“Looks like you’re not the only one with boy problems.”
My heart rate spikes at the comment. “What do you mean?”
“He gets like this every now and then. Goes from that just started seeing someone giddiness to withdrawn and sad because he got dumped. Usually only lasts a day. But something’s different this time.”
My stomach twists. Rinne’s words hit harder than I expected, making it difficult to breathe. Clearing my tight throat, I ask, “He said he got dumped?”
“Nah. Just seen the routine enough over the past three years. Think him and Knight even dated at one point. Glad they got over their shit.”
I clench my teeth so hard they start to ache. And, of course, Knight glares right at me. So do Reed and Walsh.
Rinne looks in the same direction I do. “Gotta give it to them. They’re all super protective of one another. Kinda jealous about it if I’m being honest. Wish I had a group of friends like that.”
I face forward once again. “You want a bunch of entitled bullies as friends?”
“You telling me you wouldn’t want rich friends? But nah, it’s their loyalty, like they consider each other family. They accept each other regardless. I mean, fuck, while Novotny’s a pain in the ass, I can’t even imagine what Knight would be like without them.”
Suddenly there’s a commotion.
“Fuck off, man. Leave me alone.”
We turn just as Knight kicks the back of the chair in front of him. Henneman’s chair. Rinne and I are on our feet, moving down the aisle before a fight breaks out.
“Knock it the fuck off. Now!” My voice booms, low and threatening.
But Henneman ignores me and stands to face Knight. “Give it back!”
Rinne grabs him by the shirt, then pulls him toward the front of the bus, but he keeps fighting.
I face Knight, eyes narrowed. “What did you take?”
“Nothing.”
“Give me whatever the fuck you took.”
“Give it to him,” Viktor says, continuing to stare out the window.
Knight hands over a beat-up small teddy bear. I take it, blinking a few times, then walk back to the front of the bus where Henneman now sits in my seat beside Rinne. I hand him the stuffed animal and he takes it, stuffing it into his jacket.
“It’s my good luck charm.” His eyes dart around and something tells me it might be more than that, but I don’t push.
Rinne stands and faces the rest of the team. “You all have your little superstitions. Touch the bear again and I swear I’ll rip Novotny’s Ace of Spades card.”
Viktor jumps out of his chair. “What the hell did I do? Don’t you fucking dare touch my shit.”
“Then tell your friends to stop fucking with Henneman. And, as for your card, if I destroy your good luck charm it affects the team, being you’re our top goalie. So it would be in everyone’s best interest to leave the fucking bear alone. Am I understood?”
They all mumble and he sits back down. Next to us, Nieminen is laughing. “Damn, Rinne. Using inside information on Novotny to get them in line. See, Harper, sometimes withthese little shits you gotta play outside the lines. But you know that already.”
Something about the look he gives causes me to squirm.
With Henneman in my seat, I have no choice but to take his, which means sitting next to the four Titans who want to rip my head off. Well, three of them do. Not sure where Viktor’s head is at.
The rest of the ride to Penn State is quiet, thank God. I even take a little nap. When we pull up to the rink, everyone disembarks, making their way inside.
Or so I think.
Because the next thing I know, I’m being dragged behind the bus, then slammed up against it.
