Page 40 of From Ice to Grace
She moves through the sea of reporters, and they actually make way for her. None of them seem to care about her short stature. Her presence, maroon glasses, and tight bun is intimidating enough.
“You don’t say a word right now. I’ll deal with them,” she says, shoving me back through the museum’s front doors.
The doors slam shut behind me, muffling the insistent voices and camera clicks. I find myself back in the foyer, marble underfoot, giant chandeliers overhead and the sound of the band playing a waltz leaking from the ballroom. The coatcheck girl tosses a lopsided grin my way before disappearing behind her station again.
And standing not far off is EJ. Jaw tight and eyes like ice.
“Where is she?” he barks. “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.” EJ shoves past me, deliberately clipping my shoulder in the process as he walks up to the door to look for Avah. “She left in a cab. Jenn’s dealing with the media outside.”
Slowly, he turns around. His jaw is so tight, I swear I can hear his teeth grinding. He closes the distance between us in a few hard steps.
“I swear, if you come near my sister, you will regret it. She’s not one of your play things, Murphy,” he says, low and sharp. He runs a hand through his hair, a mirthless laugh escaping him as he steps away from me for a second. “You know, I’ve always looked the other way. Sometimes I tried to save you from yourself, but mostly I let you burn your own bridges. Because you’re a grown man who can make all the mistakes he wants to make.” He points toward the door, toward his sister who just left. “But I won’t do that when it comes to her. Do you understand me?”
A sense of betrayal stings in my chest. Is this what he really thinks of me? That I play games with women? And that I am a threat to his sister?
“I told you before, and I’ll say it again,” I say, meeting his gaze head on. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I don’t have any intention of going after your sister. Plus, she can’t stand me, so you need to calm down. You’re my teammate, EJ. You’ve been bringing her around for a year now. We’re bound to talk to each other at some point.”
His eyes search mine for a hint of untruth. I’m not sure if he’ll find it because technically I’m telling the truth. But even as the words left my mouth, something about them felt…hollow.
I might not have any intention to go after Avah, but there’s no denying the fact that I’m intrigued by her. And tonight, I saw another side to her.
The last thing I want is to lose my teammates. I can’t afford to lose their confidence in me…at least no more than I already have. I need them to be on my side if I have any hope of keeping my place on this team.
“You’re my teammate, my friend,” EJ says through gritted teeth. “Don’t mess this up.”
Then he turns on his heel and heads back inside, leaving me alone in the echoing foyer.
Groaning, I toss my head back. I need a drink.
“Can you see the headlines, Murphy?” Jenn’s voice comes from behind me. “Because I can.”
She closes the door on the media and security takes over to keep them out. Adjusting her maroon-rimmed glasses with one finger, she then ticks off the headlines as she recites them.
“Declan Murphy: One defenseman. Three dates?” she says. “Or maybe even ‘One woman not enough for Murphy?’ Take your pick, they’re having a field day out there.”
“I thought you’re going to fix it?” I ask, worry stirring sharp and cold in my gut. “It sounds like you were brainstorming with them.”
“I did my best,” she says, her voice rising. “You’re making this impossible for me.”
Shaking my head, I mutter, “I never meant for this to happen, Jenn. I was doing what you told me to do.”
“Until your girlfriend showed up and ruined everything,” Jenn says, gesturing toward the ballroom where Lynn and Melissa still are. “You needed to manage the situation better.”
“And what would you have me do, exactly?” I ask, wondering how on earth she thinks I was supposed to diffuse the situation in there. “Somehow I managed to go from ‘date with a plane Jane’ to ‘having a foursome’ in under six seconds flat. Harry is going to?—”
“Murphy!” he shouts and I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Murphy!” The sound of Harry Matlock’s voice reverberates through me.
“I can’t save you on this one. Go face your demons,” Jenn says, tapping me on the arm before leaving me alone to face the GM and his outrage.
“Harry, I?—”
“I just got off the phone,” he cuts in, his voice like ice. His broad shoulders fill out his navy suit, the silver in his dark hair glinting beneath the lights. Harry’s whole presence is hard and unrelenting. “The PTO is arriving within the next week.”
Something inside of me freezes solid.
“You’re replacing me? Are you being serious?” I ask, running my hand through my hair. “You’re not even going to give me a chance to explain? After playing for you for years, don’t I deserve the benefit of the doubt?”
