They looked the other way when they showed up to help us last time, finding Malik’s knuckles broken and bloody and an esteemed, well-respected man with his face busted to shit.
We practically fund this entire town, and if I need to bend a few laws and officers to my will, so be it. I’ll do it for her a thousand times over.
We set up a couple of drills, and I run through them mindlessly, my muscle memory taking over completely. I won’t be able to stay locked into my thoughts when we start to scrimmage, but I can get away with it for now. Surprisingly, I get lost in the drills, getting out of my own head naturally before we begin scrimmaging.
Our group scores, leading one to zero before a quick water break. But we’re right back to it seconds later, the momentum of the game shifting back and forth between our teams.
A frog grows in my throat, and the swell of emotion from how much I love this sport catches me off guard as I sink a puck into the net with a redirect. Scoring doesn’t usually make me fucking cry, so I don’t know what the hell’s going on. But as practice comes to an end and we walk back to the locker room, I can’t stop thinking about it.
Asher and I are going to go pro—I mean, hell, damn near our entire team will. But Asher’s time in the league will last longer than mine.
I agreed with my father a long time ago that I would only play for a couple of years, satisfy the itch, and then retire to take over the Kensington empire for him.
Sometimes, I forget how much I love hockey. I think in the back of my mind, I’ve tried to keep my passion for it at bay, knowing that it won’t be able to last forever, even if I might wantit to. It’s the choice I made, and I’ll stick to it because I’m not one to go back on my word.
I sit back and let Asher take the lead, asking our close friend group—Griffin, Malik, Elias, and Finn—about helping break into Cirella’s house. Obviously, they agree, some maybe a little too enthusiastic about the heist.
“I can bring my lock picks or a bump key. Should be easy to get in once you disarm the security system,” Finn offers excitedly, a look of nostalgia in his eyes. “I’m sure I can get into it, no problem. Do you know what type of system and lock they have?”
“You know what, Finny? We don’t ask you enough about yourself.” Griffin stares at him like he’s not sure what he just heard, brows furrowed and mouth agape. “Because what the fuck?”
Malik laughs. “It’s always the quiet ones.”
“And the goalies,” Asher adds.
“While I appreciate your eagerness to commit a crime, Finn, we won’t need that.” I sit up, ready to calm our thief’s excitement. “I got the house code from Adrianna’s room.”
“You did?” Asher scoffs. “When?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I grin. “I’m sneaky.”
“As a damn bull,” Ash jabs. “But good job.”
“Meet outside our gate at eight tonight. We’ll go over in one vehicle so it looks less insane to any neighbors. But from what I’ve scouted, only a few families and an elderly couple live in the houses across or beside them. No tie to Adrianna or our family. I doubt they’re going to snitch.”
Asher stares at me with an indiscernible look in his eyes. “I’m impressed.”
“Shut up,” I scoff.
“I’m serious.” His gaze softens for a second before a smirk takes over. “I told you, breaking rules is a gateway drug. Now look at you; you’re a full-blown criminal.”
“I hate you,” I mutter with a straight face.
He tucks his cheek into his shoulder, cheesing. “You love me.”
“I’d love you more if you were less annoying,” I groan, standing up and grabbing my shit to go shower.
He throws his hands up. “But then you’d be so bored.”
I ignore him, stripping my gear and clothes off before heading to wash away whatever heaviness has been lingering since practice. Although I think it might have been there long before today, but I only just acknowledged it.
What if I want to play pro hockey for more than a couple of years?
But asking dumb questions only results in hurt feelings when I already know the answers. I can’t. Because if I don’t step up, then Asher will have to. I’d rather watch him chase his dreams than be the reason they’re shattered.
The hot water is immediately refreshing, and part of me wants to stay here forever. But I know eventually, we’re going to go home and face my father, giving him one last chance to be the man we grew up loving.
He’s the one who saved us from a life of uncertainty. We owe him a lot, and I’ve given him everything I have left, but I refuse to let him marry that foul woman and further allow her to torment my girl.
