Page 23 of Hat Trick Heart

I crane my neck and then the security guard comes up. “Who are you waiting on?” he says with a scowl that could cut glass.

I show him my pass and say, “Emile LaCourt.”

He smiles and waves me out of the little cordoned-off area. “Come on through. Your friend is going to have to wait here but I’ll take you to him. He’s just talking to Coach.”

I turn to Becca with raised eyebrows and she waves me on, eyeing one of the third-stringers who’s eyeing her up like she’s his next meal. “Hey, go on. I’m just gonna stand here and talk to…”. Her voice trails off and he grins at her.

“Casey.”

“Right, Casey. Tell Emile I said hi!” She nods at me and waves and then she turns her full attention to good ol’ Casey, twirling her short caramel curl around her finger and giggling at him like a schoolgirl.

I roll my eyes and follow the security guy. He leads me into the locker room and I stall by the door nervously. “Ummm. I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be going in here.”

He holds the door open and smiles wider. “I promise you that if I don’t let you through here, I’ll be getting in trouble with Mr. LaCourt.”

I stare at the door nervously but I absolutely don’t want to get this guy in trouble.

I nod my head and slowly creep through the doorway, keeping my eyes down.

He holds out his hand. “Come on, Miss. I’ve got you.”

He leads me to a room in the corner of the back of the room. We’re still about ten feet away when I hear someone shouting and the guard says, “Why don’t you stay here.” He glances at something on his phone. “I’ve got to get to a fight that’s broken out.”

I nod my head and he scurries out the door. I glance around and almost cringe at the testosterone smell in here. It’s overpowering as hell.

“I told you to fuck her and get your head straight! I didn’t tell you to bring her with you to the game and turn it into a brawl on ice because you’re so hopped up on your dick that you couldn’t keep from starting a damn fight!”

“You know that they started it, Coach! That late hit against Iceman was bullshit! That should have been called immediately.”

“You guys didn’t even give them the chance to call it! You were too busy jumping the other team! I’m surprised all of you didn’t get tossed from the game and rack up some penalties.”

I peek around the corner and see Emile in the glassed-in room with the guy I think is the coach. They’re facing each other, both of them practically vibrating with rage. Emile’s face is suffused with red and my own face is flushed.

“I still can’t believe you brought your newest piece of ass to the game and then started a brawl. I expect better from you, LaCourt! You’re no young hothead!”

“Just cause I’m not a young hothead doesn’t mean that I’m gonna let those guys walk all over us.”

“Fine. But I’ve got to think about this. You might be suspended again, depending on what the doc says. And for fuck’s sake if you can’t keep your fucking dick under control don’t bring your latest piece of ass with you!”

Tears drip down my cheeks and I push my fist into my mouth, before I turn and run out the door, banging into the lockers painfully because I can’t see through the tears in my eyes.

This was too good to be true. I should have listened to my head and not my foolish, foolish heart.

I skid to a halt next to Becca who’s standing talking to the guy.

“Becca,” I whisper through my tears. “I need to go. Please, let’s go. Please.” I can’t breathe and tears are coming down so fast that I barely manage to squeeze out the words and hold myself still while she turns towards me and tugs me into her.

“Oh, Sassy. What the hell? Did he hurt you?” She glares at the door. “I am going to kick his ass! You wait here!”

“No, no!” I grasp her arms with my fingernails until she winces. “Please. I just want to go. Let’s go!”

She nods slowly. “Fine. But as soon as we get home you’re telling me what he did and I’m gonna hunt him down and punch him in the junk.”

The other guy winces and backs away, holding his hands in front of his own dick.

“I—I’ll catch you later, Becca.” She glares at him like he’s the one who did whatever to me.

“We’ll see.”

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