Chapter 20
Willow Rogers
S weat drips down my forehead as I race across the ice. The game is down to the last period, both teams at three goals each. I’ve returned to the ice after a short stint on the bench.
It was for the best since my ex-teammates have been giving me shit all game, meaning angry Willow was on the verge of making an appearance.
There is no way I’m letting my old team get the better of me. Those assholes gave me hell for fucking years, now it’s my turn to return the favour.
Toby deflects the puck, sending it towards the boards. I race after it, but I’m not the only one, a Nevada player hot on my heels.
I get to the puck first, quickly gliding towards our goal. Aiden appears in my peripheral vision, and turning my body would provide a straight shot to him.
“Aiden,” I yell.
I pass to him, but in an instant, I slam into the boards. Sharp pain shoots through my muscles, and a shiver runs over my body from the ice. My back, specifically my shoulders aching.
Hissing, I try to get to my feet. “Fuck." I collide with the ice again.
My old teammate and ex-boyfriend, Kyle Woods, is standing over me. With boiling blood, I clench my fists. Every part of me wants to slam my knuckles into his nose with the hope of breaking it and drawing blood.
Jayden beats me to it. He skates over, not wasting a minute, ramming his body into Kyle. “Touch her again and you won’t get back on the fucking ice,” Jay sneers at the man below him.
My heart races at Jayden’s words. No one has ever come to my defence when shit like this happens. It ignites butterflies in my stomach that I don’t want. I inhale, pushing these thoughts away.
Kyle jumps up, slamming his body into Jayden. "Fucking my sloppy seconds, Allen."
The sneer in his voice has my stomach churning and bile rising in my throat. Jayden doesn't think. His knuckles smash into Kyle's pale cheek. I'm on my feet in an instant, but the action has me clutching my right shoulder. The sharp pain turning to a throb.
Aiden and Trent have come to Jayden's side, reluctantly pulling him off Kyle. The referee intervenes next, sending both of them to the penalty box.
Aiden skates toward me. “This is fucking good.”
My nostrils flare. “I know.”
He glances at my shoulder, raising his brows. "You good?"
"Yes," I grit, rolling my shoulder. I suck in a breath when I feel a pinch.
I can't go off. Not right now.
We resume our positions but unfortunately, Jayden being forced off the ice for five minutes is only the beginning.
We fumble passes and make stupid decisions, even when Jayden returns to the ice, everything is a fucking mess. Our coaches are yelling from the bench, the clock looms like a ghost, the time to claw our way back into the game disappearing.
Cooper’s voice startles me–it’s angry and rough. I search the ice for him and find him, not before Coops is punching Kyle. Turns out the guy didn't learn his lesson. All of us jump in to help Cooper, trying to pull him away from the fight. But he doesn't stop, landing multiple punches.
Woods has an arrogant smirk on his bruised and battered face. Blood drips from his mouth, trailing down his chin. Dammit. I’m not surprised he goaded Cooper into this.
Reluctantly, I flick over to the bench, catching Sam’s eyes. I’m sure his grim expression matches mine. The referees come together again, sending Cooper from the ice.
Fuck this game. I knew Nevada was going to use dirty tactics from the beginning, but Lakewood fell for it, and we can only blame ourselves for it.
***
T he locker room has been trapped in silence for the past five minutes.
No one dared to utter a word, not even the coaches. I sigh, knowing Coach West and Harris are disappointed in us. We played terribly and losing two of our best players for important periods during the game hindered us further.
The locker room is suffocating, tension and anger buzzing in the air. Cooper’s face is blank, not looking apologetic at all. He never reacts like that off the ice, let alone on it.
I’m getting the idea that one of my delightful ex-teammates provided a colourful description of me, and Cooper didn’t like it.
“What the hell was that?” Coach West booms, breaking the silence.
I can’t move my gaze, the floor becoming the most interesting thing in the locker room. I don’t have any answers.
“I’m not sorry for what I did,” Cooper snaps.
Everyone in the room is taken aback by Coop’s comment and tone. Oh, something is definitely wrong.
“Powell,” Coach West warns. “Do not test me right now. So, I’ll ask again: what the hell was that?”
Cooper’s gaze falls to the ground before looking at me. “Woods said something about Willow, and I wasn’t going to let him get away with it. He was riling us up repeatedly, and after his last comment, I snapped.”
My eyes flicker shut, head falling back against the wooden cubby. Fuck me. Of course, shit like this follows me everywhere.
And now I’ve gotten myself into this situation again. I promised myself I would keep everything professional and I stay the fuck away from my teammates.
Apparently, Jayden is the exception.
“What did he say about Willow?” Coach West asks cautiously.
“I–” Cooper swallows. “I’m not sure I can repeat it.”
I shake my head, pulling myself back up. “Tell me what he said, Coops.”
Cooper hesitates before continuing. “He asked if you were now Lakewood’s resident slut after making your way through the hockey team.”
Cooper looks like he’s on the verge of throwing up, and Sam isn’t far behind. The other guys have anger swirling in their eyes, as if they can’t believe the comment.
I cast my gaze to Jayden, who is on the brink of losing control: clenched fist, veins popping out from his arms and forehead, a hard jaw, and flared nostrils.
If I weren’t worried about how deep I was falling, I would be touched.
I huff out a breath, a slight laugh escaping with it. Goosebumps flare on my skin as everyone’s eyes fall onto me.
“Why aren’t you fucking mad?” Aiden says.
I scoff. “When you’re a woman in a man’s field, you can’t react to anything they say.
That’s what they want you to do. Men want to see you cry and run away, then they have the audacity to say we can’t handle it, or we are too sensitive.
Being called a slut is not even the worst insult that has been directed towards me,”
The pity caged in everyone’s gaze fuels my rage. Men will never understand, even if they try to empathise with you.
“I’m fine, so everyone can stop looking at me.
Kyle Wood is a piece of fucking shit who will never play in the NHL because of two reasons.
One, he isn’t a team player, and two, he has no work ethic and relies on his talent.
So, when his life fails, we can all look back on this and say it was karma going about her day. ”
I inhale a deep breath, my chest rising. “Tomorrow, we will play them again, and we will be ready. Coops, I appreciate you standing up for me, but please don’t jeopardise yourself for me.”
Coach West doesn’t keep us much longer after going over a couple of errors we made during the game. I was relieved when he let us go. All I want to do is shower, go home, and sleep.
I walk out of Lakewood Arena towards my car. The bright overhead lights contrast the night sky, bringing my attention to a tall figure leaning against my car.
The parking lot is empty, besides from mine and Jayden’s vehicles, so it doesn’t take a genius to deduce who it is.
“Jayden, I’m really not in the mood.”
The streetlights allow me to take in Jayden’s face, his expression the same as it was during our post-game debrief. Yay, that means angry Jayden. I don’t have the energy to put up with him right now, or ever, to be honest.
“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
A shard from my broken heart falls back into place at his words. No. That is not what I need. We’ve had this friends–or–enemies–with–benefits thing going on for a week, and my heart already wants to mend itself.
I was already swooning after Jayden helped me coach the girls on Thursday–anyone with ovaries would be weeping from seeing a man help young girls fall in love with sport.
“You don’t need to worry about me, I’m fine,” I say, reaching out to grab my car door. “Actually, while we are on the topic, I don’t need you rushing to my rescue on the ice. I’m not your girlfriend, you don’t need to scare people off for me. I can stand up for myself.”
I don’t wait for his reply, jumping into my car. I drive off, leaving Jayden and any thoughts of him in the rearview.
He is already taking up too much space in my head. I don’t need him anywhere near my heart.