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Digging into the ice, I charge up to him and shove my face in his, smiling.
“Do that again, and I’ll break your fucking arm, Greenie,” I hiss through my teeth.
Kos skates up and pushes us apart and gives me one look to tell me to cool the fuck off.
The rookie doesn’t get the same treatment.
Kos grabs him by his collar and yanks him up to his full height. “You pull that shit again on anyone on this team, and I’ll do it my-damn-self. No bullshit on the ice, do you understand me?”
He nervously nods, and Kos releases him.
“Twenty suicides,” Coach orders us.
I’m going to kill this kid.
“You’re a team. You get praised as a team and punished as a team. Kremmer, you pull that again, and your ass is done.”
I wonder if I could piss Greenie off enough to do it again. I laugh to myself as we line up. At least I’ll be able to sleep better tonight, knowing I’ll be fucking exhausted.
The rest of practice goes by fairly fast. Only a few drills followed the suicides. On the ride home, Brett and I just talk shit about the rookie. But as annoying as he is, he’s a great defenseman, and we were lucky to get him. But he needs to get his act together if he wants to be a Nighthawk.
My phone vibrates as we walk inside, and I see a text appear from Kos.
Kos: Fireflies grand opening tomorrow night? Please, dear God, you’d better come. We need a night out. It’s been too long.
Mila is opening a new location right here in New York City. I know it’s going to do well here—better than in Duluth for sure. I assume that it isn’t a coincidence that her next location is opening here. I imagine Laura convinced her of its potential success.
I could use a night out, honestly. Something other than practice, sex, and flashbacks would be a nice change of pace.
When we get inside our condo, we go to our separate rooms in silence, completely drained from practice.
Me: I’m in. Send me the address and time. I’ll bring Brett.
I don’t know how Alec does it, balancing hockey with Laura and Jack. Laura runs our marketing department, so that definitely allows them to have more time together. She has been handling all of the social media lately, and she has been going wherever we go, Jack included.
Alec is a really good dad. I find myself envying him sometimes because of their relationship. But I’m terrified to have kids. I have no clue how he handled finding out about Jack like he did, no warning or preparation. But I guess everyone isn’t my father and they aren’t scared to turn into him.
I climb into bed, naked, like usual. But sleep won’t find me soon—if it even does tonight. So, I let my mind drift, fantasizing about what tomorrow could be, who I could bring home for the night.
My phone vibrates.
Kos: Before I forget, masquerade is the theme tomorrow, masks required, so don’t forget to pick one up. You literally won’t be let in, and then I’ll be pissed. Make sure Brett has one too.
I send him a thumbs-up and set my phone down. I start counting the spackled dots on the ceiling until my eyes slowly close, and I fall asleep with ease for the first time in a while. Maybe I should thank the rookie after all.
3
Nikki
Stepping onto Chloe’s private jet, I tighten the hoodie over my head and face. And I question ever becoming her friend. This is crazy. How in the hell did I let her convince me to fly to New York for a spur-of-the-moment friendscapade? The only reason I gave in is because I can cover my face and head in between destinations, and I will not be leaving my hotel room, except to go to Fireflies for the masquerade-themed opening night. This is, like, rule number one of what not to do if you are trying to stay hidden. But Chloe fricken Dupont managed to break that rule with her charming self.
As we settle into seats, she smiles, her dirty-blonde curls flowing effortlessly down her shoulders.
“Breathe. It will be okay, I promise. We have a ride straight from the plane to our hotel, and I even arranged for us to enter at the back of the hotel for more privacy. Please just try to relax. I have all of the bases covered.”
I haven’t relaxed since the day I died. It is almost too easy to feel comfortable with this. But I deserve this. I deserve to feel free for one night, to let loose and be myself again. I deserve to dance the night away with no care or concerns in the world.
Pushing my anxiety and fear away as best I can, I take Chloe’s hand and lightly squeeze it.
