Page 1 of Cross Check Hearts

Chapter1

Declan

Cars zip past in a blur as I weave between them in heavy traffic, maneuvering my motorcycle with practiced precision, so naturally and fluidly it’s like an extension of my limbs. My hair spills out from under my helmet and whips in the roaring wind, and in the distance, Denver’s beautiful mountain ranges claw over the horizon, their peaks bathed in golden afternoon light.

It’s nothing like what I’m used to in San Diego, but it’s rugged and beautiful in its own way.

A traffic light at an intersection ahead turns yellow, and as the car in front of me brakes, I dart out from behind it and give my bike a commanding blast of gas.

“Au revoir!” I bellow with my fist raised and soar through the light before it changes. There’s no way in hell I’m about to be late for my first day of practice with the Denver Aces—not after everything I’ve been through to get here.

On the other side of the light, I ease up on the gas and bark out a laugh as my heart hammers in my chest. Riding my bike is always a rush, but there’s something about the crisp air at this elevation that’s making me feel even giddier than usual. And when I crest a hill and see downtown Denver stretch out in front of me with its arena glinting like a crown jewel at the heart of the city, I feel like I’m flying.

It’s not the first time I’ve been here. I visited a few months ago to sign contracts and meet with the equipment manager to have my gear fitted, but this is the first time I’ll actually be hitting the ice with the rest of the team as an official member of the Aces. And I can’t stop grinning about it.

I finally fucking made it.

The thought makes a smile split my face as I pull into the designated parking area for the practice arena and kill the engine. I shove the kickstand down with my foot and pull my helmet off my head to shake my hair loose, then check it in the mirror. After running a hand through my dark locks to tame them a little, I lock my helmet to the back of the bike and stride purposefully toward the door with my gear bag strapped to my back.

I have a vague idea of where I’m going after my visit, but it’s been a while, so I’ve lost a few of the details. I make a few wrong turns and end up totally lost. It doesn’t help that pretty much every hallway in the place looks exactly the same, all concrete walls and generic office equipment.

“Declan?” A familiar voice echoes down the hall, and I spin and find Coach Dunaway at the opposite end.

“Hey, Coach. I was just looking for you.”

“Yeah, sure. The locker room is this way, Murray,” he says, thrusting a finger in the opposite direction with a teasing smile like he knows I’m full of shit. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the guys.” He beams at me as I approach him and claps a hand on my shoulder. “You’re early.”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “I just want to make a good first impression.”

“Trust me, you already made one hell of a good impression in the showcase I saw you in. I can’t believe you didn’t get snapped up by a team right out of college,” he says as he leads me down the hall. I try to keep track of all the turns we’re taking because I know I’ll need to navigate this maze on my own later, but I lose track quickly.

“It just wasn’t the right time, I guess. But I busted my ass to make sure I’d be ready when the right time came.”

Dunaway claps me on the shoulder again, smiling like a proud dad. “I like that kind of work ethic. You’re gonna do well on my team.”

A grin splits my face, and the memory of all the disappointment I’d felt at not getting an NHL contract fresh out of college bubbles to the top of my mind. It’s funny to think about it now that I’m standing here with the coach of a Cup-winning team. I’ll never regret putting my mom and her health first when she needed me, even if it meant my hockey career had to take a back seat. Thinking of my mother now stokes a fire in my chest to succeed.

I don’t ever want her to have to worry about her health or the money to take care of it again, and now that I’ve got this contract with the Aces, she never will. I’m going to be able to take care of her just like she took care of me when my dad split on us.

Dunaway leads me into the locker room, but no one else is there yet. He takes me to a locker with my name on it. “This one is yours. Make yourself at home. I’m sure the rest of the guys will start to trickle in soon.”

“Thanks, Coach.”

When he’s gone, my hand drifts up to the little metal plaque with my name on it. It’s the smallest thing, but there’s something about seeing my name in the Aces locker room like this that makes it feel real in a way it hasn’t until now. But that doesn’t mean I can stop busting my ass. As the rookie on the team, I still have a lot to prove to the rest of the guys.

I sling my bag off my shoulder and start getting geared up for practice, but before I finish, I hear several voices echoing down the hall. Three men I instantly recognize appear in the entrance, laughing and talking amongst themselves, but they freeze when they spot me.

“Well, would you look at that? I guess the rookie beat us to the punch,” a dark-haired man sporting a teasing grin says to the others.

“Don’t start giving the new guy shit already, Theo,” a guy who looks like he’s the oldest of the three chides and crosses his hulking arms over his chest.

“Yeah, Sawyer is right. Your playing is probably enough to scare him off on its own,” the last one adds, making the other two laugh. He strides over to offer me a hand to shake. “Noah, team captain.”

I take his hand and grip it firmly, meeting his gaze steadily. “Declan Murray.”

“Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Yeah, seriously. Dunaway won’t shut up about you, actually,” Theo says as he walks to his locker.

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