Her words seep into my brain as I look back at the TV and see the guys lining back up on the ice. I look at her again. “You’re right. I need to tell him the truth.”
“Thank sweet baby Jesus,” she laughs, sitting back in her chair, leaning her head back with her eyes closed. “Wake me up when it’s time to go.”
A smile tugs on my lips as I unlock my phone and find my message thread with Matteo. My stomach flips as my fingers start to move across the screen.
I know what I want… and it’s a future with him.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
MATTEO
“My heart... it was always meant for her.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
“Switch me to the second line, Coach.”
Coach Frost’s eyebrows tug together. “Why the hell would we do that?”
Aiden fucking Scott, that’s why.
The muscle in my jaw tics as my mind flashes back to warmups. I knew we were playing his team tonight since the game schedule came out last year.
“Hey, pretty boy,” he called out to me as we both skated past the center of the arena. Normally, I’d pay no attention to him, but the next sentence had my stomach in fucking knots. “You and my ex looked good at that little charity gala.”
We only ended up on the ice together once during the second period and he’s lucky. He’s been blowing kisses and chirping at me all goddamn game.
“Just for the start of the third,” I press, sitting up straighter as I plant my hands on my thighs. “I have some shit to take care of.”
Frost shakes his head. “We can’t afford to do that, not when we have so much riding on the line.” He purses his lips. “Handle your shit off the ice.”
My heart pounds harder in my chest and I give him a curt nod, my teeth clenching to the point where it feels as if they’re going to crumble beneath the pressure. He’s right. Switching up lines while we’re tied is a bad idea.
And Aiden’s team winning might send me over the edge.
The second intermission is over and we all file back down the tunnel and onto the bench. I squirt some water into my mouth before heading over to the center of the ice for the first faceoff of the third.
Things start off as expected. We maintain possession of the puck for more time than the other team, although their goalie’s a brick wall tonight. We have more shots than them and with all the saves he’s making, it’s just padding his stat sheet.
Volkov ends up losing an edge skating toward their net and barrels into the goalie, knocking the net out of place. Play stops and the ice crew comes out to clean the snow from the rink. Some of the guys leisurely skate around, keeping their blood moving.
And then Aiden Scott comes past.
“Hey, pretty boy,” Aiden calls out as he slowly skates by on his way to the bench. He lifts his chin, a smirk pulling on his lips. “How’s my ex been for you? Did she show you that little trick I taught her with her tongue?”
Nausea rolls in the pit of my stomach and I’m immediately on my feet, rage rushing through me. I can’t stop myself as I lean over the boards, grabbing him by the front of his jersey, pulling him closer. “Careful, Scott. I’ll turn your face inside out if you don’t watch what the fuck you say about her.”
“Oh, I’m so scared.” He fakes a terrified look. “You must not be that important to her. When I saw her last, she didn’t even mention you.”
What the fuck? He’s trying to get to me and it’s working. He can say whatever he wants about me, but he needs to leave her name out of his fucking mouth.
Shaw grabs my arm, his grip firm as he tries to pull me away from Aiden. “Matty, not now.”
“Yeah, Matty, not now,” Aiden mocks.
“Shut the fuck up,” I bark at him, tightening my grip on his jersey. “You don’t get the privilege of speaking about her, do you fucking understand me?”
“Matteo!” Coach Ford’s voice booms. “Let go of him.”
I release him with a shove, even though I want to knock that stupid fucking smirk from his face. The refs don’t see the exchange and Aiden skates off, rubbing at his chest as if I actually did something to him.
