Page 171 of Play Dirty

Silence fell over the table again. Heavier than ever.

“What do we do?” Grayson asked.

Not as a captain. Not as a hockey player.

As a guy, needing an answer.

“You win,” Trees said.

I frowned. “That’s it?”

“That’s everything,” he replied. “You win, you take control away from guys like Rourke. You make his plays irrelevant.”

He paused, turning his empty glass a few times.

“And if you get the chance?”

Trees eyes narrowed. His gaze went hard.

“You make sure he doesn’t get to do it again.”

I finally let my body relax. Settled back in my chair a little.

Daniel Rourke.

A name to a face. A face to a problem.

Grayson stood first.

“Thanks coach,” he said.

Trees waved it off.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he said. “You haven’t fixed anything.”

We turned to go.

“Ares.”

I stopped, and turned to look back. Trees looked smaller than I remembered him. Older too.

“Be smart,” he said. “Anger’s useful. Right up until it isn’t.”

I nodded once. Almost even cracked a smile.

Then we left, pushing back out into the cold.

Grayson and I walked the sidewalk in silence.

No words.

None needed.

Because for the first time since all of this started —

We knew exactly what we were up against.

And shit.