Page 22 of Penalty Kill

“You guys excited?” I shouted over the sound of people cheering around them.

They both nodded before Milo pointed over his shoulder. “It’s Sydney’s first game.”

I looked behind them and nearly fell over. She was in my jersey. Her long, sun kissed hair was draped over one shoulder and she waved at me. “Good luck!”

I couldn’t help but smile wider. “Thanks.”

Chloe stood next to her, wiggling her fingers with a wicked smile. I nearly threw my hands in the air. How had she made it across the arena that fast? That woman was everywhere.

If there was more time, I would have told them to come to the tunnel, but I really needed to get my head right. I couldn’t be thinking about Sydney while also delivering a humiliating defeat to the team who shall not be named.

“I’ll see you guys after.”

All three of them nodded and waved as I turned and headed to start the drills. I joined the line as we took shots at Olli, letting muscle memory take over.

It had been fifteen years since I joined the NHL. I’d been an eighteen-year-old straight out of high school. I’d been nervous back then, but more excited about the chance to prove myself.

Tonight was the first time in my professional career I was nervous because of the audience. Even with Olivia, I was more excited about showing off to her. Proud to know she was watching me. Well, I quickly learned that attending the games didn’t mean she was watching. She was usually taking pictures of herself and her friends hanging out in a suite, or networking with someone she deemed important enough.

This was different. Sydney was different.

It was dumb; I wanted to impress her. I wanted her to enjoy the game, maybe even get her to fall in love with the sport. The boys always begged to come to as many games as possible, but Olivia didn’t like taking them with her. They took her attention away from what she needed to be doing, being seen or networking or whatever it was she did.

Sydney wasn’t Olivia, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. I knew she would dote on the boys tonight and make sure they had everything they needed and wanted during the game. If they wanted to come to more, she would bring them, but I wanted her to have fun too.

Hopefully the Pride was on their best behavior tonight. They could be intense, so I had to pray the full force of them didn’t push Sydney away.

I took a shot at Olli, but he blocked it. On my way back to the line I scanned the area where the Pride sat and found the boys front and center with Sydney and Chloe next to them. Good. As much as she scared the guys, Chloe would make sure Sydney felt welcome. As the unofficial ring leader, she held a lot of sway about who was accepted into the group. She didn’t like women she suspected were using any of us guys. She could practically sniff out the jersey chasers and made sure they didn’t stay around long. Some thought her ruthless, but she had each of our best interests at heart. She didn’t want any of us, or the team, getting hurt.

I’d watched from afar as Madeline, Colby, Kendall, Lucy, Addison, Elena, and Amelia came into the fold. Chloe was different with them from the beginning. It was like she intuitively knew who the right ones were. Who was going to end up together for the long haul.

Sydney wasn’t here for me, though. She was here for the boys. Of course, Chloe and the rest of the women would include her. There was no threat. She was a neutral zone.

I took another shot and then glanced back up in the crowd. Sydney was bent over talking to Finn. I watched as she gave him her full attention and then nodded. Finn’s grin widened, and Sydney was pulled into a conversation with Emma who just arrived with Jackson. I loved the way she really listened to the boys. She didn’t patronize them. What they had to say and what they needed was just as valid as any adult.

She was so great.

“Stop staring.” Erik tapped his stick against my shin. “You’re being too obvious.”

“I’m making sure the boys are okay.”

He rolled his eyes. “No, you’re not. They’re surrounded by like twenty women who dote on them and get them anything they want. They’re more taken care of here than anywhere else. You’re watching her.”

I shot him a look and turned away to ignore him.

“Who’s the new girl?” Dallin, one of the rookies, said while staring up at the Pride.

“I don’t know. She’s hot though,” Jason said. “She’s too old for you though. She needs a mature man.”

“Like you?” Reese said with a laugh.

Jason glared at him. “Yeah, actually.”

I pushed him aside and cut him off. “Both of you leave her alone. She’s my kids’ nanny.”

Jason’s eyebrows shot up. “The one you like?”

“What? No.” I shook my head. I forgot he’d been in the weight room at the time the guys all laid into me. “Just stay away.”