He shoots me the finger and the biggest shit-eating grin the asshole’s yet to give.
Raiyne comes over and bumps my shoulder. “Next goal is mine. No way are we losing.”
The next face-off, our team turns it up a notch. We play more brutal, use our bodies more. The Titans respond in kind, but one of their rookie defensemen makes a critical error, tangling with Novotny, allowing for Raiyne to slip one in with a wraparound.
Two shifts later, Jackson flies down the ice, his skates eating up the distance as he weaves through our defenders like they're standing still. He fakes out our goalie with a dizzying series of dekes, then goes top-shelf with a wrist shot that leaves us all stunned.
I slam my stick on the ice, then freeze when Trembley doesn’t slow down and barrels into Jackson with a vicious, late hit, the sound of their bodies colliding echoes through the rink like a gunshot.
Jackson cries out as he crumples to the ice, his stick clattering uselessly beside him. For a moment, the world seems to slow, the roar of the crowd fading to a distant buzz in my ears. All I can see is Jackson, curled in on himself, his face twisted in agony.
I'm moving before I can even think, my skates carrying me across the ice in a wild, reckless charge. I shove Trembley from behind, sending him flying with the force of my fury. “You stupid fuck!”
Trembley whirls around to face me. “What the hell, Blackwell!”
I grab his jersey and swing, then swing again over and over, my gloved hand connecting with his helmet each time. “Hurt what’s mine again and see what happens. I dare you.”
My teammates pull us apart and Raiyne shoves me away from everyone. My chest heaves and I look away from his judgmental gaze, my own falling to Jackson still on the ice. The refs call over the Titans’ trainer, sending us all back to our benches.
I want to go to him, want to shove every one of them aside and gather him up in my arms. But I can't.
Finally, they help Jackson to his feet, his arm slung over Petrov's shoulder as he’s helped off the ice. My jaw clenches, nostrils flaring. I want to follow, to go to him. But right now, my own team looks like they're out for my blood.
Trembley gets handed a major penalty, and Coach benches me for the rest of the period. I just sit there, not saying a word, my hands shaking and my mind reeling.
“So, he’syours?” Raiyne’s tone is both curious and angry. “That’s who you’ve been hiding out with lately?”
I nod.
“And what, we're all supposed to just roll over for them now? Let them win because you're fucking their center?”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut and I jerk back, then turn and look at him. “I wasn’t taking it easy on him or any of them. Don’t question why I’m here.”
“Blackwell, keep your fucking mouth shut,” Coach hisses.
My fists clench, nails digging into my palms. Everyone is busy being pissed off at me, when all I want to know is if the man I’m in love with is okay.
Chapter 12
Jackson
Nothing like having to come to practice only to sit in the stands as the rest of the team runs drills to get ready for the Frozen Four. It’s like pouring lemon juice on a papercut. At least we ended up winning against the Serpents but only by one point.
What makes it worse is now I can’t pretend, can’t fake that I’m better because the diagnosis is official. Multiple rib fractures. So, I’m out the rest of the post season. I don’t get to play in the biggest game of the year.
I pull out my phone to check for any messages from Killian before entering the locker room. He has a meeting with his coach. Can’t say anyone was happy finding out about our relationship.
Okay, that’s not true.
My parents were all right with it, though they would’ve much preferred meeting my boyfriend under different circumstances than at the hospital. Mom finds it hysterical we’ve beaten the shit out of each other.
But Killian’s team’s been icing him out. Not all of them. Though, they all did make it a point to be clear it wasn’t about his sexuality, that it was aboutme.
Like I didn’t see that coming.
I tuck my phone back into my pocket since there are no new messages, and with a long sigh enter the locker room.
Viktor’s glaring, still pissed that Alexei and Eli knew about my“sexy times”with Killian and he was kept in the dark. Knight and Walsh, on the other hand, were angry at first because they thought I was taking it light on Killian during the game.
