RYAN
Despite most of the team being completely hungover, practice isn’t terrible, and the mood in the locker room afterward is relaxed. Even Malcolm, who’s usually a grump, is in good spirits. Maybe he got laid last night.
I’m in the process of removing my gear when Banksy exclaims, “Holy shit!”
“What is it?” Jake asks from across us.
I lean closer to look at Banksy’s phone… and feel like I’ve been cross-checked against the boards by a bulldozer. “What the actual fuck!” I take the phone from his hand and watch a video of our shenanigans in Malcolm’s office last night. “Who sent you this?”
“A buddy from college. Is that shit real?”
I need to watch only a few seconds of the video to determine it was recorded by a hidden camera in Malcolm’s office.
“You son of a bitch.” I toss Banksy’s phone back to him before I fly across the room and punch Malcolm’s face.
His head jerks back with a loud and satisfyingcrunchbefore he loses his balance and falls on his ass. He touches his bleeding nose then looks at me, stunned. “What the fuck has gotten into you, asshole?”
“I’mthe asshole? You had a hidden camera in your office and leaked the video from last night to the tabloids!”
He jumps to his feet. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
I curl my hands into fists, ready to punch the living shit out of him. “Don’t give me that bullshit. Why did you do it? To steal Jake’s job? Is that it?”
“Where the fuck do you think you are? A dive bar?” Coach Haagen gets between us.
By now, everyone in the room has their attention glued to their phones. “Stop watching it!”
Lachy’s expression is the deadliest I’ve ever seen. His eyes sparkle with fury as he strides in Malcolm’s direction. He’s going to finish the job I started, and I’m not going to stop him.
Banksy jumps in front of him. “Calm down, buddy.”
“Get out of my way, lad, or yer getting it too.”
“Can someone explain what thehellis going on here?” Coach Haagen looks from me to Malcolm.
Jake walks over. His face is a stony mask, the only thing betraying his emotions is the dark storm in his eyes. He gives Coach his phone without saying a word. Not one makes a pip, and you could hear a pin drop. Thankfully, the video has no sound.
Coach Haagen watches only a few seconds of the footage before returning the phone to Jake. He looks at Malcolm and asks in a cold voice, “Did you leak that video?”
“I didn’t do anything. And I didn’t install a hidden camera in my office. I swear it.” He looks confused, and I never pegged him as a deceitful guy. But then his eyes seem to sparkle with realization, and I bet he’s thinking what I am. If he didn’t put that camera there and leak the video, then his wife did.
“Damn it, Wendy,” Malcolm murmurs.
Coach Haagen narrows his eyes. “Deal with your wife, Wagner. I will not allow anyone’s personal vendetta to affect my team. Am I clear?”
Malcolm stands straighter. “Don’t worry, Coach. This won’t happen again.” He glances at Jake. “I’m sorry about the video, T-man.”
Of course the asshole would apologize only to Jake. He’s the official boyfriend, but fuck that. Not anymore. “What about my apology, and Lachy’s?”
Malcolm arches his brows. “Sure. I’m sorry. I don’t see how this affects you much. You’re just the extras.”
“Yer wrong, arsehole. We aren’t the extras. June is our lass, and if you or anyone else here says a bloodythingabout her, you’ll have to deal with us. Do ye hear me?”
Total silence descends in the locker room. I’ve never seen my teammates more shocked than they are today.
“I asked you a question,” Lachy says again, louder this time.
“Yes,” everyone replies in unison.