Page 78 of Forever Player

The asshole wants me to punch him as he continues to taunt me by calling me names.

Wolfe whispers, “You’re a father now. You don’t want to come home to your kid with a split lip. Trust me.”

His words hit me hard. Any hostility I was feeling completely evaporates. Instead, I skate off the ice with the guys.

Back in the locker room, the guys are giving me heat about dedicating my goal to Willow and Maylee.

“Aw, Brett, you’ve become a big softy,” Doug, one of our fourth line players, teases.

Another dude coughs and says the word, “Pussy,” into his fist.

“I’m not a fucking pussy, asshole. I’m him,” I say, owning that shit.

I strip down and grab a towel as I make my way to the shower. I don’t cover up and wave my big-ass cock around right next to the dude.

“Put that shit away,” Liam complains.

“You want me to put my cock away, you better stop acting like I’m some pussy for dedicating a goal to my girls,” I retort, looking at the guys who were cracking jokes.

“Fine, fuck, I take it back.” Doug winces.

I use my towel to smack him in the shoulder then I cover up.

I head to the showers feeling good about our win, and all I can think about is sharing my joy with Willow. I head out of the showers and suit up and as I suspected, I am pulled aside for some interviews with reporters.

“Great game,” the reporter says.

“Thanks,” I reply, hoping we are done here but I know better.

“You’re having a great week this week,” she continues. “Do you want to tell us a little more about why you were given time off?”

Bitch.

I hate when reporters get nosy about personal shit. Can’t they just focus on the plays?

“The reason I took time off is personal. Why don’t you ask me about my goal tonight?” I redirect and I see she doesn’t like it.

“You dedicated your goal tonight to your girls, is that right?” she asks.

“That’s right. Willow and baby girl, that goal was for you,” I say to the cameraperson filming us.

“Thank you, Mr. Noble,” the reporter says.

I leave the arena and head out with my friends from the team before another reporter stops me. I used to get thrown off when they asked me questions about my personal life, but I’ve learned how to control the interviews now.

I head out with the guys for a bite to eat. It’s a local sports bar filled with women. Only now that I am with Willow, and I know she is checking social media, I don’t want to have any situation that will lead her to question my integrity. The guys walk deeper into the bar and I am stuck at the door.

“What the fuck?” Liam asks, turning when he sees I am not walking in with them.

“There are too many chicks here. I don’t want to be photographed with a chick on my arm. If Willow sees that shit, it’s going to cause me trouble. We are new and she doesn’t know me all that well to trust me,” I explain.

“That’s complicated,” Liam says. “Sky just knows I don’t care about those girls. The photo ops are part of the job description.”

“I need to get out of here,” I say, panicking.

“Bro, just have a bite to eat first,” Liam urges because we are all starving after a game.

“I’ll order in room service,” I counter. “See you later.”

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