Page 12 of The Puck Stops Here

‘And what about the brawl that came after the game?’ the PR chick, Stella, clarified, her blue eyes narrowing as she glanced at the tablet in her hand. ‘The one you got into outside McGinty’s?’

She glanced back up, tucking her smooth blonde bob behind her ear as she pinned him with her cool gaze. A fortnight ago, that gaze had been on fire for him. Today however…

‘Someone takes a swing for me, I’m going to swing right back.’

‘Even when you’re taking a detrimental swing at the Titans every time you do it?’

Blake ground his teeth. ‘The guy took a detrimental swing at the Titans first.’

Or more specifically, his teammate Danny and his husband, Ross. Coming out in this business took serious courage. And witnessing the abuse…

Danny and Ross had seen fit to ignore it and walk away, but Blake had seen red. Truth was he could take people flinging shit at him, but when it was about his family or his buddies, and when it was as vile as…

He clenched his fists, shooting down the memory and the anger it evoked.

‘You’re not in the playground any more,’ Coach said.

‘The problem is a lot of people seem to like taking a swing for you,’ the GM spoke over him.

Blake shrugged. ‘Comes with the territory.’

‘For you, a lot more than most. Your fiery nature is a problem,’ Stella said, a hint of colour in her cheeks now. Was her head back in the club, recalling what he’d done to her up against the alley wall, what she’d done to him in turn? She hadn’t been complaining about ‘his nature’ then. ‘Twenty years ago, it wouldn’t have been an issue, you’d be our enforcer, and we’d make no bones about it, but now… the rules are changing.’

‘The ruleshavechanged,’ the GM added.

And officially, he was right. But unofficially, everyone knew it paid to be a hard ass both on and off the ice. And intimidating the opposition was as much a psychological mind game as it was a physical play.

If people feared dancing with youbeforethe puck dropped, the advantage was yours for the taking.

‘When your behaviour has you in the box more than you’re out of it, something’s gotta give,’ the GM said. ‘You’vegot to give.’

Blake frowned. What the hell was the schmuck on about? Give? Like, back down? Wave the white flag? Skate out of the brawl, not in? Was hecrazy? He was nicknamed Fury for a reason…

‘You want to stay on the team, you need to change.’

Stay on the team…?

Blake’s gut rolled, his skin shrinking until it felt too small for his body. He scanned the trio across the table. Were they serious? Did they not realise his team needed him like this? That this was what he was good at?

Sure, he had skills. Gone were the days where enforcers got a full-time position on the team. But still…

‘Coach?’ He settled his sights on the man for back-up because if anyone was going to give it, it was him. ‘Come on, Fury isn’t just a name, it’s who I am for the sake of our team.’

‘The doc thinks you would benefit from seeing Lisa.’

Notwhat he wanted Coach to say. And Lisa? Who the hell was?—

Wait.

‘Theshrink?’

‘Lisa is a sports psychologist,’ Stella said smoothly, ‘she’ll help you get?—’

‘I don’t need no shrink.’

Sports psychologist or not, Lisa was most definitely a shrink.

And hell, he wanted no one poking around up top. His demons were just that. His. No one else’s business but his own.

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