Page 46 of Released from the Sin Bin

“I put it all back in your room.” Alex stands in the doorway, watching me. “Hines said you’ve been sleeping out here.”

“So?” I shrug. “Is that against house rules?”

I’m exhausted and not in the mood for this shit. Alex is our team captain, but he’s only a sophomore. I’m the only senior left in the house. My options were the dorm with the freshmen, the Hockey House, or home. I chose the best one, but I got stuck with the worst roommate.

To Alex’s credit, he’s more mature than over half the guys on the team, but I've had a rough two days and I’m not going to take shit from a sophomore. Captain or not.

“Fu–”

“There’s only a week left before winter break.” He cuts me off. “But I talked to Gentry about moving the bed to the basement. He wasn’t willing to give up his room, but he’s willing to share with you.” Alex crosses his arms, matching my defensive demeanor. “He said you’d like that better than sharing with Hines.”

I nod slowly.

“You’re welcome.” He goes up the stairs, running up the three floors to his and Luca’s room.

Hines is lying in bed, tossing one of those stress balls into the air and catching it before it hits his face. The blizzard postponed any training we would’ve had today after yesterday’s was canceled. The plows had cleared the way to the hospital and medical facilities first, and were just working on the rinks when I drove past.

“How’s Luca’s chick friend?” He asks without stopping, hitting the ceiling with each throw.

“Don’t call her that.” Stripping down and changing into my shorts, I flop down on my bed to get in a nap before Coach calls us to the rink. “She’s fine.”

“Good.” Thump, clap. “It’d be a waste of a nice ass.” Thump, clap. “She’ll be free game now.” Thump. Clap. “Do you think Luca will let me hit that?”

I jump out of bed and grab the fucking ball stress ball mid-air. “Try anything and I’ll fucking rip your balls off.” I squeeze the ball in my hand before tossing it in his face.

A woman almost died, and he’s talking about fucking her.

“What the fuck is your problem?” He sits up and throws the ball at the back of my head.

Without giving it a second thought, I jump him, grappling him down onto his bed.

“Fucking dick,” Hines groans and throws a punch to my left side.

We wail on each other, cursing and shouting, until I have him in a chokehold. I black out. Feeling nothing and moving on pure mechanics. No thoughts or emotions behind what’s happening.

“Break it up,” Alex shouts.

Finn and Gentry are at my sides, trying to pull us apart while Hines wrestles himself free.

My grip loosens and he comes right back after me, getting stopped by more guys holding both of us away from each other.

“Get him out of here.”

Finn and Gentry drag me out of the room and down the steps until I shake them off. They move to stop me from going back up until they see me head the other way.

More guys are coming out of their rooms to see the action. I head for the front door, but with a hand on my back, Gentry steers me to the basement steps.

“Get some sleep. They want us at the rink in two hours.” He motions to his made bed.

Hines' perpetual disarray of clothes, beer, and empty water bottles is another thing you can add to the list of why he’s the worst roommate in the house.

Gentry’s room is spotless, and he already started making space on one side to fit another bed.

“Thanks.” I lie down on the bed with my legs hanging off the end and close my eyes.

“He probably deserved it, but you shouldn’t let him get to you like that.” He moves around the room, but doesn’t press any further. After not getting a response, he heads upstairs to leave me alone.

The tension comes off me in shakes.

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