Page 43 of No Promises, No Lies

We lie there together in dark silence for a few minutes. “You’re not going to tie me back up?” The question practically bursts out of me and I could kick myself for saying it aloud. But despite my exhaustion, I’m on edge and there’s no way I’ll be able to sleep if I don’t find out.

It’s quiet for a beat before Aidan responds, “Do I need to?”

I open my mouth, but then realize I don’t have a good answer. Do I want him to?No.Of course not. Should he?Probably.

Aidan lets out a little chuckle as if coming to the same conclusion. “The exits are code entry only, we’re twenty stories up and you can barely walk after what I’m guessing was a massive migraine attack. I’d say have at it princess—orwe can call a truce for the night. And both get some much needed goddamn sleep.”

I turn to my right to find him watching me. Searching his face, I try to decipher if this is a trick, or he’s trying to lull me into a false sense of security. But I either can’t find anything or I can’t read him.

He’s right about one thing, Iamexhausted. My eyelids are growing heavier by the second. I curl my fingers around the long sleeves of Aidan’s hoodie and settle deeper into his bed. His very comfortable and verysoftbed. Making my decision.

Aidan’s right, I’m not going anywhere in this condition. Might as well bank some sleep and see what opportunities might present themselves tomorrow.

“Fine.” I fight the sleep dragging me under like a riptide, struggling to keep my eyes open. “But if you touch me, I’ll kill you,” I mutter with as much conviction as I can gather.My words fail to have the impact I wish them to.

Another low laugh escapes him. “Fair enough, little lion. Fair enough.”

26

TOP SHELF

AIDAN

These early morning practices are killing me.

They’re nothing new. Hockey is a sport filled with a lot of early mornings and late, late nights. But I’m not usually also a current reigning member of the city’s dark underworld during the height of the pre-season.

My work with the family over the last few weeks since Dad’s death has really been taking it out of me.Both jobs require my full focus and in trying to do both, I can’t help but feel like I’m coming up short—on both sides.

Colt cuts down the ice at a blazing speed, flying past our offensive line as if they’re standing still. I clock Liam to my right, ready to engage should Colt go his way.

But I know he’s coming to me.

King attempts to fake me out. His eyes read right and so do his shoulders—for a moment. But at the last second, he dekes past Liam, surging toward the goal from the left. But I read him like an open book back on the blue line and knock the puck away from him with a simple poke check.

He doesn’t expect it, and sails past me, leaving the ice wide open. Picking up the puck Colt lost, I fly for the opposite end. The opposing team is in the middle of a line change and so I onlyhave to stick handle past two of them in order to sink the puck top shelf into the left corner.

West, our starting goalie, shakes his head at me before reaching out to give me a fist bump as I circle their net. “Respect.”

“You’re still a brick wall Cavanaugh; that one just slipped through.” I tease him with a little wink and a smile on my face.

Coach blows his whistle, and everyone heads for the bench, circling up on the ice.

James McIntyre. One of the best coaches in hockey right now. Tough but fair, difficult to read because he hardly ever shows emotion. Personally, I prefer his level head to a coach who blows his top after every goal against or player mistake. McIntyre’s cool gaze trails over the lot of us. His silence builds anticipation before his gaze finally settles on Colt.

“What the fuck was that, King? You make that mistake in a game and you’ll find yourself benched for the rest of it.” He frowns before giving a disappointed shake of his head. “Cocky and arrogant. O’Rourke had your number from a mile away.Anticipatethat.”Then he turns to me. “Nice goal, O’Rourke. Let’s see more of those.”

“Yes, sir.” I grin, letting it widen when I catch Colt glaring at me. I raise my water bottle to him in a fake “cheers” before pouring the rest of it over my sweaty face.

Hockey is a dog eat dog world. But it’s important we have trust within our team. Since the Breakers are a new team, we’ve yet to establish any. This year’s Breakers are far from it.

For whatever reason, Colt King decided he hated me day one. And Reid Kincaid and Colt go way back. My relationship with two of the major players on the first line offense has been frosty at best. With only a few short weeks remaining until our season opener, we have yet to work out our shit and it shows.

Still. I’ve been nothing short of civil to the guy. It’s Colt and Reid with the problem. A problem they need to work the fuck out.

Coach talks for a few minutes more about a few upcoming pre-season games and events before releasing us for the day. I take a turn for the locker rooms, but I stop when I hear my name called out.

“O’Rourke, hang back a second, eh?” McIntyre’s thick Canadian accent showing.

---