Page 57 of Friendzone Hockey
Don’t know that I consciously made the decision. I’m running on bloodthirsty instinct, and it just fucking happens off the face-off. Next I know, twenty-one’s jersey is twisted in my fist, my bare fist because my gloves are already on the ice, stick gone. My knuckles pound a satisfying crack across this asshole’s cheekbone and, huh,he’snot wearing a mouthguard.
Good.
I break his teeth. A snaggle-tooth chicklet lands on the ice, my fists soak up blood on the next punch, and I’m gonna have a nice bruise on my knuckles. Worth it. A tooth is the exact fucking price you pay for fucking with Dash.
The refs pull me off the guy, and it’s do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, straight to the penalty box for me. I get five minutes to stew, but then it’s over. Buddy catches my drift and while he doesn’t stay away from Dash, there are no more illegal hits or hits to Dash’s body period.
Later, in the locker room, Dash has his shirt off. Casey’s down to a towel around his waist ready to head to the showers.
“Check it out,” Case says. “Nice bruise to start the season off with.” He shows off the deep oval of indigo coloring on his hip. “Fucking Sutter. But I got him way worse than he got me.”
“What about me? Look,” Dash says, eyes bright, chest lifted. Molted purple splotches stain his upper chest, from number twenty-one’s stick I’ll bet. “My first bruises of the season.”
“And the last if I can help it,” I mutter under my breath. It’s unrealistic to think I can prevent everyone from beating on Dash, but I can minimize it. It’s not uncommon for certain players to have enforcers on the ice. I’m gonna be Dash’s, and I’m sure Casey and Dirk will have no problem helping me with that one.
Dash must miss my uttered promise. “What about you, Stace? Anything?”
“Your knuckles must be bruised to shit,” Casey says. “Didn’t you see him take out Howell? He’ll be eating through a straw for a few days that’s for damn sure.”
“I saw him in the box, but I missed what happened. Coach was giving me a few pointers,” Dash says.
Maybe that’s for the best.
Dash grips one of my bear-paw hands in both of his. “Holy shit, Stace. This is bad. There’s a toothmark.” He runs a thumb over my swollen skin, fascinated. Tingles erupt over my hand. My face heats. I do my best to remain perfectly still until he lets it go. I count every heartbeat, pounding in my ears while the heat of his touch sets me afire. The world spins differently when I’m in Dash’s orbit.
“I’ll get some ice on it, and it’ll be fine. How about you?”
“This is nothin’. It’s great. Don’t judge me, but I like a few bruises.” He winks, and it means exactly what I think it means.
“Don’t be a fucking brat,” I warn him. I try to keep as much lightness in my voice as possible when I say that like I usually would, but picturing him with someone, doing that to him … I don’t think I could fucking handle it, and I’d better never see any damn love bites on him.
If there’s any violence on my face, he misses it.
He shrugs, smiling, chin held high, daring me to do something about it.
“Get in the shower, Nolan,” I say with a tight jaw.
“Yeah, yeah. You comin’, Case?” He doesn’t wait for my brother, yanking his towel from his hips, twisting it into a whip, and snapping it across Casey’s torso.
Casey yips, wincing as Dash high-tails it far, far away. “That fucking bitch. Sorry, Stace. I’m gonna get another towel and his ass is gonna feel it. You gonna punch my teeth in?”
Am I surprised he’s figured me out? That what I did to Howell was pure revenge on Dash’s behalf? No. I’m also not gonna punch his teeth in for having a towel-snap war with Dash.
“He asked for it.”
“Alright! You’re gonna get it, Nolan,” Casey shouts, chasing after him in the buck.
I wish I could have that kind of fun with Dash, but I can’t. Instead, I strip down, grabbing a towel for myself, and listen. I listen for the inevitable snap. Dash’s high-pitched yelp.
But then there’s laughter. His unfettered laughter. It’s got the same ring of purity it did the day I tackled him and tickled him.
It’s him. He’s really here. He’s not just coming out of his shell, he’s busting out of it, leaving the shell in ruins.
Chapter
Eleven
NOW
