Page 109 of Ice Queen

I nod.

“¡Oh, ni de coña!⁠*” Cecilia hisses, hands flying through the air.

“Back up a second,” Savannah says, her eyes fluttering closed before they slowly open and focus on me. “You ran from him?

“Yes.”

She lets out a humorless laugh, rolling her lips between his teeth. “He told me someone took you.”

“Savannah,” I say, resting my hand on her arm. “Don’t you think there would have been some police report or something had I been kidnapped?”

She mutters a curse under her breath. “Damn it, he seemed so distraught, and I thought I was helping. We’ve been friends for years, and I never thought he’d hurt anyone. I brought him right to you. I’m sorry.”

Smiling softly, I squeeze her arm enough to let her know I’m not upset. I’m not. This is my chance to do what I should have done a long time ago. My chance to take a stand, to not let him walk all over me. And I’m going to take it.

“He’s really freaking good at manipulating people. He can control just about any narrative. But I need to know what he told you to be put on the coaching staff.”

She sighs, rubbing the space between her eyebrows. “He told me he missed the game, that his glory days weren’t over. He said he’d found you again, and he needed a job to support the two of you out here. He wanted to be part of a winning team.”

“Do you know he pushed Markus so hard that his legs gave out and he split his chin open? Abby had to stitch him up.”

“Cómo?” Cecilia hisses.

Savannah’s jaw hangs open as she blinks at me like I just told her the sky was red. “He did what?” Her fists clench at her sides. “Oh hell no, no one abuses my players.”

“Your players?” I ask with the raise of my brow.

She cracks her knuckles in front of her. “Well, they will be when I decide to take over for my old man.” She gives us a flash of a smile before continuing. “I should have done a little more research. I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to Markus and you.”

“It’s okay, I know how big your heart is. But I’m going to need your help.”

Savannah’s eyes narrow. “I’m listening,” she says.

Cecilia lets out a squeal, clapping in front of her. “I love it when the girlies come together. What’s the plan, sis?”

Yeah, I love it when the girls come together, too. I’ve come to realize that there are few things in this world more powerful than a bunch of women, angry at the same thing.

I fist my hands inside the sleeve of my jersey, rubbing my fingers against the material as I run through my quickly pieced together plan one more time. “Okay, here’s what I’m thinking…”

* My sister

* My God

* Oh, no way!

CHAPTER 35

Markus

She wants me to play like nothing’s wrong. She wants me to hand over control and let her handle this. Handle a situation that I saved her from years ago. My mouthguard is going to have a bloody hole in it by the time this game is over.

I can’t do nothing, and neither can my teammates. “Hey,” I lean over to Wilder on my left. “I need you to get the guys to huddle real quick. If it comes from me, Sterling will get suspicious.”

He eyes me warily, but nods. “Guys, huddle up real quick.” He elbows Monroe, who elbows Wilson, and Reed is on my right, so I just pull him in at the last second.

“Look, I don’t have time to explain.” I nod toward Sterling at the other end of the bench. “That guy is not what he’s pretending to be.”

Monroe starts to say something, but time is running out. “We have to win this game. We all need him gone.” I sigh, knowing she’s not going to be happy. But if I know one thing, these guys will ride at dawn for her.