Page 106 of Twin Babies for the Pucking Billionaires

I sigh, bending down to grab a crushed soda can. “Yeah, yeah. I just didn’t think it’d be this much work. Feels like the entire city of Chicago decided to have a party here.”

My phone buzzes and I pull it out of my pocket. It’s a picture from Declan. In it, Millie is bent over, Chase behind her, fucking her. My heart pounds and I groan, sending back a string of emojis to indicate that I’m jealous.

“It’ll all be worth it when we play together,” I mutter, tossing the can into the trash bag.

Declan laughs. “True. Better hurry up. You don’t want to miss out.”

As I’m finishing up, I run into Ryan. He’s lounging against the wall, smirking at me. “Heard Millie’s been keeping herself busy. Not that it’s a surprise. She’s always been a puck bunny, a cheap littleslutwho...”

I see red. Without thinking, I swing at him, my fist connecting with his jaw. He staggers back, clutching his face, but I don’t care. “Say that shit again and I’ll knock your teeth out.”

Ryan spits blood, his eyes narrowing. “Touchy, aren’t we? Just stating the facts.”

“Fuck you, Ryan,” I growl, stepping closer. “You don’t know a damn thing about her.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not the only one who thinks she’s easy,” he sneers. “Everyone knows.”

My blood boils. I grab him by the collar, lifting him off his feet. “Shut your fucking mouth.”

Ryan’s eyes widen in fear, but he doesn’t say anything more. I shove him away, my fists still clenched. “Keep her name out of your mouth, or you’ll regret it.”

He doesn’t say anything. He just glares at me. I feel a twisted sense of satisfaction. Knocking his teeth out would be worth it, even if I had to clean the stadium for years.

***

The next day, Ryan keeps his mouth shut as we get to the rink. I can see the tension in his shoulders, the way he avoids looking at me. Good. I’m ready to fight him if I have to, but one of his teammates, Carter, pulls me aside.

“Don’t let him get to you,” Carter says. “We need you focused. I trained hard so I can beat you fair and square. None of whatever this is. Okay? We are here to play the game we all love.”

I nod, taking a deep breath. He’s right. I need to keep my head in the game. This is it. The finals. Chicago Icebreakers versus Chicago Blackhawks. Everything we’ve worked for is on the line.

We get ready in the locker room, the air thick with anticipation. I lace up my skates, my mind on Millie, on what we’ve been through. It’s all been leading to this moment. We’re going to win. We have to.

Declan slaps me on the back. “You ready for this?”

“Hell yeah,” I say, grinning. “Let’s go kick some ass.”

We head out onto the ice, the roar of the crowd filling my ears. This is it. No turning back now. I glance up at the stands, wondering if Millie is watching, if she knows how much this means to me.

The puck drops and we’re off. The game is intense, fast-paced, every moment a blur of movement and adrenaline. I focus on the puck, on my teammates, on winning.

The Blackhawks are tough. They come at us hard, their defense tight. I skate down the ice, weaving through their players, passing the puck to Declan. He shoots, but it’s blocked. Damn. We regroup, pushing forward again.

We score the first goal and the crowd goes wild. I can feel the energy surging through me, pushing me forward. This is what I live for. This is why I play.

The Blackhawks fight back, their offense relentless. They manage to score, tying the game. I grit my teeth, determined not to let them get ahead.

I’m on the ice, breathing hard, sweat dripping down my face. Every check, every pass, every shot counts. I push harder, faster, determined to see this through.

The second period ends in a tie. We head back to the locker room, the tension palpable. Coach Nate gives us a pep talk, reminding us of everything we’ve worked for.

“You’ve got this,” he says, looking each of us in the eye. “Play harder than you’ve ever played before.”

We nod, determined. This is our game. We’re not letting it slip away.

The third period is brutal. The Blackhawks are giving it their all and we’re matching them step for step. I feel a sense of camaraderie with my teammates, a shared determination to win.

With seconds left on the clock, Declan passes the puck to me. I take the shot, my heart in my throat. It’s like time slows down, watching the puck sailing through the air in slow motion.

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