Page 99 of Dirty Puck

And they did.

Shot after shot—snipers to the corners, cross-crease passes faster than they’d ever tried in scrimmages. One shot clipped my blocker and still went in. Another went straight to my gut, and even with the padding, it rattled my ribs.

“What the hell is this?” I snapped after another puck rang off the post.

Bonner skated past, smirking. “You play like you treat your woman, Reece—lazy and cold.”

That one hit harder than the puck. My fists clenched behind my stick.

“You all done?” I snapped. “Want to say something, say it to my face. Quit playing like jackasses.”

Jones skated in front of my net and leaned on his stick like he was settling in. “You want to know why we’re pissed, Reece? Because weallsaw what you had. We saw the way Bree looked at you. Hell, she brought Benny to the locker room, man. You let them in. And then you tossed them away without so much as a word.”

“I didn’t toss them away.”

“Then why is she gone?” Bishop chided, gliding in behind the net.

I snapped my helmet off and shoved it against the net. “It wasn’t even real!” I shouted.

The skating stopped.

Deafening silence.

Jones crossed his arms. “You better start talking now. We all thought you and Bree were solid.”

“Coach laid down that ultimatum: get caught in a scandal, lose your spot on the team.”

They stared at me, waiting for more. I didn’t want to do this, but it seemed I had no choice.

“We were fuck buddies. But my mom’s cancer spread and her one fucking wish was to see me settled before she died.”

“Tell me you didn’t,” Jones said.

“I got the idea from one of Jaycee’s books that she left lying on the food table. I went to Bree with a proposition. I’d give her what she needed if she played my girlfriend for my mom.”

“What’d she need?” asked Bonner.

“Not your business. But it was only supposed to last until Ma passed. Well, Ma passed. So it’s over.”

Before I knew to brace myself, Antonov, who’d apparently still had a thing for Bree, stepped up, his eyes cold but sharp. “If you’re stupid enough to let her go, mark my words, she’ll be in my bed. Doesn’t matter how long it takes to wear her down. She’s mine.”

That line hit like a punch. The room fell quieter for asecond, the tension rising. The memory of Elyssa—the one I thought I’d loved—cheating on me with Russo flashed through my mind. The betrayal, the heartbreak hit hard all over again. Then the strangest thing happened. The vision of my ex-woman and ex-teammate morphed intoBreeinAntonov’sbed. I snapped.

Without thinking, I lunged at Antonov. Fists clenched, rage boiling over.

Jones and Bonner jumped between us, grabbing my arms. “Reece, chill! This ain’t the fight.”

“Antonov, back off!” Bishop barked, pulling Antonov away.

Coach blew the whistle, calling us into center ice. The guys started skating off, but not before Bishop leaned in close and said, “Antonov’s not the right man for Bree. You want us to lay off? Fix it. Before it’s too late.”

Then he skated off without waiting for a reply.

I stepped back, breathing hard, eyes blazing. That moment broke something loose in me.

No woman went out of her way like Bree did if she wasn’t really in it. I’d been a damn fool. It struck me how much I didn’t deserve her now. Letting Elyssa live in my head rent free for all these years. Getting in the way of my own happiness. My friends were right. But even if I didn’t deserve her, I loved her. I loved Bree Michaels.

And I had to get her back.

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