Page 75 of Enemy Games

Karly didn’t move, didn’t take her eyes off Presley. “She hasn’t moved since she went down.”

I dropped down, next to her head. “It’s okay, Pres. I’m right here.”

“Get off the ice, Shaw,” Coach Jarry commanded, but I ignored her. There wasn’t a force in the world that could take me away from her.

“Where are the medics?” Matthew yelled, looking toward the tunnel.

“There!” Benjamin pointed to the portal entrance on the far side of the rink. Three men in uniform trotted down the steps like they had all the time in the world.

The crowd started booing, but they seemed unaffected. As if them being needed to do their job was a major inconvenience.

“Where’s the stretcher?” Matthew screamed at them.

One of them turned around as if it would magically appear behind him.

“This is ridiculous,” Chris cried.

An arena staff member sprinted onto the ice with a scoop stretcher under his arm, passing the medics who were taking slow, careful steps.

Rage boiled in me, threatening to burst. “Hurry up!”

“Everyone needs to remain calm,” the first said in a bored tone. “Give us room to work.”

Matthew and I shared a look, silently promising not to leave her side.

“She has a steady pulse but lost consciousness upon impact and hasn’t moved since.” Matthew told them when they knelt next to him. One had to ask Coach Jarry to move.

She came and stood next to me, keeping her hand on my shoulder.

“Get a neck brace on her,” the first medic barked to the man on his left. They worked together to flip her onto her back.

Once the brace was on, I brushed my thumb over her cheek. “You’re going to be okay.”

I had to believe that. The second I saw the girl turn and stare at Presley, I knew in my gut she had something planned. I wanted to jump up and scream for her to stop. I wanted the refs to blow the whistle and call a penalty on someone. Do anything to prevent my girl from the unnecessary attack.

Hits were a part of the game. They were one of the stats that were tracked. I knew Presley could take them just as well as I could, but not when they were illegal. Not when the goal was to injure.

It was one thing to throw someone out of the way when you were chasing the puck, but that wasn’t what happened. That girl had a vendetta and didn’t care about anything other than taking it out on Presley.

It wasn’t even her fault. The girl’s aim was off. Her shot was several feet wide of the net. She was angry because Presley was there to claim the rebound and send the puck to Karly in an assist for a goal.

It was an amazing play and pure luck.

Now, she was paying the price for being at the right place at the right time.

“I want that girl thrown out and suspended,” Coach Jarry yelled at the closest ref. He was frozen, watching the EMTs strap Presley down to the stretcher.

He gave a nod and shot off in the direction of the other two refs.

“On three,” the lead medic called.

“If you so much as take one step out of sync, I will have your jobs,” Matthew threatened them. “If you are not one hundred percent confident in your ability to safely and smoothly remove her from the ice, I want you three to step away.”

They shared a look before straightening. “What did you have in mind?”

Matthew looked to me and Benjamin then Karly and Chris. “We’ll get her to the bench then we will help carry her in.”

The five of us surround her, each gripping the handles and moving as one toward where the rest of the team was waiting.