Page 43 of The Penalty

Needs A Breeding: y

Ejaculate: So I stop thinking about you breeding me.

It doesn’t work.

THIRTEEN

TEDDY

It’s game day. The first time we’re playing the Gods in the regular season. I’m so nervous, my hands are shaking as I hold the fluffy hat I made as I wait for Porter.

We’ll start our off ice warm-ups here in a few minutes, but I haven’t seen our captain, which is weird. The captain is usually the first guy here, especially for game days.

My knee is bouncing like it’s powering the Indy 500 as I watch the door.

Come on, Porter. Where are you?

“You good, man?” Blondie sits next to me, wraps his arm around my shoulder. After a moment of hesitation, I take the comfort he’s offering. I guess I needed a hug. This isn’t the guy I want to be hugging, but Rhys isn’t here. Not that I could hug him in front of everyone, even if he was. Especially today.

Why does he have to be the enemy?

Why do I want him so bad?

Maybe I should call my mom. She always knows how to make me feel better.

Porter finally walks in, and I jump to my feet.

“Captain!”

Porter jumps at the yell that was louder than I meant it to be.

“What’s up, man?” He starts pulling his suit off and hanging it up.

“I made this.” I shove it at him, giving him no other option than to take it. “For you.”

“Uh, thanks.” He takes it and looks at it, but his eyebrows are pulled together like he’s confused.

“It’s a hat.” I take it from him and shove it on his head. The stitches are too loose so it flops on his head and hangs down to his nose. Pretty sure he can see through the stitches too. But I smile.

“Right. It is. Thanks.” He pushes it up and smiles, though it looks forced.

“It’s for good luck, so don’t let anything happen to it and don’t lose it. It has to come to all the games. Got it?” I point at him and raise my eyebrows, so he knows I’m serious.

“Got it.”

I clap his shoulder and feel a little better. Maybe once warm-ups are over, I’ll feel better.

We get dressed, drop off our skates, wrap our hockey sticks, and do our off-ice warm-ups but my stomach is still jumble-y. Maybe I should have had more than an energy drink and a bag of cookies for breakfast…

I check my phone for the hundredth time before pulling on my gear and see my parents are here. That makes me feel a little better, but the cold fear of letting my team down is still there. Twisting around my insides until I shiver.

One of the assistant coaches comes around and helps with any pad or uniform adjustments. Coach gives us a pep talk that I hear part of, but I’m too wrapped up in seeing Rhys and what it’ll all mean to pay attention.

We hit the ice, everyone skating around the perimeter, warming up their muscles and getting used to the cold in their lungs. The bite in the air centers me. Focuses me on my job. Outhere, nothing but the game matters. Keeping the puck out of the crease, out of my net, is my only job.

Lancelot and I stretch out by the goals. He probably won’t see any ice time, but he has to be ready just in case. Hockey is a wild ride and you never know what will happen. From fights to accidents, no one is immune to injuries. Not in this sport.

I love how fast it goes. How I’m able to slow it down in my head and predict the next move so I’m ready for it. Most of the time I’m right.

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