two
Fletcher
O’Connell’s lucky Declan got to him before me,” Zeke takes a swig of his beer, “or that motherfucker never would’ve walked again.”
“We have to look at the positive,” Jax begins, “Jere’s going to be okay.”
“Okay?” Zeke’s eyebrow flies up.
“Alright, it could’ve been worse. We just got lucky that the refs didn’t kick Declan out of the game after—”
“I would’ve happily gotten kicked out of the game, but only if they kicked that asshole out with me.” Declan flops down next to me, sinking into the couch. “But those refs never would’ve penalized their golden boy. They were so far up his ass, it’s not even funny.”
“You got his address?” Marcus leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “The guys and I can go teach him a lesson. You know, a back for a back.”
I laugh, but we all know Marcus would do just that. He’d go beat the shit out of O’Connell for what he did to Jeremy, but we all know Jere would hate that.
It’s just not who he is.
“Appreciate it, man,” Zeke pats Marcus on the back, “but we’re just gonna go win a championship instead. It’ll hurt him more.”
“Whatever. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” He tilts his beer toward us, eyeing us down intensely, to let us know he’s serious.
Not that any of us doubted him.
“I think our win is enough of a punch in the gut,” Jax says. “We still won without one of our best players and with the refs' horrible calls.”
“I don’t think it was even about winning,” I respond. “I truly think he just wanted to hurt Jere.”
O’Connell has had it out for Jeremy for years. I guess none of us ever thought he’d do something so reckless.
“Psycho motherfucker.” Zeke shakes his head.
“Speaking of.” Marcus points toward his front door, where Jeremy is slowly making his way in.
“The man of the hour.” I smile, scootching over to make room for him on the couch.
He’s walking with a cane… but at least he’s walking.
“What’d Coach say?” Jaxon’s eyes glue to Jeremy’s cane.
“Coach said a few weeks.” Jere groans as he sinks onto the couch next to me. “Hopefully, this fucking cane will be gone in a few days though. I’m already sick of it.”
“We’re just happy you’re going to be okay,” Declan adds. “He could’ve seriously fucked you.”
“He did fuck me.” Jere rubs his eyebrows. “He took me out of the game for the next few weeks in the middle of our best seasonever. We could actually win a championship this year, and you’re telling me I’m going to be missing games?”
“But you’ll be on the ice with us when we win that championship.” Zeke sits forward, extending a fist for Jeremy to bump. “And then we’re gonna go to O’Connell’s house and egg it. After plastering photos of us with our championship trophy all over his car, of course.”
“And who’s gonna bail us out of jail when he calls the cops?” Brooks’ eyebrows narrow. “Because that son of a bitch would definitely call the cops.”
“Brinley, duh.” Zeke sits back. “She’s done it for us before.”
“Wait a second,” Marcus begins, “she’s had to bail you guys out of jail?”
“It wasn’t even like that,” Declan argues. “It was our senior year of high school, and we were doing pranks with our rival hockey team. It was one of those stupid things you did to try and psych out the other team.”
“Okay,” Marcus hesitates, “so what led to you guys getting arrested?”
