Page 108 of Shots Fired

More heads turn to one another. My permanent smile is well and truly wiped.

“The GM feels we need to replace and intensify our presence in the back lines.” Jon closes his eyes momentarily. Screw keeping a professional demeanor. This is personally hurting him. “The trade with Detroit is about to be finalized, and I’m … well, I’mpleasedto announce that Tommy Schneider will be joining the Blades. Effective immediately.”

“Tommy Schneider?” Jack’s voice cuts through the stunned silence. “As in the dickhead who doesn’t actually play hockey?”

Jon side-eyes his stepson, but Jack’s already lost his shit, and I find myself wincing as I witness a prequel to what I can no doubt expect from him when he finds out about Darcy. Only I get the feeling this reaction I’m seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

“As in Alex Schneider’s estranged son?!” Jack continues. “As in the son of the guy who almost killed former Scorpions legend, Zach Evans, on the ice?”

Coach drops his head to the floor, hands stuffed inside his pockets. “Yes, Jack. As in Tommy Schneider.”

“Yeah, well, he can’t come. Terminate the damn trade!” Jack growls. “We just got this team playing like an actual unit, and now you want to throw an atomic bomb that is the biggest fighter the NHL has ever seen right into the center of our season.”

Coach’s head whips up, eyes narrowing at his assistant captain. He points his finger in the center of his chest. “I expressed my opinion on a number of occasions, but ultimately,the decision sits with the GM. And he’s decided Schneider is what we need.”

He points to Sawyer, and I know what’s coming. Our captain hasn’t hidden his intentions to retire, likely at the end of this season. “We know Bryce’s plans, and we have to move now to strengthen the team.”

He motions to me, and I shrink back in my seat. I want nothing to do with this since I’ll be public enemy number one soon enough. “And we have to protect Moore’s shutout stats. We’re almost two months deep into the season, and he’s smashing it.”

Jack folds his arms across his chest, kicking his feet out under the table.

Coach looks at Sawyer next. “Maybe a few words from the captain?”

I know for a fact that Sawyer couldn’t stand Alex Schneider. Sawyer was with the Blades when Alex was kicked off the team—or more accurately, his contract wasn’t renewed.

The truth is, Tommy Schneider spent the first couple of years of his career wreaking havoc in the AHL before he was pulled into the Detroit side. No one really knows how much he’s capable of since he spends the majority of his time in the penalty box.

Before Sawyer opens his mouth, I already know he’s seething inside. He likely had a better idea than the rest of us that this was coming, but clearly, he never truly thought it would happen. This move from the GM is like two fingers to our fans and a step back in time to when the Blades were struggling at the foot of the league.

Clearing his throat, he scratches at his stubble. “I can understand concerns around the trade.”

Jack huffs out a sarcastic breath.

“Hey!” I call across to him with a raised brow. “Cap is speaking. I know this is personal for you—it is for all of us—but let’s keep it professional.”

Pushing a hand through his hair, Jack nods in response. “Yeah, I’m just pissed, is all. Sorry, Cap.”

“No worries,” Sawyer replies. “So, yeah, I know this decision has come way out of left field, and it’s going to leave a sour taste in a lot of people’s mouths. That said, there’s nothing we can do about it. The deal is done, and Schneider is joining us. All we can do is make him feel welcome and keep our focus off team politics and on the ice.”

When he delivers that final sentence, his gaze tracks to me. Perhaps he sees this trade as small time compared to the bomb I’ll drop.

He’s right.

After Darcy turns twelve weeks, I was thinking the sooner, the better to tell Jack and Coach, but now, with this news and the state of mind both are in, I’m concluding we need to let the dust settle before we tell them.

Jack already looks livid, and I can’t say I blame him. He knows that next season, he’ll replace Sawyer as the C, and that his beef with Kendra’s ex, Tyler Bennett, in his rookie season will have been a side show compared to the chaos Schneider will bring.

People label me as the NHL’s biggest playboy. Well, that’s nothing compared to the bad boy rep our new defenseman carries.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

DARCY

Morning sickness has taken me out these past few days.

Not that Archer needs to know. He needed to concentrate on the away series against Dallas and keep up the run of form he’s had since he started the regular season. His knowing about my sporadic puking wasn’t going to change anything, other than having him on the first flight out of Texas.

He needed to be there with the team. When he says Jack is the more valuable player, he’s doing himself an injustice. And now, with the contentious trade of Tommy Schneider, his teammates need him more than ever. He’s the backbone and steady ship that steers them, even if he doesn’t recognize it in himself. He shows up for his people, and they love him.