Page 103 of My Brother's Teammates

“I… I couldn’t.” His eyes darken, haunted with guilt, and I know how he feels. We all do. “This is all my fault.” He pauses, raking a hand through his hair and gripping the back of his neck. “I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”

“You’re part of our family, Jace.” I place a light hand on his shoulder, half expecting him to pull away, but he surprises me, yanking me in for a hug instead. “We don’t blame you. We all decided to keep the truth from Harry. You should come back. You belong with us.”

He claps me on the back, turning toward me and keeping his voice low. His eyes light up just a touch, and I suspect that maybe he didn’t think we’d want him. “Thank you. I missed you guys, too.”

“We can have a movie night tonight. Roman can make us some caramel popcorn.”

Jace huffs a laugh before pulling back, then falls in line next to me as we make our way to the lockers. “Only if I can pick the movie.”

A few of the rookies are arguing on the other side of the room, and the wingers from the second line are talking shit about the other team. No one is really paying us a lick of attention. Surprising, but good.

I’m almost to my stall when Roman and Harrison stomp out of the coach’s office, looking less than pleased. Roman’s shoulders are rigid, his entire body wound so tight, he could snap any second. He’s going to need a glass of wine, a back massage, and couch cuddles from yours truly to help him relax.

Coach must’ve called them in while I was getting checked out by the medic, but Roman didn’t play in the game tonight, so I have no idea what that could be about. Well, unless Coach is reaming his ass for his extra-sloppy practice this morning.

Or the ice coming from our side of the bench.

Harrison glares around the locker room, almost daring anyone to talk to him. His jaw is working back and forth, his hands balled into fists at his side. He looks like a ray of sunshine—one that will melt the eyeballs from your skull if you dare look at it.

This is going to go well.

Do you think there’s a chance we can all peacefully shower, dress, and get the fuck out of here?

Me neither.

Harrison locks eyes with mine, softening for a few seconds before the humanity slips from his face and they harden again. When he spots Jace, his lip curls, and it seems like his entire body vibrates with what I can only imagine is barely harnessed rage. The fights on the ice didn’t seem to do a thing to calm his ass down.

“Oh, look, the guys responsible for tanking our shot at the playoffs,” he snarls at Jace, shouldering past me and ripping off his jersey to throw it in his stall. “Everyone, give them a hand. These three are going to be why our season ends early.”

The noise immediately dies down, and aside from a few throats clearing and the sound of clothes shuffling as guys remove their gear, it’s silent.

Jace stiffens beside me, taking a deep breath and releasing it with a curse.

Roman moves to stand on my other side, his body thrumming with anger. “Harrison.”

The way he says his name isn’t a threat, not exactly. It’s a warning. His control is undeniably irrefutable, but it only extends so far.

“What’s the matter, Roman? Hitting too close to home?” Harrison sits down on the bench, a vengeful smile spreading across his face.

“Why don’t you take a walk, Captain.” Jace gestures to the doors before looking around the locker room at the rest of the team, who are now all clearly watching this shitshow go down. “Mind your fucking business. Hit the showers.”

Harrison should take a walk, calm down, maybe think about what he’s saying in front of the whole team.

“How does it feel knowing that you’ve destroyed the Phantoms for a piece of ass? Must be pretty proud of yourselves.”

And he didn’t. Fuck.

I expect Jace to be the one to react, to go chest-to-chest with Harrison, so I don’t even register Roman moving until he’s right in front of Harrison—who has jumped to his feet. The hate and resentment rolling off them is enough to suffocate all of us. Harrison stares down Roman, a raging storm brewing in his gaze, and Roman gives them right back.

“Don’t you fucking talk about her like that.” Roman gets right in his face, and I hold my breath.

Jace is frozen beside me, and I’m not doing any better. My first instinct is to jump between them and try to diffuse the situation, but Harrison went too far, pushed Roman too much.

“Like what? A slut?”

Time slows down, and everything happens in a fog.

Roman raises his fist and punches Harrison with a right hook that has him stumbling back to the bench. Jace lunges for the two of them, grabbing Roman’s arm, but it’s too late.

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