Page 109 of Brace and Chase

I wanted to pummel him to the ice. I wanted him to suffer.

And that’s not something that happens often.

Even when players go after Jules I don’t feel that much rage.

The little sleep I got was full of dreams where Charlie was seriously hurt, where he didn’t get up, and now I’m just supposed to go on and let him get on the ice like nothing?

Fat chance of that happening.

Not on my watch.

I’d sooner chain him?—

My phone starts ringing then, and it’s like a bucket of water. Not only because it has me up and moving as fast as I can so it doesn’t wake Charlie up, but because it makes me realize how fucking controlling my thoughts were getting.

Who the fuck am I to tell him what he can or cannot do? Tolethim do anything?

I’m his boyfriend, not his father.

“What?” I answer the call with a hiss, beyond angry at myself.

“You’re benched for a game,” comes Laney’s gruff voice.

“No, I’m not,” I snap back. “Why would I?—”

“Gab’s orders. You need to get yourself under control.I’ll see you for practice in two hours but you’re not playing tonight.”

He hangs up then, no other explanation, just an order.

The edges of my phone bite into my palm, and the urge to fling it across the room is too strong for a second, but then...

“What is it?” comes his sleepy, groggy voice from the bed, and he banishes the anger.

“Gab benched me for a game,” I tell him quietly.

“Are you serious?” he cries and sits up, wide awake now.

I watch him carefully, to see if swinging his arm around hurt his wrist at all, but his face is set in stone. No reaction whatsoever.

I guess that’s one good thing.

“What iswrongwith her?” he demands.

“I don’t know, but I need to take a shower and get going if I want to get some time on the bike before practice.” I toss my phone on the bed and walk into the bathroom, close the door firmly behind me, and lean on it for a minute to try and get myself under control.

Charlie doesn’t need me losing my shit today.

He needs my support, and I need to be on top of my fucking emotions if I have any chance of being useful to Jacobs and Wills who will probably take our spots on the line again.

Eventually I do get my shit together, and then I take a quick shower.

Charlie’s frowning down at his phone, still in bed. I’m glad to see him using his left hand mostly, but I know he’s going to want to argue with me about staying off of the ice today, so I don’t give him a choice.

I march right over, tilt his chin up, kiss him hard for one second, then I’m walking away.

“I’m going to the gym. I need to clear my head. You stay here and be careful with your wrist.”

I see as indignation and disbelief start to fill his eyes, so I haul ass out of there.

---