Page 8 of Play to Win

I stand and bestow a smile on them.“Another whiskey sour?”

Ed glowers, but it seems he doesn’t want to make a scene.“Yeah.”

I nod and keep my expression pleasant as I turn away.“I’m fine,” I tell Théo.“Go back to your friends.”

Eyebrows still knit together, he gives a slow nod and walks to their table, but he shoots a glance back at Ed and Lincoln as he does so.

I’m shaking both with fear and anger as I stride to the bar.My teeth are clenched so hard it’s a wonder my molars aren’t cracking.I need to get a grip on my emotions and do my job.

What the fuck, Chris?

Did he really send these guys to me?I’m going to break both his legs myself the next time I see him, which better be fucking soon.

4

THÉO

Don’t askme why I care about the waitress.

Lacey.

She’s pretty, sure.Big eyes, full lips, killer cheekbones shown off by her hair pulled back into a bun.And that little black dress shows off some sweet curves and long, sleek legs.

I appreciate a gorgeous woman as much as the next guy, but I don’t usually hit on waitresses, and I sure as hell don’t get up and defend them from other customers.Well, in fairness, I’ve never actually seen something like that happen before.But still, what the fuck made me do that?

Leaning back into the comfortable couch, I sip my whiskey and let my gaze fall on those two asswipes across the room.They annoy the hell out of me, for another mysterious reason.

“What’s up, man?”Andy elbows me.

Andy’s the director of hockey operations for the Mustangs.He’s my closest friend here in Vegas.Okay, pretty much my only friend.It’s not a good idea for me to hang out with the guys on the team who play hockey, or the other guys who technically work for me, and I’ve never had time to socialize much with people outside the hockey club, but I’ve known Andy since we played together for the Penguins.He’s a few years older than me, and he’s a good guy.

“Nothing.”

“Why were you talking to those guys?”

“Looked like they were giving Lacey a hard time.”

“Lacey?”He cocks an eyebrow.

I elbow him back.

“Never knew you were such a knight in shining armor.”

I snort.“I’m not.”

Lacey is back at their table and my muscles all tense, but she’s giving them their check.Good.That must mean they’re leaving.

“They gotta fix that rule, man.”Brent shakes his head, continuing their conversation about video replay.“There’s gonna be a bad call, and it’s going to impact the outcome of a game.”

“A whole playoff series, potentially,” Jeff says.

“True.”

“That’s happened in the past, though,” Andy says.“Calls got missed on the ice.Goalie gets steamrollered, it never gets called, goal stands even though it was clearly interference.”

“That’s true too.”

Now I see the manager dude is back talking to the guys again.This gives me a nasty feeling in my gut.This is the guy who told Lacey she had to go sit with them.I frown as I watch them talk.Is she in trouble?

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