“I’ll introduce you in the locker room. Don’t start your bullshit here,” Dom says, pushing one of the men back and pointing toward the door.
A few minutes later, I walk into the locker room with Dom and Ray. “Cover your dicks,” Dom says. The room is filled with mostly undressed men. Some have absolutely nothing on, but some have towels or boxers. “First line. Come over here.”
We go to the right side of the room, where six men have gathered. “Hunter, you’re on my last nerve. Put a fucking towel on,” Ray snaps.
I am used to this, and although the man has a giant dick, it’s just a dick. I know what it means to work in this world. “They’re fine,” I say.
“See? Puck bunny wants to see my dick,” Hunter says with a grin.
“Shut the fuck up,” Dom snaps. “This is Arianna. She is your new assistant. She’s been doing this for three years, so she knows her shit. Don’t be assholes.”
“What happened?” Hunter asks me, referring to the scar.
“Goddamn it. It’s been four seconds, Hunter.” Ray sighs.
“It’s fine, Ray.” I laugh before looking at Hunter. “I was attacked six months ago and ended up with a traumatic brain injury, among various other injuries.”
“Damn. That’s rough. The fuck did they do?” Another man asks. “I’m Mateo Vanhill. I play right defense.”
“A lot. The scar is from getting my face smashed against the ice. I have a matching one on the back of my head,” I say.
“They in jail?” another man asks. “I’m Conner Harding. Right wing. He is Kip Maxwell. Left wing. They’re Jovian Barnett, goalie, and Elijah Rhodes, center.”
“They’re not in jail. I was drugged with acid prior, so that I… Shit looked weird. I couldn’t make an ID.”
“Weird thing to drug someone with,” Elijah says. “Can you keep up?”
“With a bunch of bonehead hockey players? Yeah. I think I keep up,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Don’t be a dick,” Dom says to them. “Ari is a tough girl who was put through hell with the Titans. For transparency, Ray is her stepdad.”
“A puck bunny with a traumatic past and a free ride. How original,” Jovian says coldly.
“An asshole goalie with a god complex and mommy issues. How original,” I retort, making Hunter laugh.
“Youdohave mommy issues.” Hunter laughs.
“Shut the fuck up,” Jovian quips. “Is she who is moving in?”
“Seriously?” Elijah asks.
“Yes, she is moving in with you all,” Dom says.
“If any of you assholes hurt her, I’ll make sure you walk with a limp for the rest of your miserable lives,” Ray threatens.
“No one is going to hurt her,” Hunter says. “Although I might want to play with her.”
“As long as she gives you permission.” Dom shrugs, earning a glare from Ray.
“I won’t.” I laugh. “I keep to myself, so you won’t see much of me unless you have to.”
“Good,” Elijah says.
“What do you need from them?” Ray asks.
“I still need to sort through my shit from Toledo. I haven’t looked at it since before that night—and some of the players were the ones who packed it up—so I need to make sure nothing was fucked with. I’ll do that tonight, but I need everyone’s contact information and files. Preferably digital. Current schedules and any changes they want made or preferences,” I say.
“Do that tonight, guys. Don’t make her life hard. She is here to help, but she is not your slave,” Dom says.
