How about, Wanna serve two minutes in my box?” She wiggles her brows, proud of that one, then nudges me with her elbow. “Thought you had it in you, Bambi.”
I set my phone aside, swallowing. “Yeah, well. A lot of pressure, you know?”
There’s a minute left in Kane’s time and someone behind him hands him their phone to look at.
My stomach drops when his eyes flick to the screen and stay there for five long seconds.
Oh God.
His expression’s flat when his gaze travels to the stands, clearly searching for me. Not like earlier, where he only scanned briefly. This time, he’s not stopping until—
My heart stops.
Oh.
So this is what Tisch meant when she called me a deer in headlights.
Kane holds my eyes for a moment, then hands the phone back to the guy behind him. I’ve never been good at lipreading, but I swear he just mouthed, You’re on, before getting back on the ice.
The rest of the game blurs into a mess of goals, bodies crashing, roaring fans, and adrenaline all around until the final horn sounds.
We won.
We won?
“Ooof, that one was a doozy.” There’s a pause before Tisch asks. “You alright, Isla?”
I look at her tentatively. “Switch jackets with me.”
Her eyes widen as they dip slightly. “What?”
“Please.”
Without a second thought, she quickly shoves off her brown leather jacket. “Alright, here, but let’s hurry.”
I pull off the sleeves before standing and swap with her.
“Let’s move,” she mutters then grabs my hand. “If my brother catches me wearing Kane Andrew’s jacket, I’m taking you down with me, Bambi.”
We shuffle through the crowd and I’m relieved that all eyes are on Tisch now. I definitely owe her one for this.
Not to mention, she’s got that touch me and you’ll regret it attitude as she whizzes by, my hand clutched in hers.
We’re nearly at the exit doors before she gasps and ducks us into a nearby alcove.
“What?”
“We have to wait out the crowd here. I know some of these people from Highland.”
“Right,” I breathe. “Thank you.”
She does a double take as we hide out behind the wall. “What’s your deal, anyway? You having an anxiety attack?”
I shake my head. “No. Just need some air.” It’s the truth. But if Tisch wasn’t with me, I’d have a herd of people crowding around me, wondering if they should call someone.
If I’m honest, Kane responding when he found me in the crowd settled me too. Imagine if he hadn’t? I’d be spiraling for sure.
But what does this mean?
Was I serious?
I feel hot. Shit, I think I was.
I don’t want to be ‘all talk’. I want Kane Andrews.
The crowd has cleared out for the most part, so Tisch and I finally step outside. The cool air hits me just where I need it.
“My car’s just down the street. Come on.”
We stop dead in our tracks when we see Kane standing against the brick wall, arms crossed and a cocky grin on his face.
Tisch and I exchange glances. Then she cautiously looks over her shoulder as we approach him.
“Hope you two don’t plan on calling it a night. There’s an after-party at The Castle.”
“Let me guess, your place?” Tisch tilts her head.
“That’s right.” Kane runs his eyes over Tisch’s jacket—then looks at me. “Can’t have a party without the reason we won.”
Finding my voice, I say, “Then I suggest you get going.”
Kane smirks. “Cute. But you’re coming.” He scans Tisch again. “Your friend too.”
“Tisch,” she tells him absently. We hear voices from the far end of the sidewalk and Tisch’s head snaps back. “Shit, here.” She shakes off Kane’s jacket and shoves it at him. “Before my brother or his teammates catch me wearing this.”
“Your brother?”
“Jake McKenna, my twin,” she exhales like she’s out of breath. “You know, the one who knocked you down at least twice tonight.” She tosses him a snarky grin and I know she’s gone straight into defense mode.
“Exactly twice, actually.” He shifts the jacket to his other arm and extends his right hand. “Kane Andrews.” He gives a nod, barely sparing her a glance before looking my way. “Your new friend?”
There’s an edge to his voice and I know what he’s asking. Your new friend is a Titan blood relative? And I tell him the only thing that matters. “That’s right.”
He inhales a deep breath, then slowly lets it out, turning back to Tisch. “Offer still stands, unless you were the one who taught your brother that board check.”
Tisch’s scoff is immediate. “Nope. My kind of fighting puts people out for more than two minutes.”
Kane pushes off the wall and takes my hand in his, tugging me close. “And you’re sure there’s no one in the entire school you’d rather be friends with?”
“I’m sure.” I almost laugh because his throaty growl is weirdly sexy.
He winces. “In that case, still invited.”
Tisch perks a brow. “Thanks, but I go where she goes. Permission or not.”
Kane studies her for a beat, still unimpressed. “Fair enough. But let’s keep your family tree a secret from my teammates tonight.” He looks at me. “Not all of them share my soft spot.”