Page 39 of Brutal Game

Isaac had picked up a bottle of water and was about to chug it, but he paused.

“What she tried to do tous?” he asked.

The same assistant coach blew his whistle again. “Alright, scrimmage time. First line against second line.”

More groans, this time from the younger guys on the team. The rest of us were used to being worked so hard.

And as team captain, it was my job to get their heads in the game.

“Listen up, all of you,” I said, shoving Aviva to the back of my mind and skating out in front of them. “We’ve got two weeks until the season starts. Now is not the time to be tired, to groan, to call home and whine about how hard Coach and the team is working you.”

I turned a circle on my skates, careful to look each player in the eye.

“If you’re worn out this early, you won’t make it through the season—and you don’t belong here. Get off the ice, turn in your jersey, and go play club hockey. Got me?”

Not a single one of them moved.

Good.

“Good,” I said out loud. “So you’re all here, and you’re agreeing to work. Tocommit.To put your all into the game, and the season, because your team is depending on you. Let’s play.”

Cheers broke out as I suited back up, relieved. My Aviva-related distraction hadn’t impacted my ability to lead my team, at least.

We lined up for the scrimmage. As Isaac skated past me to take his spot for the face-off, he patted my shoulder with his glove—hard enough that I could feel it through the pad.

“Nice work, captain. But the Aviva conversation? Isn’t over.”

After our linewon the scrimmage, we headed back into the locker room. My throat went tight as my gaze fell on the cubby where I’d cornered her and put my hand around her neck, the bench where I’d tied her down and eaten her sweet pussy. She was everywhere, always; I couldn’t get away from her if I tried.

I didn’t want to get away from her. Ever since I’d spotted the blood on the condom and realized what it meant, I’d had the insane idea of permanently handcuffing her to me.

“Jack,” Isaac said.

He, Judah, and Levi crowded around me, Levi wiping off and putting his glasses back on, Judah pulling the elastic out of his hair and shaking it loose.

“Okay, Jason Momoa,” Levi mocked his twin.

“I’m hotter than Jason Momoa,” Judah protested. “Hotter than you, too.”

Levi raised an eyebrow. “We’re identical twins, idiot.”

“I’m still hotter.”

Before they could start a slap fight, Isaac interrupted. “Stop it, you two. Jack here has something to tell us.”

Scratching my neck, I sighed. “It’s about Aviva.”

Judah snorted. “Of course it’s about Aviva. She’s the only girl you’ve ever staked a claim on, publicly, or threatened your teammates over.” He chuckled. “What, you like her or something?”

I shook my head. I didn’t fucking like her. “The opposite.”

“Sure doesn’t seem like the opposite.”

Isaac held up a hand. If I led by example and kept everyone in line and motivated, Isaac led by the nature of his calm focus and “good guy” status.

Judah and Levi shut up.

“Jack, why did you say ‘you don’t know what she tried to do to us’ earlier?”

---