Page 152 of Risking the Pucking Defense

HAYDEN

Itake off on a breakaway, my heart in my throat as I leave Anaheim’s defense behind me, and I close in on Linc and Kodie, waiting for the puck.

Beside me, Fletch barks orders as the sound in the arena hits new heights.

It’s always the same when we play the Aces. They’re our closest rivals, and our games can get a little heated.

A quick wrist shot sends the puck to Kodie, who races around the back of the goal, the Aces’ Dylan Harvey right behind him, before he fakes a shot to Linc but passes it back to me.

I wind up and send that baby flying. The lamp lights up a beat before the arena erupts, and not two seconds later, I find myself at the bottom of a dogpile of hockey players.

“Fucking get it, Marilyn,” someone bellows as the weight finally lifts from me and I’m pulled back to my feet.

“This is gonna be your season,” Fletch says before getting ready for what will be the final puck drop of the game.

That goal has put us in the lead by two, and with only a minute on the clock, something tells me this game is ours.

I shoot a look toward the tunnel as I get into position to start again, and the second my eyes lock with a pair of amber ones, a fresh wave of adrenaline shoots through my veins.

Scoring a goal as D-man is fucking epic. But having my girl here to watch it, and knowing that I’m going to get to celebrate with her later, only makes it that much sweeter.

As much as I want to keep my focus on her, I can’t, returning my attention to the task at hand.

I glance at Brody, amused by the scowl on his face. Motherfucker hates when he’s not the one with the magic stick, and the better my game gets, the worse his mood becomes.

At least I won’t have to spend any time with him later. I’ve got plans that include me being in a very different hotel room after celebrating this win.

Pushing it to the back of my mind, I get to work, ensuring the Aces don’t steal another goal before the timer runs out.

“You killed it tonight, man,” Rett says when I meet him in the middle of the ice a few minutes later. “Anyone would think you had a little lucky charm watching.”

Despite knowing better, my gaze shoots to the tunnel. Disappointment floods through me when I realize that she’s gone.

I get it, I do. She’s working tonight just as much as I am.

With Anthony's approval of our relationship, she’s able to continue as normal, which, thankfully, means travelling with us.

The morning after our sleepover at her place, both of us went to visit Esme in HR to complete the paperwork the organization needed to make out relationship official.

I know it’s not a big deal. It wasn’t like we were signing marriage certificates or anything. But it felt like something. We were making it official as far as the Vipers franchise was concerned, and it was a heady fucking feeling.

Of course, as per her wishes, we haven’t told anyone else, but the buzz of the secret is a kind of high that I’ve never experienced before.

“Shush,” I chastise as we head toward the tunnel. I’m desperate to get showered, changed, and back to our hotel to see Hails.

I’ve barely taken two steps off the ice when movement to my left catches my eye, and when I glance over, every single muscle in my body relaxes.

Hailee is standing there in her Vipers-green suit jacket with an iPad clutched to her chest.

“Monroe, you’re on post-game press. Great job out there.”

I can’t stop the wide smile that spreads across my face at her praise.

That goal was for you, baby.

I desperately want to say the words out loud, but I’m forced to swallow them down. I just hope she can read them in my eyes.

“Monroe, wait,” Harry, our rinkside reporter, calls before shoving a microphone in my face. “That was a fantastic goal tonight. How are you feeling?”