Well, that was the plan.
But as Tane knew better than most, there was always danger lurking around the corner in the world of professional ice hockey…
“Now we’re talking!” Tane roared, the sight of his two closest friends on the Enforcers approaching him. “You two sonsofbitches better be ready to welcome back your captain the right way.”
Tane was walking towardPower Roastat exactly the perfect moment to meet with Connor and Alex.
“The king is back,” Alex said, looking as dashing as ever in one of his many Italian suits.
“Long live the motherfucking king!” Connor bellowed, his dark beard looking thicker than ever and his eyes just as wild as his reputation.
“I’ve missed you guys,” Tane said, allowing himself an uncharacteristically soppy moment. “Fuck. I must be getting soft as I near retirement.”
“True. But we missed you too, so what does that makeus?” Alex chuckled, the three men delighted to be reunited.
Both Alex and Connor were key components on the team.
Tane trusted them as his closest allies, and they were very much the trifecta of senior players who the younger squad members would come to when they had a question or needed help.
Oh, and the three of them were big cocked alphas too.
“Here’s tous,” Tane said, taking a seat inside Power Roast and toasting with his double espresso. “One more season lest for us as a triple threat. After this year, it’ll be the two of you.”
“Fuck, I still can’t believe it,” Connor said, running his hand through his swept back hair and downing his espresso in one gulp.
“You know how I feel about it,” Alex added, sipping on his espresso and arching his eyebrow. “You’ve gotat leastone more season after this. If you want it bad enough…”
Tane leaned back in his chair.
One more season… it’s temping.
But my body’s had enough.
I can’t put myself through another bad injury…
“This is myfinalseason. End of discussion,” Tane replied, his tone serious and making it clear that no more would be said on the subject – at least not on that day.
“Say no more,” Alex said. “Now, let’s talk about what’s going down on the ice with this cocky young gun we signed in the off season.”
“Jacob Gosling…” Tane said, letting out a long sigh. “Cute as hell but, let me guess, a whole heap of trouble?”
“You got it,” Alex continued. “The kid can play. But he’s arrogant. Thinks he’s won five seasonal MVPs already when he’s barely out of diapers.”
“And he trains like a clown,” Connor said, an angry bristle in his voice. “No guts. No fight. Goes to the physio at the slightest fucking hint of trouble.”
Tane knew that Connor had been causing some friction amongst the team.
Although Tane had requested to not talk too much about the team while he was away in Switzerland, the odd tidbit had made its way over about Jacob.
“We’ve all seen these hot new prospects come and go,” Tane replied. “We haven’t had any tough games yet, that’s when We’ll find out if the boy has what it takes to cut it as an Enforcer.”
“Yeah, but I just want to grab him and throw him up against the glass barrier,” Connor growled.
“I bet you do,” Alex smirked.
“Nah, not likethat,” Connor barked back. “The boy’s not my type.”
“Okay, well let’s hold off for a minute,” Tane said, using his experience to guide him. “As I say, we’ve got tougher games coming up. And maybe the kid is just trying to establish himself in the pack with his new teammates. We’ll see where we’re at with him a couple of months down the line. Agreed?”
