Page 12 of Spite Crush

I wanted him to know I’d seen him. Needed him to know he’d succeeded in getting to me.

I might not understand what was happening between us, but I couldn’t deny that I wanted it to be something. I could only hope that he felt it, too.

It didn’t matter that I didn’t want to want him. That ship had sailed. I absolutely did. And when I wanted something, I always got it.

The crowd roared their displeasure at my cheap shot against their captain and I waved at the stands, grinning as the ref skated me across the deck toward the penalty box.

As I dropped onto the bench in the bin, the angry crowd noise turned to cheers and I looked up at the screen to see that one of the camera’s had also found Kellen, andhe was giving a smile that looked more like a grimace as he waved politely and the fans clapped and screamed for him.

The sharp trill of a whistle pulled my attention back to the ice and I watched as Josh was escorted over to join me in the box. I’d missed his penalty, but from the grin on his face, he’d drawn it on purpose as well.

“If we lose because we’re fucking around, Sutherland is going to have our asses,” I warned him as he slid into the seat next to me. “What was that?”

“Just wanted to have a chat,” Josh admitted before grabbing a bottle and squirting a stream of water between his lips. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“What I always do,” I reminded him. “Giving the kids a show.”

“The kids, or Fox?”

I schooled my face into a blank mask as I looked back at him. Josh was one of the very, very few people who knew that I was gay, and I’d never regretted sharing the information with him…until now.

“Oh come on, Dempsey,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve never gotten a penalty on the wrong side of the ice. You did that for him.”

“And why would I do that?” I challenged coldly.

“Relax,” he insisted. “I’m just fucking with you, Zak. But watch yourself.”

My penalty time ended and I skated back onto the ice, forcing myself to ignore the conversation Josh had just attempted with me. He was right. I needed to be way more careful before the questions fromNaomi and everyone else started to switch from teasing to accusatory.

Leo, my left winger, immediately passed me the puck and the game was back on, my head focused on winning instead of Kellen or Josh.

“Hey Carmichael, you’re like a fucking tampon,” I yelled as I skated around the Blade defenseman. “Not even good for one whole period, you jackass.”

“Fuck you, Dempsey!” he yelled as he chased after me.

But I was too fast for him as I dodged the left defender as well andflipped the puck into the net just as the buzzer sounded for the end of the first period.

The team trudged back to the locker room for the first intermission and Coach Sutherland was thrilled with our one-nothing lead over the Blade. So much so, that he didn’t even berate me for the unnecessary penalty like he usually did.

Which was good, because I planned to get at least few more before the night was over.

I’d have to be careful to avoid doing it against the opponents glassthough. If Josh noticed that quickly what I was doing, then other people were going to as well. I couldn’t have people think I was seeking attention from the rock star.

Because I wasn’t. Not at all.

That had just been to let him know I’d seen him. Not that I cared. Or that he did. Probably.

“You still got your head in the game?” Josh asked as we headed back for the second period.

“Where else would my head be?” I snapped.

“Up a certain rock star’s ass, maybe?”

I whipped my head around to make sure no one else had heard him, but we were far ahead of the rest of the team.

“Considering I’m the only one with a goal tonight, I wouldn’t be so quick to tease there, buddy.” I huffed out a sigh. “Also, shut the fuck up, will you?”

“Sure.” He clapped me on the back. “Just keep showing off for Fox and win us this game.”

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