Page 18 of Triple Puck Valentines

We spread out. Me in the middle of the two men in a v formation. Sweeping across the parking lot, the asphalt cooling in the twilight sun, our shoes make no sound to alert the cult.

I’m still uneasy. This is a set-up I’m sure. I know the two men know it as well, but there’s nothing we can do about it. We have to carry on as if there’s nothing to worry about.

“Hands up.”

My heart freezes at the same time my stomach bolts and threatens to force its way through my throat.

“Hands up I said.” The voice harsh and rough, I thrust my shaking hands in the air. My lungs threaten to freeze with my other organs.

13

HUTCH

“Hands up I said.”

I stop, wanting to whip around and give this guy a beating. But I have to think of Kat. I don’t know if they have a gun. My thoughts beat myself up at not making sure no one was behind us more, but I’m a professional hockey player not a security man.

Raising my hands, I turn around. Wow. This guy is dressed like a cult member in a white robe.

He jabs a rifle into me, in the side, “move.”

His hair is white-blond and to his shoulders. All it would take is for me to somehow get control and grab the hair and shove that face into my knee. Watch blood spatter to drip down his pretty face.

I give a slight nod to Noah and Kat, nonverbally asking them to follow my directions. The rifle nudges my back, making me walk forward, my brother and girlfriend beside me.

We continue walking, the building looms larger before us. Kat’s fingers twitch on the hand closest to me. I’m not sure if that’s some kind of guarded alert. She suddenly coughs, chokes, her hand at her throat as of her airway is constricted. She falls to the ground, her fingers claw at her chest. I drop to my knees, not sure if she’s faking. It’s so real.

“Get up. Leave her.” The end of the rifle bashes me on the side of my head. Luckily I’m hard-headed, because any other man would be knocked out. I decide to take a page out of Kat’s book, fall to the ground, limp.

“What’s going on here.”

“You killed him. My brother.” Noah’s acting is a bit dramatic as he throws himself on my body.

“Whhaat? No. I didn’t. He must be alive. What about the girl?” His jaw hangs open. If he didn’t have that rifle I’d feel sorry for him.

“Look.” Noah spreads his arms wide, his face downcast at me. My head is to the side. I can only see a portion of what’s happening, but it’s enough to guess.

“All right. All right. I’ll just tell them he tried to escape. That’s the truth, right?” He frowns down at Noah as if that’s how this will play out. I wish Noah will hurry up. This isn’t how I imagined this would go, the split-second decision I had to make.

Kat stirs. Moaning. I can’t see her expression from where I’m lying, my eyes half open. Drying out.

“What’s going on here?” A new voice asks. It’s higher pitched. But, still a man.

“I-I-I killed him. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” The fear in his voice is a living, breathing individual.

“What are you talking about? Are you stupid? Beyond stupid? Come on get up.” He grabs a hunk of my shirt, hauling me up, tearing rips though the air.

I have to brace myself, my hands reach out, to grab at nothing. I take a wobbly step forward, and a gunshot slices through my shoulder.

Kat screams along with the piercing agony of my body. Fuck, that hurts.

Out of the building, people start filing out. Dressed in white robes. They point at us. They’re still too far away to hear their words.

Hands clutch at my body. It better not be one of those two guys. “Hutch. Hutch. Are you okay?”

Through gritted teeth, “fine. Just peachy.”

Flesh pounds against flesh. I squint through the pain to find Noah pounding on the new guy. The new guy is only a fraction of my brother’s size so there’s no opposition.

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