Page 114 of Power Play

“Knew you were on my side, Sully.”

I hop off the ice and glance around the tunnel, looking for Piper. I couldn’t find her during the first intermission and figured she was interviewing Coach, but I still don’t see her.

Another quick scan leaves me empty-handed. I frown and glance around again.

“Have you seen Piper?” I ask Hudson, and he shakes his head.

“No. Haven’t seen her since the game the day before yesterday.”

“Excuse me.” A microphone gets thrust in my face and I whip my head to the left. A guy who can’t be over twenty is blinking upat me. The polo shirt he’s wearing has a stain on the collar, and he doesn’t have a badge, just a name tag that saysDustyon it. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

“Oh, no.” Hudson sighs. “Wrong move, kid. Never ask Liam Sullivan if you can ask him a few questions. You’re not going to like the answer.”

“Who the fuck are you?” I practically growl.

“I’m, uh, the fill-in reporter for tonight’s game.”

“What the fuck is a fill in reporter?”

“Maybe I should talk to someone else,” Dusty sputters.

“No, you’re talking to me. Where’s Piper?”

“I-I don’t know. I’m usually the sound guy, but I got a text an hour ago from my boss saying I needed to cover the rinkside reporter spot tonight.”

I sidestep past him and hightail it to the locker room. I ignore my teammates and shove the door open, making my way to my locker. Using my teeth, I pull of my gloves and grab my phone. My notifications show I don’t have any missed calls or texts or communication at all from her, and that really fucking worries me.

I stopped by her place last night, dropping off dinner on my way home from weight training. She seemed fine when I left, teasing me and calling me a bench warmer ahead of tonight’s game.

Hitting her contact info, I press my phone to my ear, waiting for her to answer.

“Pick up,” I mumble. “Come on, Sunshine. Pick up.”

When she doesn’t, I almost break the phone in two. I storm to the athletic trainers’ room and barge inside.

“Liam?” Lexi looks up from the whiteboard on her lap. “Are you having hamstring tightness?”

“Where’s Piper?” I ask.

“She said she had a migraine and wouldn’t make it tonight. That was a couple hours ago, and I haven’t heard from her since.”

I curse under my breath and make my way back to the locker room. I sit on the bench in front of my cubby and stare at the floor, wondering what the fuck I’m supposed to do.

“Hey.” Hudson clasps my shoulder and I look up at him. “You good?”

“Piper isn’t here. Lexi said she had a migraine. She never misses work, so if she’s sick, it must be bad.”

“Okay.” He sits next to me. “Did you try to call her?”

“Yeah. No answer.”

“Try again. We have a few minutes before we need to be back on the ice. If she doesn’t answer this time, text her.”

I know his advice is good, so I listen to him. She doesn’t answer the second time, and it’s hard to not let panic claw at my throat.

“What should I say?” I ask.

“See where she is and if she needs anything. Hopefully you get a response by the end of the game.”

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