Page 94 of The Sin Bin

"This is what I do," Jax replied simply. "Philly's team is out for blood and I need to be there to protect my guys. They're my family."

The words stung more than Lauren wanted to admit. "And what about us? What about everything we've been building?"

Jax met her gaze, conflict evident in his expression. "You're my family too. But this is the playoffs, Lauren. Everything we've worked for all season."

"Everything you've worked for," Lauren corrected quietly, the distinction important. "Not everything we've worked for."

Before Jax could respond, the door opened again, admitting Kane and Coach Vicky, the latter's expression controlled but tension evident in her rigid posture.

"Hi Lauren," Vicky said before turning her attention to Jax. "I got the prelim report. Not what we wanted to hear, but it could be worse."

"I can still play next game."

"Whoa, pump the brakes there, bud," Kane interjected, surprise evident in his expression. "Doc might've said you could play, but he also advised against it."

"We need to be smart about this," Vicky added, her shrewd gaze assessing Jax's condition. "Rushing back for Game three doesn't help if you're out for Games four through seven."

"I can handle it," Jax insisted, with a stubborn set to his jaw. "The system needs me. Marcus needs his partner."

"System can adapt," Vicky countered, though Lauren noted she didn't outright refuse Jax's declaration. "Medical clearance is one thing. Game readiness is another."

Lauren felt herself fading into the background as the hockey conversation intensified, terminology and strategic considerations flying back and forth. The sense of exclusion was both familiar and painful—the same feeling she'd had with Mark when his teammates gathered and the conversation turned to sports and violence and things she couldn't understand.

"The media?" Jax asked, the question pulling Lauren back to the present.

"Stephanie's handling it," Kane supplied. "Official statement emphasizes you were attacked while attempting to leave, multiple witnesses confirming you acted in self-defense only after significant provocation."

Vicky's expression hardened. "League security is involved now. This wasn't random bar violence. It was calculated retribution."

"The team's position is clear," Kane said. "We support your actions—both on the ice and off it."

"Thanks."

"The charter leaves at noon," Vicky concluded. "Medical's arranged transportation from here directly to the plane. Lauren, I assume you'll be joining us?"

The question—phrased as assumption rather than inquiry—brought Lauren back into the conversation with jarring suddenness. She hesitated, glancing at Jax, their earlier tension still unresolved.

"Yes," she confirmed finally. "Thanks for the ride."

Vicky nodded, satisfaction evident in her brisk acknowledgment. "Good. Thompson will need a babysitter for the flight."

After Vicky departed, Kane lingered briefly. "You scared the shit out of us, man," he said.

"Sorry about that."

"The boys are pissed," Kane continued. "Not at you—at those Philadelphia goons. Dmitri wanted to go find the Phantoms last night. I had to physically stop him."

"Tell him I appreciate the thought," Jax said with a ghost of his usual smile. "But I handled it."

"Damn right you did," Kane agreed, though his glance toward Lauren suggested he sensed her discomfort with the conversation. "Look, we've got your back. Every single guy. What happened was complete bullshit."

After Kane left to coordinate travel arrangements, silence settled between them again—heavy with unresolved tension and conflicting perspectives.

"You don't approve," Jax said finally, when the silence had stretched painfully thin.

"I don't," Lauren replied, her voice soft but firm. "And I need to know—does my opinion matter when it comes to your health? To your future?"

Jax shifted in the bed, wincing at the movement. He reached for her hand, his bandaged fingers seeking hers. "Of course it does," he said, drawing her closer to the edge of the bed. "Everything hurts too much to think clearly. I know the team needs me for playoffs. But I don't want you to think I don't value your opinion."

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