Page 109 of Call the Shots
HOCKEY PLAYERS CAUGHT DISPARAGING THEIR COACH WILL FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTION
The guys turned to me, and I swore under my breath, ripping one down to take a photo for the chat. No more jokes about Vernon’s perm, no moreKokomobullshit. No more photoshopped pictures of him in prison guard uniforms.
“Well?” I crumpled the paper and tossed it to the garbage. “We’re not here to stand around.”
Some of our teammates were leaving the gym, and I didn’t pay attention towho. Riley stopped me. “Did you tear up a coach announcement?”
Oh, goddammit.
“You have eyes, Twinkletoes?” Elijah taunted, his shirt damp with sweat. “Wouldn’t have guessed from your shooting percentage.”
“Call me Twinkletoes again,” Riley warned, getting in his space.
I grabbed Elijah by the back of his shirt. “That’s enough.”
“Are you writing me up?” Elijah demanded Riley. “Get out your little notebook?—”
“Vernon will hear about this?—”
“Hey, Leelee! Mind your ownfucking business!”
Riley dove for Elijah and we moved to separate them until I had my arms around Elijah, holding him back. I couldn’t believe him—theonething he wasn’t supposed to say, and he shouted it in front of everyone.
Riley was furious. “Only my family calls me that, asshole!”
Family?
Holy shit. Were Vernon and Riley related? No—Cleo would’ve found that out. Even Marrs would’ve stumbled across that. I ushered my teammates to leave, either inside or outside of the gym, and dragged Elijah to the corner.
“What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“He’s Vernon’s favorite—it’s goddamn unfair?—”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t,” I said, careful to keep my voice low. “I’m telling you to stop speaking to him. Ignore him and move on. Don’t let him in your head.”
“We know they’re family?—”
“We don’t know shit.” I took out my phone and sent a message relaying the conversation to the chat with Denali, Cleo, June, and me. “Don’t interfere. If Vernon figures out we’re on to him, this shit could get so much worse.”
“I hate when you’re right,” he sighed. “I wanted to talk to you about something else anyway.”
“What about?”
“I don’t like King.”
Jealousy was a bitter taste, and I took a swig from my water bottle to wash it out. “What about him?”
“I think you and June should get together.”
I choked on my drink. “Huh?”
“You’re an asshole but you could be June’s asshole. She’ll need it after she breaks up with King.”
“Why would June break up with King?”
“Sheneedsto. King has some fucked-up charges from high school. Violent shit.”
I froze. “Does June know?”
