Page 76 of His Big Bad Stick

A hockey fight is one thing. But an actual fight… real violence… that’s a different feeling…

I’m kicked out of the game, which should happen.

I walk right to the locker room and start to take off my gear and throw it around.

I punch the wall.

Then I stare down and take deep breaths.

It’s fucking insane how I feel anymore.

Like I lost something. Or someone.

It makes no sense to me.

Nothing has happened to justify it.

Not unless you consider… you know… what happened with a certain someone.

That feels like a lifetime ago right now.

And, honestly… Abrielle?

No fucking chance in hell she could be lingering on my mind.

No fucking way.

The game ends with Turner’s goal being the one that gave us the win.

He’s a hero. He’s on camera.

He’s like me in the sense that he hates being interviewed and being the center of attention.

Of course I’m going to take some serious heat for my dirty hockey playing. Well, dirty hockey fighting. There are times when things can go so far that police have to get involved. The fine line between a hockey fight and a real life fight.

I’ll be the first to admit I crossed that line tonight for sure.

Coach Patty gives me an earful over the situation and I take the verbal beating. He has to blow off steam and it keeps the rest of the team in line.

I’m sure I’ll get texts and calls from my agent soon enough too.

Possible suspension on the way. Definitely a fine.

That’s the norm for me at this point in my career and my life.

The guys are even a little pissed off at me now.

Not that Turner will come right out and say it, but for him to score a goal, it’s a big deal. He doesn’t get many chances. I stole his moment in a way.

Faust is mad at himself for playing shitty the entire game.

Truthfully, if it wasn’t for Turner and Ben and their killer defense, the game would have been out of hand in the first period alone.

All in all, let’s leave the game like this…

Sometimes you have a bad game and still win.

I get the hell out of the arena, avoiding all media.

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