Page 94 of Pucking the Team

Karen steps forward, her face stony. “Alison, please come with me. We need to have a discussion in HR.”

Alison’s eyes go wide with panic. “What? Why? I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Let’s not do this here,” Karen says firmly, gesturing toward the hallway. “If you’ll follow me, please…”

But Alison plants her feet, folding her arms across her chest. “No. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.”

The security guards exchange a glance and step forward menacingly. Alison takes a step back, her heels clicking loudly on the linoleum.

“Ms. Cartwright, don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” one of the guards says gruffly. “Come with us quietly, or we’ll be forced to remove you.”

Alison’s eyes dart wildly around the room, searching for an escape or an ally. But all she sees are the hostile stares of her coworkers. Many of them look downright gleeful at her predicament.

Her gaze finally lands on me and the guys, huddled by the entrance with glee. Her eyes narrow to slits.

“You,” she hisses venomously at Lukas, jabbing a manicured finger at him. “I should have known you were behind this. You and your pack of horny dogs.” She glares at Slade, Ryan, and me.

Lukas just smiles sweetly at her. “Behind what, Alison? We’re just here to enjoy the show. I’m just a dumb jock, after all, right?”

Her face contorts with rage and humiliation. For a second, I think she might actually lunge at him. So I step forward instead.

My voice is calm but laced with steel as I address her. “Alison, you messed with the wrong person. We look out for our own around here. And Emma Collins is one of us, whether you like it or not.”

Alison scoffs, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Please, that little nepo baby doesn’t belong here, and you know it. I was doing you all a favor getting rid of her entitled ass.”

“No, you were just jealous and petty,” I retort, my fists clenching at my sides. “Emma has more brains and integrity in her pinky finger than you have in your whole body. And she’s going to do great things for the Blizzards, with or without her family name.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Alison sneers. “When I tell everyone how she’s been whoring around with half the team, her reputation will be ruined for good,” she finishes with a malicious smirk.

My blood boils at her words.

But before I can respond, Karen from HR steps forward, her voice deadly calm.

“You’ll do no such thing, Alison. Because if you breathe one more word of your poisonous lies, the Blizzards will sue you into oblivion for defamation and breach of contract. We have all the evidence we need of your misconduct. You’re finished here.”

Alison’s face drains of color. She looks like she might be sick. The fight seems to go out of her as the reality of the situation sinks in.

“You can’t…I didn’t…” she sputters weakly. But no one is buying it anymore.

“Time to go, Ms. Cartwright,” the security guard says gruffly, taking her elbow and yanking her out the door.

Karen follows behind them, and gives a wink to me and the boys as she leaves. “Go get your girl, gentleman. Time to bring her back to the Blizzards.”

CHAPTER 42

EMMA

I walk arm-in-arm with Selena down Milwaukee Avenue, passing eclectic storefronts. After the nightmare of a week I’ve had with losing my job with the Blizzards, this afternoon of retail therapy is exactly what the doctor ordered. With the help of the guys, Selena finally convinced me to leave the apartment.

We pop in and out of the quirky boutiques and vintage shops that give Wicker Park its artsy flair, and slowly I can feel the stress and anger that’s been eating away at me start to melt. It’s certainly helped along by Selena’s infectious smile and the promise of some fabulous new outfits.

“Ooh, girl, this dress would look amazing on you!” Selena tugs me towards a rack displaying a slinky blue number that is sexy but still professional enough to wear to an office. “The color is perfect for your eyes.”

I run my fingers over the silky fabric, picturing how it would hug my curves. But I hesitate. “I don’t know, Lena. Where would I even wear something like this? It’s not like I have a job to go to anymore.”

Selena’s having none of it. She grabs the dress and thrusts it into my hands.

“Em, you can’t think like that! Besides, you never know when your hockey hunks are going to want to take you out for a night on the town. Now go try this on, doctor’s orders!”

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