Page 52 of Puck Lust

“I said you come home right after school. You’ve got chores to do.” He leans in close, the stench of stale cigarette smoke and beer on his breath making my stomach roil. “You think I should be the one doin’ all the work around here? Or are you too good for that because you think you’re a big hockey star?”

I puff out my chest, my jaw tight. In three years, I’ll be eighteen and on my own. It’s not forever. I can do it. I can do anything.

Clenching my fists at my sides, I glare at him. “Screw you and your piece of shit house. I’m getting the hell out of here and away from you.”

“You’re not goin’ anywhere, you shit stain. And as long as you live under my roof, you’re gonna do what I say. Got it?”

He holds the glowing tip of his cigarette up to my eyes and hisses, “And if you don’t, you know exactly what’s gonna happen.”

Sam snaps his fingers in front of my face to get my attention, jerking me back from my jaunt down Toxic Memory Lane. “You here with me or what?”

I let out a frustrated sigh, anger bubbling deep in my chest, the way it always does when I think of that fucking abusive asshole. “Yeah, here.”

Christ, I wish that somebody’d have paid attention to the words I never said, to read between the lines of what I did say so I’d be saved from that bastard.

But they never did.

They were too blinded by what I could do to hear my silent cries for help.

“The event to kick off the charity game circuit is tomorrow night. You didn’t forget, right?”

“Nope, I’ll be there.”

He claps me on the shoulder. “Great. We got a bunch of guys on the roster for the first hockey game. Sorry to say your buddy O’Callahan volunteered.”

I roll my eyes. “Please tell me he’s on the opposing team. Atleast if I play against him, it’ll be justified if I run him into the wall a few dozen times.”

“Violence is never justified, Jack.” Sam winks at me. “But I’ll try to make it as painless as possible for you. I think it’ll be really good exhibition because you’re killing it with Oakland. The game out here should bring in a ton of spectators because of you and VK.”

I almost choke on that. “VK?”

“Yeah, he volunteered to play, too. The night at Electric Lunch He didn’t mention anything?”

“No,” I grunt.

Fucking Christ. Even when I don’t have to share a room with him, he’s still a thorn in my goddamn side, stabbing me harder even now that he’s not on top of me.

No pun intended.

I swallow a groan.

Nope, not thinking aboutthat.

“You don’t sound thrilled. I thought you guys were cool now.”

“Super cool,” I choke out.

Sam flashes a wide smile at me. “Great, because I seated him at your table tomorrow night. I figured it would be good press, the two new superstars of Oakland coming together to support the kids.”

Coming together.

Well, VK was right about one thing.

I reallycan’tescape this time.

EIGHTEEN

carter

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