Page 12 of Brace and Chase

The first time it happened it was a pure accident, maybe even a miracle, but after that I got the line together on one of our off days and we perfected it.

So, to start the play Milkman faces off with Jules the way it’s proper, and we all wait with bated breath so see who wins the puck. Laney stands next to them and drops the puck.

Jules wins it, because he’s way too good at it and has much more experience than Milkman, but he sends it back to Eagle—predictable—and that’s bad news for them, because Eagle is right next to me. I wouldn’t normally be too rough on a simple scrimmage, but today isn’t a typical day, so I slam my shoulder against his and he loses his balance—clearly he wasn’t expecting a hit like that.

I make a mental note to teach the kid some tricks and hammer in the fact that practice or not he should be ready for anything, but I fly down the ice toward Bear. He’s between the pipes in perfect form and waiting for me to attack, but I don’t.

I can’t look back to make sure because that would give the whole plot away, but I shoot the puck back between my legs and keep skating to go around behind the net. Only then can I see that my boys are playing keep away from Mater, Heart, and Eagle, while Jules and Benny fight with Bates to get into position.

They’re hoping that someone can steal the puck from my guys and send it their way, but they’re delusional if they think that’s going to happen. I do a one-eighty and skate back to the other side of the net.

Milkman passes the puck to Spiderman who’s less than a foot away from me, but Spiderman shifts and I take the puck and lift it over Bear’s shoulder and just drop it in, casual as ever.

Laney’s whistle blows long and loud over my line’s shouts of victory and he stares at me with hard eyes.

“Brotnik.” Shit, he only calls me that when he’s mad. “You save that shit for game day, asshole.”

I shrug, ready to take whatever punishment he deems necessary. Because while my boys were celebrating, I was looking at Heart’s defeated expression as he stared at the net.

Andthatwas fucking priceless.

FIVE

CHARLIE

The locker roomis deserted by the time I come out of the shower. It’s to be expected, I suppose, since I stayed an extra hour on the ice while everyone else went to hit the gym and get on the bikes.

When I felt exhausted enough from the ice, I went to get checked out by the PT. My shoulder got dislocated about a year ago and normally no one would give that injury a second thought, but since I’m basically a geriatric player, they need to take a good look at every single thing.

I know for sure I haven’t reaggravated that injury and that I’m fine, but I let Peyton, the head PT, do all the tests he wants. In the end I’m very happy when he tells me everything looks great.

By the time I got to the gym only Brotnik, Bates, and Bear were there. It wasn’t long before they left without giving me a backward glance.

I can’t say I mind having the gym to myself, or that the very clear gap between me and everyone else is something new, but shit was like that back in Atlanta too. That team was just never close the way I can see after only a few hours this one is.

So it’s nothing new really.

Now, sitting on the bench in front of my cubby with only a towel around my hips, I let my head hang low and sigh heavily.

This is a new kind of shitshow.

How the fuck will I justify my presence here if I can’t do the one thing Gab asked of me?

With one look it was crystal clear that Nikolay Brotnik wants absolutely nothing to do with me. It was the most chilling look anyone’s ever given me. Then, from his little show on the ice it was obvious he doesn’t give two shits about the consequences, he’s going to make it very clear what he thinks of me.

I saw the way his gaze immediately went to me after he scored that beautiful fucking goal on Bear.

He did that to send me a message. And it’s obvious that message is hostile, but to what extent? Does he want me off the team? Off the ice? In another line?

Probably all three. Hell, he’d more than likely take any of those options if given a choice. Whatever the case, thefuck youwas very obvious in his eyes, and the feeling I got in the locker room comes back, like the rug has been pulled from under me.

I let out a big breath as I straighten and turn to grab my clothes. It’s time to make things right and give Gab an out. It wouldn’t be okay for me not to say anything. I need to tell her about today.

First, though, I need to find out where she is.

I send her a quick text, hoping she gets back to me by the time I’m ready to go, and I see she has a few minutes later. She tells me she’s at the Rogues’ stadium, so only a few blocks away.

I finish getting ready and take my duffel with everything I brought with me. I probably won’t be in the roster for even a full day. In the car, I give it some serious thought.

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