Page 20 of Second Shot

“Madden,” Coach has fire in his eyes, and it’s aimed straight at me. “Get overhere.”

I can’t deal with him. Not right now. My head is a mess. And every time I look at the man, I can’t help but play his words from the other night over and over in myhead.

If you hear from her, you’ll let meknow.

Jesus, what am I supposed to tell him?Yeah, I not only saw her, but also the grandkid she hasn’t told you about. Oh, and by the way, I’m the fuckingfather.

Ignoring Coach’s hollering, I skate off theice.

I didn’t sleep last night. And I know I won’t until I see heragain.

The initial shock has worn off, at least slightly, enough to know that I’m more than pissed at her. Fuck her reasons. The kid is as much mine as it is hers, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let her keep him fromme.

The fact that she thought for even a second that I wouldn’t want to be part of his life only frustrates me more. Sure, the thought of having a kid never really crossed my mind. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let my own son grow up the same way I did, not knowing who his fatheris.

In the change room, I tear my helmet off and toss it on the bench, before slamming my fist into thewall.

“Jesus, Madden.” Blake moves into the room, pulling off his goalie mask and dragging his fingers through his long, dark hair. Gray eyes watch me carefully, like he’s ready at any second for me to detonate. “What’s going on withyou?”

“Nothing.” I sit down and start unlacing myskates.

Still in his heavy gear, he sits down on the bench across from me. “You going to tell me or am I going to have to beat it out ofyou?”

With my elbows on my knees, I place my head in my palms and mutter, “Brynne’sback.”

Silence.

I look up, expecting some response, but he’s just watching me with a you’re-asking-for-troublelook.

“Does Coachknow?”

I shake my head. “I was at the cemetery yesterday. She wasthere…”

“You going to tell him you sawher?”

“I don’t know.” I scrub my fingers over my face. “I don’t know what the hell I’m going todo.”

Moresilence.

“You want to tell me what’s really goingon?”

I exhale heavily, then mutter, “She’s got akid.”

He frowns. “And that’s your problem,how?”

I hold his gaze, jaw clenched, waiting. I can see the moment he gets it. His eyes widen and his mouth dropsopen.

“Fuck. It’s yours? Jesus, Kane. You slept with her?” With every word, his voice getslouder.

“Keep your voicedown.”

“Coach is going to have your balls when he findsout.”

“Right now, Coach is the least of my worries.” Pinching the back of my neck, I look up at the ceiling, then close my eyes. “She doesn’t want me having anything to do with him.” I huff out a bitter laugh. “I don’t think she’d even have told me if I hadn’t seenhim.”

Blake exhales loudly. “That’s messed up,man.”

“Yeah.”

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