Page 92 of These Wicked Games
Oli
Ihate the fucking Vipers.
Okay, no I don’t. Once upon a time I loved their team more than anything. I hate it now, though. Not this team giving their absolute all on the ice, but the team that held a monster. My memories feel tainted. How could anyone hurt their own child?
When Andre told me about the abuse he’d suffered it was like every single thing that tugged at my gut back then made sense. The bruises, the way he acted around him, the way he tried his hardest to do anything else but go home at the end of practices and games. Back then I just thought he wanted to hang out, and yeah, he did. There was just a bit more to it.
We’re in the third period, and we’re all just exhausted. There’s a lot riding on this game. We’ve never lost to the Vipers since I’vebeen captain and I’ll be dammed if we start now. Sev wins the face off, shooting back to Atlas who takes the back, dodging players the best he can. I skate to position, then jerk forward, tumbling to the ice. “What the fuck, Rome!” I drag myself back up and go to punch his stupid face, but he’s already off and the ref didn’t see it.
We lost the advantage. Fuck. I’m surprised Rome is even here after his arrest.
The whistle blows.
Oh, I guess we are calling plays after all.
I wait for Rome to get his when I realize it’s an offside call. “Who?” Grey skates past me shaking his head.
“This feeling a little one-sided to you, Kuli?” he says, skating by me.
Yeah, but I don’t want to think about it. While we haven’t addressed anything publicly, I can see the signs in the crowd—the supportive ones, and the not so supportive ones. There’s also another issue.
We get into position for a face off, and I can’t help looking up quickly.
Tripp.
He’s on the Vipers’ bench, which I find odd, but they are his old team. It’s weird to me that he never coached them. He could do it easily. It’s almost like he wants his attention focused solely on his son.
The distraction costs me as I lose the face off. Fuck! Colton body checks Knox Morrow, gaining the puck, but hell breaks lose when Knox gets up, skating faster and knocking Colton onto the ice. They’re swarmed.
Colton gets up, throwing off his gloves and punching Knox so hard his helmet flies off. The refs try to stop it. Some of the guys try to join but then fall back, grabbing an opponent. One of the refs tries his best to break them up, but they’re too worked up. I’m not sure why they hate each other so much, but if this is what Andre and I looked like . . .
Damn.
Finally the refs and some of the players pull them apart. Knox dabs his eyes as blood trickles down his face.
Colton comes by me. “You alright?”
“What’s a little fist fighting among enemies,” he laughs, dabbing his own eye.
Both Colton and Knox get sent to the sin bin for two minutes. We reset. The Vipers are doing their best to block any attempt at another goal. It’s two and two, and we just need one more to prevent going into OT. We gain the advantage. Grey and Ryker trade out for Cameron and Viktor.
With the advantage, I trade with Kyri and sit on the bench, watching the remainder of the play. “I’m fucking winded.” Grey squirts water into his mouth, then wipes himself with a towel. “Andre looks beat.” I look up, watching him. His movements have grown sluggish over the last period. We only have two minutes left. It’s both a lot of time and no time at all in hockey. Atlas skates fast toward their goal, taking a shot. “Fuck!” Their goalie blocks it. I look up. Only a few minutes left in the game. “We need one.”
“Go in Grey, for Cameron.” Coach Lafleur taps him.
“I just sat down.”
“We need one goal, and we need our best defense to stop any othergoals from them.”
Grey nods, getting up and waiting for Cameron to get the signal and switch out. Viktor has the puck and he’s skating fast toward their goal, faking out then shooting to Grey who the opponents don’t see coming down the line. He gets the puck, shooting fast, sailing it through the crease. “Yes, Greyson!”
He smiles, skating by us all clapping our hands. “Who’s tired now, old man?” he laughs, getting back into position. Just over a minute left on the clock.
They reset. The Vipers are desperate. Rome is back on the ice and I see his vicious determination from here. “Go, Oli.” I wait for Viktor to come back to the bench before getting out there and skating toward the puck.
Grey slaps the puck to me, and Martin Anderson from the Vipers tries to slap it away. I check it back, watching as Sev gains the advantage then shoots it to Grey.
Grey has the puck and is skating toward their goal, when Rome flies out of nowhere knocking into Grey with the force of a bulldozer. Grey flies into the air, tumbling with the force of the hit. Grey crumples into a heap on the ice.
