Page 44 of These Pucking Boys: Part Two

“I want to tell you because I’d rather you hear it from me than the tabloids.”

My entire body becomes tense. “Okay, then.”

“I got into a fight when I was just shy of turning eighteen.” He grimaces. “Well,fightwas the word my father used in my defense. It wasn’t a fight. I jumped the guy, and he didn’t have a chance to throw a punch.”

My heart is thundering in my chest. I know about Jake’s reputation. He’s a short-fused guy, and many in the league question why he’s the team captain, a position usually bestowed upon players who can lead by example.

“Was there a reason you wanted to hurt him?” I ask.

He nods. “The guy was an asshole. He was a senior, and like most of my classmates, he was also a rich kid. Many believed I went after him because I didn’t like him. That wasn’t the reason. He almost killed one of my teammates, Wilson Perkins.”

“How?”

“The guy I attacked was a drug dealer. Wilson was a freshman, and a scholarship student. Felix—that’s the asshole drug dealer—made it his mission to fuck up Wilson’s life. Got him hooked on drugs, which cost Wilson his spot on the hockey team. Then he sold him a bad batch, which led Wilson to OD.”

Jake’s eyes become brighter as they fill with tears. The tightness in my chest returns. “What happened to Wilson? Did he ever recover?”

Jake rubs his face, then looks into the distance. “His mother quit her job, and they moved back to Ohio. I tried to keep in touch, but after what happened to him, his mother thought it best to sever all connections to my world.”

I reach for his hand and squeeze it tight. “I’m so sorry, Jake.”

He looks at me, and the sadness in his eyes hurts my soul. “I’m sorry about Wilson too, but I’m not sorry about what I did to Felix. I beat the shit out of him, and if my teammates hadn’t pulled me away from him, I’d probably have killed him.”

“I broke someone’s arm when I was nine.”

Jake’s eyes widen. “On purpose?”

I nod. “There was this girl, Annabeth, who was a bully. We were the same age, but she was much taller than everyone in our grade. One day, I caught her hurting Timothy, who was the sweetest boy in our class. I didn’t think twice—I jumped on her back and pulled her away from him. I’m not sure what happened. I got caught in a red haze. I just remember my teacher dragging me away from Annabeth. Later, I was told I had broken her arm.”

“Oh my God,” Jake laughs. “I would never have guessed that about you.”

I smile. “Oh, I go feral if someone tries to hurt the people I love.”

“God, you’re amazing. I don’t deserve you.”

His outburst surprises me. “What are you talking about? You’re a god on the ice, intelligent, loyal, and a piece of hot ass. I’m the one who feels undeserving of your attention.”

“Okay, you didn’t just say that. You’re the goddess here.”

“Settle for a tie?” I arch a brow.

“Okay, fine. Now, will you let me finish my thoughts, woman?”

I snicker. “All right.”

He turns serious again. “After I almost killed Felix, his parents wanted to see me rot in jail. They didn’t accept the deal my father offered. In the end, I was convicted of assault, but I got community service instead of jail time, and my record was sealed.”

“But you’re afraid your secret will be exposed?”

“Yes. My father is threatening to leak my past to the tabloids if I don’t do what he wants.”

I frown. “What does he want?”

Running his fingers through his hair, Jake laughs without humor. “He wants me to leave the Titans, move back to New York, and play for the Bobcats.”

A sharp pang in my chest makes me wince. I hate the idea that Jake could move across the country. It never occurred to me that any of my boys could be offered a contract to another team. Hockey players move all the time.

“Why would he do that? I thought he didn’t think much of your hockey career.”

---