Sophia
“I can’t watch thisanymore.” I winced as Devon hip-checked Leo into the boards again. “They’re on the same team!”
Adrian stood next to me, looking tense. “His attitude’s been deteriorating all season. He clearly has something against Leo.”
Yep, he does.Devon had been treating Leo like public enemy number one since Harley had officially been sent back to jail pending a hearing on the violation of his parole. Leo had tried to keep me from finding out what was happening, but Devon had talked so much shit that it had circulated through the entire hockey team and gotten back to Jia and Alyssa. I’d confronted Leo about it, and he’d told me he hadn’t wanted me to think about that night any more than I had to. I loved him for that, but I’d still given him a good tongue-lashing for not telling me he was being harassed by his own teammate.
Lavi took in a sharp breath on my other side as Leo broke away with the puck and flew down the ice, dribbling it like a pro before lining upa shot. The puck sailed right past the goalie and the crowd erupted in cheers, us included.
“He’s going to dominate next year—even as a rookie,” Lavi said before cupping her hands around her mouth and cheering again.
A few minutes later, Leo was hopping back in after a shift change and he took an elbow to the face from an opponent. “I think I might hate hockey,” I said, covering my eyes with my hands.
“You don’t hate it, Sophia. I’ve been to games with people who hate hockey. That’s not you,” Adrian said with a chuckle.
“He’s right,” Lavi said. “Sloane and Sutton would rather paint their nails in the stands than get invested the way you do.”
I laughed. “I can almost imagine them doing that.”
I loved Leo’s family so much, and I loved that I felt like I knew them well enough to understand their personalities and antics just as well as I knew my own family’s. Leo and I had been having weekly dinner with them since I’d returned from winter break and I sat with Lavi and Adrian whenever they attended Leo’s games. Jace and Leo had even had some of their video game nights at Leo’s place while I was around working on homework, and it felt almost like having a big brother. I couldn’t help but think about Jace’s joke at Christmas about them offering to adopt me.Was that an option? Could I keep my familyandbe adopted by this one? Not officially, obviously, since I have every intention of continuing to bone their son.
“You don’t have to imagine them painting their nails,” Lavi said, sitting down as the second period ended. “I have photos.”
“Wait, they really did that?” I laughed and sat down to look at the phone with her. “I thought you were being facetious.”
“Oh, they did it several times during youth hockey,” Lavi said.
I looked over her shoulder as she pulled up the pictures, stopping on a few of a young Leo skating on the ice. Always in the number twelve, and always with either a look of determination or a smile on his face. His love for the game was evident even in those pictures, and when the third period started, I looked up and saw that same look of determination on his face—but not before he peeked into the stands and gave me one big smile before the puck dropped.
I stood outside thelocker room with Adrian and Lavi as a few of the guys started coming out, looking happy about their win. They hadn’t needed the win to secure their spot in the playoffs, but they had been hoping to end the regular season on a high note since that also gave them a ten-game winning streak to end the season.
“Don’t walk away from me, Harrison!” Devon yelled, following close on Leo’s heels as they stepped out of the locker room.
Leo was wearing a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt with his duffel bag over his shoulder, facing forward and looking down as Devon trailed after him. Devon’s curly hair was wet from the shower like Leo’s, but he wore sweatpants and a T-shirt, his face red as he yelled.
My body tensed as Adrian took a step forward. It would only take him a handful of seconds to cross the hallway, but I suspected he was waiting to see what happened.
“My brother is doing time because of your bitch girlfriend,” Devon yelled, drawing the attention of most of the hallway as Leo continued toward us. “Stupid little slut wouldn’t put out for anyone but the captain.”
Leo spun around so fast he blurred before my eyes. “Watch your fucking mouth, Devon. Your brother’s doing time because he’s a criminal. Frankly, you’re lucky you aren’t locked up with him this time.”
“Nothing even happened.” Devon pulled his right arm back and swung at Leo with a strong right hook. His fist connected with Leo’s cheek and Leo dropped his bag and lunged at him, grabbing Devon by the shirt as he slammed him against the wall. Players flew out of the locker room to see what was going on, but no one tried to stop Leo. Adrian took off toward his son.
“Nothing happened?” Leo yelled before punching Devon in the face. “Nothing happened because of me!”
Leo punched him again and Devon’s eyes were wide with fear at the look of rage on Leo’s face. “I watched the woman I love become incapacitated because your brother is a sleezy piece of shit. And he did itfor you. He drugged her soyoucould take advantage of her.”
“Leo, let’s just go,” I yelled, my eyes filling with tears. The last thing I wanted was for Leo to get in trouble or hurt because of this situation, and he looked dangerously close to punching Devon again.
I started to move toward him, but Lavi grabbed my wrist and held me back just as Adrian reached Leo.
Leo’s face was less than an inch from Devon’s as he continued yelling at him, “Harley is lucky to be alive after what he put Sophia through. And you should be fucking grateful that I didn’t tell Coach or anyone else on this team just how involved you were. I’ve taken your bullshit for months and I’m fucking done. Go to hell, Devon.”
Adrian gripped Leo’s shoulders, pulling him off Devon, and muttering something to him quietly.
Leo took a deep breath and let go of Devon’s shirt. Adrian steered Leo away without another word as everyone looked at Devon who was rubbing his jaw and staring after Leo.
Leo spun around again. “If you ever call my girlfriend a slut again, I’ll break your fucking jaw.”
