Chapter Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Eight
“Oh, snap, he’s got on the jersey again. Tennessee’s goalie’s about to get cooked,” Brody says as I strut proudly into the locker room.
The past month with Shay as mine has been unlike any happiness I’ve ever felt.
I don’t even attempt to hide the smile I’m wearing, popping my jersey between two of my fingers. “Just trying to be like my girl.”
“You’re good, Beauty… but you aren’t that good,” my right winger pats me on the back.
“Keep him humble, boys,” my twin chimes in, smirking in my direction.
“I’m glad y’all know the deal,” I retort, loving that they all know how much of a badass Shay truly is on the court.
“We’re just happy Coach didn’t kill you when he found out you’re obsessed with his daughter, Cap,” Hendrix says, whipping me in the leg with his towel.
Me too.
“Alright, alright. I wore the lucky jersey. What are y’all going to do to make sure we win tonight?”
“Pass you the puck.” Tuck winks.
I smirk. “I like that idea. But for real, I need you all. You know this is a tough one for us, especially this early in the season. I want us to show them exactly what we’re made of this year. Leave no questions for the fans… We’re Frozen Four ready.”
Cheers sound through the locker room. There’s an excited buzz that comes with the beginning of a new season.
I walk over to my brother, opening my locker. “You ready, bubs?”
He nods, and I notice he’s quieter than normal. Sitting down beside him, I ask, “You okay?”
“Yeah…just kind of hit me that this is my last season playing hockey. Probably ever.” He swallows and continues, “My last season playing with you.”
The thought tugs at my heart, but I know it’s never been his dream to play further than college. I also know, as much as I’ve always said I’m a city boy, the ranch will always be home at the end of the day.
“Well, let’s go out with a bang.” I hold up my knuckles, smiling. “Crash Brothers.”
Cash taps his fist into mine. “For life.”
Coach Moore walks through, followed by two of our assistant coaches, and says, “Alright, boys, get dressed. Let's hit the ice.”
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing the cheering fans in the stands. And right now, they’re screaming so loud, I swear I feel it in my chest.
Cash, Tuck, and I are taking the ice for sudden-death overtime. We’re tied two-to-two with the Daytona University Flashes.
We meet in a small huddle before heading to the face-off. Both Cash and Tuck look to me. “Alright, Beauty, what’s the plan?” Tuck asks, leaning in.
“The only thing between us and our win is five minutes. Take every shot you can.”
“Let’s fucking do this,” Cash hollers, and we bump fists.
Tuck cheers with a “Hell yeah!” then skates away.
Turning to Cash, I grab his facemask and put my helmet to his. “Crash, Smash…” I start the chant we’ve repeated ever since we began playing hockey together all those years ago. “Take ’em down, Brother,” he finishes.
His gloved hand comes to pat me on the shoulder, and the look in his eyes still reflects his earlier sentiment. I nod in understanding, knowing we need to make every moment count.
The arena is electric, and it seems like every fan is on their feet.
I skate to the center for the face-off, anxiously waiting for the puck to drop. Quickly winning possession, I weave through two defenders. I pass it off to Cash, who skates hard down the right side.
Cash sees an opening and fires off a shot. It flies by the Flashes goalie, but hits the crossbar, ricocheting wide.
The rebound bounces to the corner, where the Flashes scoop it up. They break away and head toward a waiting Hendrix, who’s beyond ready for the attack.
The Flashes forward cuts inside, takes a shot, and Hendrix blocks it. The puck hits off his shin guard and slides toward the boards.
Cash jumps on it and passes it up to Tuck, who takes off, slicing through the open ice. The crowd is up once more, roaring.
He crosses the blue line, where the Flashes are ready for him. Cash, not seeing an opening, drops it back to Tuck.
I dodge the Flashes defender, who’s been riding my ass all night, and Tuck passes it to me. I carry it tight around the back, and I note the tiny opening I see just above the goalie’s pad. The Flashes defender dives in from my left.
No room to pass. No time to hesitate.
I curl out from behind the net, pull the puck to my forehand, and whip a quick shot off the inside of the far post.
And it goes in!
The red-light flashes behind me, and the Flashes goalie slams his stick in frustration. The building explodes as Tuck and Cash tackle me from behind.
My team floods the ice in celebration, and as much as I want to celebrate this win with my guys, I'm dying to see my girl.
The one I’ve been staring at all night, with my name and number displayed on her back.
“You guys are so freaking cute,” Darby gushes as the group of us walks out of the hockey arena.
“Y’all stop right there for a second. This is too precious not to snap a pic of,” Bellamy calls out to us.
Me in Shay’s jersey and her in mine.
Shay and I do as she says, both grinning from ear to ear while she playfully rolls her eyes at their antics.
I lean over to kiss Shay on top of the head and whisper in her ear, “I can’t wait to have you all to myself tonight.”
She bites her lip, smirking up at me.
“Ahhhh, framing that one for you two,” Bellamy shouts before we start walking toward my Tahoe.
“They aren’t the only ones who love the jersey. Two games in and the guys are already calling it our good luck charm,” I beam at her.
“Maybe we should get them all one.” She winks.
“Like hell,” I growl, making Shay laugh.
“Calm down and get us back to your place. I don’t care if there’s a party or not. First things first.” She raises her eyebrows at me. “Me, you”—she points between the two of us—“and your bedroom. Pronto, Beauty.”
“Ma’am, yes, ma’am.” I chuckle, loving the fact she can’t get enough. I feel smug as fuck, knowing I'm the only lucky bastard who’s ever gotten to see her break apart beneath them. Seeing Shay on any given day is heavenly, but seeing her post-orgasm, completely blissed out, is out of this world.
When we get back to The Wolves Den, Nola and Hudson already have the party started.
People greet us on the front lawn, congratulating us on our win, but really, I just want to skip all the niceties and get upstairs with my girl.
I’m chatting with one of Hudson’s buddies on the baseball team, when I suddenly hear a voice I could’ve gone my whole life without hearing again.
“I knew it would happen; I heard it around campus, but seeing it with my own eyes just confirms everything I thought about you when it came to him,” Jordan sneers in Shay’s direction. “That you always wanted his dick.”
“Grow up, Jordan. You’re the one who cheated on me… You have no one to blame but yourself.”
Jordan audibly scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. I keep my distance for a few, watching how this unfolds. I know Shay can handle her own, but I’m there in an instant if she needs me, or if I lose my temper, whichever comes first.
“Actually, I’ve been meaning to thank you,” Shay says to Jordan, who’s now sporting a totally confused look.
“Yeah! If it wasn’t for your cheating, who knows how long I would’ve stayed in that pathetic excuse of a relationship.
You didn’t love me; you loved the idea of me…
The convenience of me. I was never your priority, and everything else always came first. Took me a while to realize, but I’m sure damn happy I did, because now I know how I deserve to be treated.
So, thank you,” she concludes, and I’m trying my best to hide my smile, but fuck it.
My girl just went off, and I couldn’t be prouder.
With that, Shay flips him off, not one bit fazed by him as she pulls Symone away.
“Never thought of you as a lying slut either. Maybe that’s why I had to get my dick wet elsewhere.” Jordan’s words have the hair on the back of my neck rising.
Nah, that shit ain’t going to fly around here.
I’m in his face in two seconds flat, no words, no questions. My fist to his nose and his back on the ground, blood gushing out.
His team rushes over, and I feel mine immediately at my back. Both groups willing to go to bat for their own.
I point down at him. “Next time, I’ll break your fucking jaw… Never speak to her like that again. Matter of fact, never speak to her again. Period.
Squatting down, I get eye level with him. I see his fist clench, but he doesn’t attempt to stand. “You lost that privilege… One you never should’ve had to begin with.”
“Now get the fuck off our lawn,” Cash barks, drawing attention to where he stands, flanked by Nola and Hudson.
Darby, Bellamy, and Symone all stand right behind them, ready to go for my girl.
I turn toward her, pulling her into my hold immediately. I hug her for a second, and her hand covers my chest like she’s trying to calm my racing heart. We push past the crowd until we get inside the house.
Shay takes my hand in hers, examining my knuckles and bringing them to her lips to kiss them. “Thank you, Maverick,” she whispers, her breath skating across my fingers.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” I smirk, because it’s the truth and, damn, does it feel good.
I got the girl, my girl, and I got to knock his smug ass on the ground.
“Can I confess something?” Shay says, lowering her gaze, and I nod. “Would I be an awful person if I admitted how hot that was?”
I smirk at her and run my thumb along her cheek.
Her pretty honey eyes bore into mine, darker than normal as she bites her lip. “Remember what I said I wanted when we got back to your place?”
It takes me a second, my heart still pounding, but the desire in her eyes has the anger morphing into something totally different.
I nod once, licking my lips.
“Now it isn’t just a want… It’s a need.” Her voice is a near purr as she holds her hand out for me to take.
“Well, good thing I’m here for all your wants and needs, baby. Let’s go take care of that.”
She pulls me inside the house, and within moments, her lips crash into mine. Lifting her by her ass, I press her against the wall. Swallowing her moans as my tongue caresses hers.
“Please,” she begs, and the desperation in her tone turns me into a feral beast.
I let out a low growl when her lips trail to my neck. No longer able to contain myself, I lift her up farther and throw her over my shoulder.
Shay lets out a surprise squeal, then giggles as we make our way through the house. She swats at my ass, and I pause. “Oh no, you did not,” I warn as I carry her upstairs.
Shay only laughs louder when I toss her onto my bed.
“You’re going to pay for that, Little Moore.” I smirk while approaching the bed, lifting my shirt off.
“Have at it, Beauty.”