Page 19 of Facing Off
I stare at them both—and stare some more, willing my cock to twitch. Really, any level of stirring works. I’ll even take half of a half of a semi. But no.
My dick could not fucking care less.
“Sorry, ladies.” I grin. “Not that I don’twantto say yes, but I’m babysitting my rookies tonight.”
I gesture at the VIP booth on the second floor, where agroup of dancing guys wave down at us from over the railing.
The women can’t help but wave back. It’s exactly the reaction I was hoping for, because I’m already ducking away while they’re too distracted to notice.
Inside a dark club in Vancouver during our off-season, I was hoping nobody would recognize me. But when you’re the captain of the Vancouver Wings with an eight-figure salary…
You get recognized.
Not willing to risk getting stopped again, I head back to the VIP booth.
“Everything okay, Cap?” Kevin asks, a rookie whose facial hair hasn’t fully come in.
I fold my hands behind my head. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
Can they tell I’d rather be home, getting down and dirty with a large pepperoni pizza? And popping an allergy pill to cuddle my grouchy cat?
“Is it because of our last season?”
I freeze and pretend I didn’t hear him. I don’t want to talk about what happened to the Vancouver Wings.
Howwe lost Emmad and Matt, two first-line offensive players, to injuries. That we haven’t been the same since. The chemistry’s gone. We’re out of sync on the ice, and that’s why we didn’t even make the playoffs last season.
It was humiliating for that to happen to a team like ours, and Coach Forrester is pissed. Rightfully so, since the General Manager is breathing fire down his neck for results.
I know if we don’t at least make playoffs next season, management is going to stick their fingers into our roster to find a solution. No one’s contract is safe. The team will get shuffled around and players will be traded.
I can’t let that happen.I have to keep us together.
As captain, it’s my responsibility to piece us back together. I’ve spent most of this off-season trying to figure out how..
The pressure to always ooze confidence sits hard on my shoulders, so I lift my drink. “I’m not worried! Next time, we’re going all the way to the finals!”
“Yeah!” Nick raises his beer.
Ahmed clinks it with his bottle.
That starts a chain reaction. We’re all clinking glasses and shouting cheers.
When Kevin gets to me, he shakes his head. “I still can’t believe you’re here tonight. Everyone thought you’d be overseas playing for Team Canada instead.”
My grin doesn’t slip, but my stomach coils tighter. Lokhov and Quinn are competing for Team Canada at the World Hockey Championship right now. As one of the leading scorers in the league, I was invited to play alongside my teammates.
I turned the offer down.
No one knows why.
Since I have a feeling these rookies are seconds away from asking, I shoot back up to my feet. “Okay, what’s the plan? Because if youareready to call it a night, there’s a limo outside that can drop you all home.”
They stare at me like I’ve grown five sets of eyes, clearly distraught.
“We want to go meet some women,” declares Kevin.
The others high-five him in agreement.
