Page 124 of Puck Me Secretly

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

He glared up at me. “You have no business coming here and distracting the players.”

“Excuse me?”

Max interjected. “Baxter, we’re all on break.”

Baxter ignored Max and glared up at me. “If you can’t contribute anything, at least refrain from bothering the players.”

Max moved closer to Baxter, staring him down. “I came over to talk to her, not the other way around. And I was discussing business.”

Baxter glared up at me, and as he turned to skate away, he spoke in a low voice. “Slut.”

Too stunned to respond, I sat frozen.

Max moved his stick, caught Baxter’s skate and yanked. Baxter tripped hard and landed on his chest. Without equipment on, I knew that fall had hurt.

“You okay, coach?” Max skated to his side and stopped short, spraying his face with ice.

“Fuck you.”

“What?” Max asked with an innocent expression.

“You tripped me,” Baxter rolled over and climbed to his feet to face Max. “Fuck you.”

“You’re mistaken.”

Baxter faced Max with a murderous expression.

“You’re going to pay for that.”

Everyone on the ice stopped to turn and watch.

Baxter swung for Max’s face. Max didn’t even bother to move and he let Baxter’s fist connect with his chin.

My hand covered my mouth when Max tossed off his gloves and dropped his stick.

Max wanted to fight.

Max pushed Baxter against his chest. Baxter flailed back, nearly losing his balance, but he stayed upright.

Baxter swung again, but this time, Max ducked back, avoiding getting hit.

Dad appeared beside me. “What the hell’s going on?”

Max pulled Baxter’s jacket over his head, and he got in three hard right shots on Baxter’s face.

“Enough!” Dad barked.

Max let go of Baxter. He picked up his gloves and stick, circling. Staring up at Dad with a hard to read expression.

Baxter pulled his jacket off his face. Blood spurted out of his nose. He froze when he spotted Dad. He pointed at Max, “This fucker has to go.”

“Both of you. In my office. Now!”

Dad turned and walked up the steps. Eyes wide, I threw a worried glance towards Max, before I scrambled after Dad.

Dad seethed. “Want to tell me what is going on?”