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Some of the guys hear me and chuckle as I go through the door, sitting down beside Boon. He rolls his eyes as he hands me my water bottle. “Are you mad the bruising is wearing off? Need your badass look back?”
I snort. “Nah. I just hate that guy.”
“I think—and I could be wrong—the feeling is mutual.”
I grin as I lean on the boards, watching our boys fight for a goal. When it’s time for our line to go back out, we jump over the boards and head to our zone for the puck drop. I don’t know why the Wild is pairing this dick with me, but whatever. Bring it. Roocie lines up beside me, his eyes full of anger and malice, but I ignore him. I’m on a mission. We need a goal, and if I can beat him to the puck and score, I’ll be winning all day long.
The Wild win the puck, and Aiden chases after it while our defense guards the net. I chase Roocie, making sure he doesn’t have a shot. His teammate sends it toward him, but it’s a wide pass, and it ends up on my blade.
Oh, fuck yeah.
I take off, and when I say I take off, I might as well be a bullet from a gun. I hear the crowd losing their minds at my breakaway, and I’d be damned if I’m gonna let them down. The goalie is ready, though; I can see it in his eyes. He thinks he’s going to beat me, but he doesn’t know my moves.
Hell, call me Jagger, because here I go.
I deke left, pulling him, and quickly, I drag my toe, using my reach to my advantage and sending the puck into the back of the net.
That’s fucking right. The crowd loses their shit as my boys wrap me up in a large hug.
“Man, that was dirty!”
“Sick, man!”
“Attaway, Mc!”
I don’t like the nickname Mc, but hey, I just scored. He could call me “dumbass,” and I couldn’t come down from my high. As I skate to the bench, Roocie is glaring at me.
“Man, I can score on you and your sister. Must be hard being you.”
“Fuck you,” he calls at me. “Or maybe I’ll fuck your mom.”
Now, I deserved that, and while I see red, I’m proud that I only whack him in the shins with my stick.
I hear the whistle almost immediately—and then my number with a slashing call—as Roocie laughs, obviously happy with himself for getting under my skin. But I don’t care.
I head to the box, my head held high, because I didn’t beat the fuck out of him.
Yes, I resorted to violence, but it wasn’t near what I’m used to doing.
And I call that growth.
Go me.
Chapter Twenty-One
Stella
Lake called and texted during my shift, but I was crazy busy, so I was unable to answer. It was a packed house with the Assassins’ game going since the game was completely sold out. It’s the only “weekend” game, if that’s even what you can call it since the guys are off the next two days before leaving for nine days, I think. Could be eight. I remember Wes telling me, and while I’m unsure of the amount of days, I know the amount of suckage it’s going to cause in my life.
A million.
A million pounds of suckage.
I’ve been spoiled the last couple weeks. We’ve spent a ton of time together, and the phone calls and texts have been endless. I don’t know if that’ll be the case when he’s gone. I’m nervous. Super nervous, actually. I don’t think he’d cheat or anything; that’s insane. I truly don’t believe he is that kind of man after everything we’ve each been through. I think what I’m nervous about is that if we aren’t in constant communication or together, he’ll shut down on me. He’ll start putting walls up, and I’ve done a damn good job so far knocking them down and having him see I am here for him. I know this will be a true test of our brand-new, sparkly relationship.
And I don’t want to lose him.
I don’t want to say I’m Noah-in-love with him, because I don’t think I am. When I was in love with Noah, it was all-consuming, and I swear I felt it in my veins, my heart singing his name. But I am, for sure, getting there. I care so greatly for Wes. I think of him constantly. Even before we got together, he was almost always somewhere in my head. He’s special. I adore him. And more than anything, I want to love him. More than I loved Noah.
I want to love him like my dad loves my mom. Aiden loves Shelli. Or even Asher loves Ally. Their loves are such great examples of what I want. I want that partnership. That head-over-heels-in-love feeling. I want to know someone has my back, always. I want the constant support.
