Page 148 of Justice for Puck Bunnies

“Sure is.”

“She’s in the locker room!” the Livette screeches.

The four of us glance up at the doorframe to make the point that I’m standing in the hallway and haven’t technically entered the room.

“Better handle your woman, Brad,” Mason says with a smirk.

Brad lashes out and punches the side of a locker shield. He pivots away, and when the Livette throws her arms around him, he shoves her off.

He takes in the full locker room, watching the drama play out.

“You’re all just staring at them,” he spits. “Look at what they did to her!”

A moment of tense uncertainty follows before someone speaks up.

“She seems pretty happy about it,” one of the guys calls out, and the rest of them chuckle.

“Looks like a lot of fun,” someone else adds, and the laughter grows.

Brad’s head swings left and right while they laugh at him.

“Man, fuck this!” he screams. “I can’t wait to get the fuck out of this place. One more season, you assholes. You better hope I get you rings because when I’m gone, you don’t have a shot in hell.”

“What does that mean?” Coach demands.

The room hushes as he stalks toward Brad.

“When you say one more season, what exactly do you mean, Cameron?”

“I’m finally getting out of this shithole. Thanks for the captainship, guys. It was exactly what I needed to trigger a bidding war over my independent trade. Come fall, I’ll be a brand new member of the Airmen.”

“That’s on the other side of the country,” I say.

“Not far enough away,” he replies.

“We have two seasons left on your contract,” Coach says.

“A problem for my lawyers,” Brad scoffs with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“In other words, you were ready to bond with Izzy and then force her to leave her friends and family,” Vin notes.

Plus, it means that the deal he tried to strike with Trick was even more lies. Brad never intended to be here next year at all, let alone as captain.

Words perch on my lips to call him out for it, but Coach Adelard claps a hand on the nape of his neck.

Brad startles, and the opening is enough for Adelard to grab a fistful of his hair.

Coach hauls Brad, bent over, to the double doors where we’re waiting. We part to allow them to pass.

Brad goes flying as Coach literally throws him out of the locker room. The Livette chases after him.

“Consider yourself benched for the season,” Coach says, his voice ominously calm. “We’ll see what Bondi and Wachter say about your contract.”

Oop, invoking the team owners means there’s no going back.

Coach ushers us into the locker room, slams the doors shut, and throws the deadbolt.

Brad beats on the door, but Coach picks up the wall phone hanging beside it.

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