Page 185 of Slap Shot

“She has a way of nestling her way into your heart, doesn’t she?” Madeline tells me. “She can break down even the grumpiest motherfuckers.”

It’s my turn to laugh, glad to hear her making jokes.

“Let’s get our girl,” I say, draping my arm over her shoulder, but she shoves me away.

“You do not get to touch me with that funk on you, Hayes.”

“So I need to shower before I’m allowed to leave? Got it, Galloway.”

“Two showers would be preferable.”

We walk to the door and I put my hand on her lower back. When we get close to the locker room, Madeline freezes.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, and when I follow her gaze, I see a guy standing in the tunnel with some other fans lingering around the lounge. His khakis are too short. His polo is an obnoxious shade of yellow, and I hate the stupid tennis shoes he’s wearing. His eyes dart between me and Madeline, and he frowns. “Is that Fark?”

“Yeah. Just my luck the friend he’s with is a season ticket holder.” She steps closer to me. “I’m fine.”

“I can’t bring you into the locker room with me, but I need to get my stuff. Give me two minutes, and I’ll be right out.”

“It’s okay, Hudson. Really.”

She smiles up at me, and the douche canoe of her ex comes walking toward us. He puts on some nice-guy act with the security guard, pointing at us over his shoulder, and when I hearmy daughtercome out of his mouth, I want to deck him in the jaw.

“Where did Lucy go?” Clark asks, and I step forward to create a buffer between them.

“You can’t be down here, man,” I say.

He rolls his eyes and tries to get around me. “I’m just asking about my daughter. Relax,man.”

“Back up,” I tell him, and when he doesn’t listen, I throw off my gloves and shove him against the wall. “I said back the fuck up.”

“Hudson.” Piper runs over, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Lucy watching all of us. “Enough. What are you doing? Lexi, can you get Maverick for me?”

“I wanted to apologize,” Clark says.

“You don’t get to talk to her.” I keep my arm against him, and that’s when I see the first moment of panic in his eyes. “Don’t look at her. Don’t talk to her. You go through me, buddy, and guess what? I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“I was young and stupid.” He closes his eyes. “It was a mistake.”

“Hudson.” Madeline touches my arm, and I relax under the press of her fingers. “Let him go. I don’t want Lucy to see you like this. It’s not who you are.”

Lucy.

“I’m sorry.” I drop him from my hold and take four steps back. “I didn’t?—”

“I know.” Her smile calms me down. It makes me take a deep breath, and I huff. “You protect what’s yours. I remember.”

Mine.

Mine, mine, mine.

Lucy and Madeline are mine, and I’ll do anything it takes to keep them safe.

“Yeah,” I mumble, and when Maverick makes his way into the tunnel, I shake my head. “I do.”

Madeline turns her attention to Clark. She puts her hands on her hips and stares at him. “You’re years late with an apology,” she says to him, and I don’t know how she’s keeping her voice so calm. “We’re fine without you. We’ve always been fine without you, and I never want to see you again. Do you understand me?”

“Yeah.” He hangs his head, defeated. “I understand.”

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