Page 290 of Wrong Pucking Player

Waiting for him to move even the slightest.

Holding our breaths until we can see his chest lift and fall.

That’s the striking problem that’s ringing warning bells in my mind as goosebumps rush through me.

He’s not breathing.

Ace Harvey from the Strattonville Vipers isn’t breathing.

That’s not what kicks every medical personnel into gear.

It’s the pool of blood immediately oozing out the back of his head.

“EMERGENCY MEDICS!” Mikayla’s scream echoes through the massive stadium as she’s down at Ace’s side and checking his pulse. Dimitri is next, dropping onto the opposite side.

“ACE? ACE?!” Mikayla screams his name again and again, struggling to find a pulse.

“Fuck. DEFIBRILLATOR!” Dimitri screams just as Doctor Bridget, two other emergency medics, and even Dr. Francisco arrive to help.

I want to be of assistance, which is why I’m about to go on the ice, but the sudden tension soaring between the two teams makes me stop at the last second.

Despite the chaos happening around Harvey, the stadium is still completely silent. The shock is descending through the rows of once excited fans, the crowd beginning to take in the traumatic mayhem they just witnessed.

And are still witnessing as we wait to hear Ace’s heartbeat.

The stadium is still completely silent, the shock further descending upon the crowd as everyone watches the mayhem unfolding. It’s as though everyone’s waiting to hear the beat of Ace’s heart, the one I’m desperately trying to ignite as I do compressions while they unpack the defibrillator.

I notice the true expression of devastation on Wolfgang’s face. Of course, he’s absolutely devasted after Ace slides in between him and Jayce’s manic display of desperation to gain even one goal.

Despite the buzzer going off, Jayce sped down the ice with the puck in his grasp, ready to collide with Viper’s goalie with every intention of hurting Wolfgang.

Hurting, disabling, maybe even killing him with a single blow.

Instead, he collided with Harvey, sending him flying off the ice.

I’d never witnessed a muscle man, who surely weighs over 200 pounds, soar through the air like he weighs absolutely nothing.

What made my stomach churn in horror was the sickening cracking sound that ignited the moment his backside hit the ice.

Then he was as still as a statue.

As if things can’t get worse, I realize the compressions Mikayla, Dimitri, and the remaining medical personnel have all been implementing have been unsuccessful, leaving them no choice but to use the last resort.

The defibrillator.

“CLEAR!” Doctor Bridgett exclaims before shockwaves are sent through Ace’s body.

I’m holding my breath, fighting the way my body trembles, and the glimpse of hope dims with the first unsuccessful shockwave.

When the second one ignites, the tense fear only spreads through the crowd as fans are already beginning to cry while others are praying and outstretching their arms to the ice in hopes an angel will descend from the heavens and touch Harvey’s heart with life.

I’m close to Harvey like Mikayla is, but I know my bestie loves him just like she does the remaining three men who left the Heartbreaker Crew years ago in support of Mikayla’s breakup with Winchester.

Harvey was the man who enjoyed making everyone laugh. His family is just as welcoming, always inviting us for dinners, where his grandma enjoyed telling us wild stories and cooking those amazing dinners that remind you of Thanksgiving dinners in movies.

I may not know what was happening on the Strattonville Viper’s side of things, but I’m confident that Winchester’s actions were absolutely wrong.

Disgusting. Vile. Unprovoked.

---